Adult literacy rate in Malaysia
95.8% of adults in Malaysia could read and write in 2022. The value for 2022 is the highest in the series, which starts in 1980.
Malaysia, 2022
95.8%
Change from 2019
+0.8percentage points
World, 2022
87.4%
Position in 2022
16th of 45
Adult literacy rate in Malaysia over time
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Malaysia
World
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The chart loads when you scroll to it. The table below shows the same data.
The chart shows a calculation from the published values. The table below keeps the published values.
% of people aged 15 and above. Source: World Bank, World Development Indicators. Gaps mean no published value; points are not joined across missing years.
| Period | Malaysia | World |
|---|---|---|
| 2024 | – | 87.7% |
| 2023 | – | 87.6% |
| 2022 | 95.8% | 87.4% |
| 2021 | – | 87.2% |
| 2020 | – | 87.0% |
| 2019 | 95.0% | 86.8% |
| 2018 | 94.8% | 86.8% |
| 2017 | 95.1% | 86.5% |
| 2016 | 94.9% | 86.3% |
| 2015 | – | 86.0% |
| 2014 | – | 85.6% |
| 2013 | – | 85.2% |
| 2012 | – | 84.9% |
| 2011 | – | 84.7% |
| 2010 | 93.1% | 84.4% |
| 2009 | – | 83.8% |
| 2008 | – | 83.5% |
| 2007 | – | 83.1% |
| 2006 | – | 82.5% |
| 2005 | – | 82.6% |
| 2004 | – | 82.6% |
| 2003 | – | 82.2% |
| 2002 | – | 81.7% |
| 2001 | – | 81.4% |
| 2000 | 88.7% | 81.1% |
A dash means no value was published for that period.
In short
- The previous available figure was 95.0% in 2019, a change of +0.8 percentage points.
- Since 1980, when it was 69.5%, the figure has changed by +26.3 percentage points.
- Among the 45 countries with data for 2022, Malaysia has the 16th highest value.
- The figure for the world in 2022 was 87.4%.
More for Malaysia
All statistics for Malaysia
Primary school enrolment (gross)
90.4%
2024 · World Bank
ILO estimate of the youth NEET rate
10.3%
2025 · ILOSTAT
Out-of-school children
12.0%
2024 · UNESCO UIS
Out-of-school adolescents
18.0%
2024 · UNESCO UIS
Out-of-school youth
34.9%
2024 · UNESCO UIS
Primary net enrolment
88.0%
2024 · UNESCO UIS