Adult literacy rate in Timor-Leste
69.4% of adults in Timor-Leste could read and write in 2022. The value for 2022 is the highest in the series, which starts in 2001.
Timor-Leste, 2022
69.4%
Change from 2016
+3.6percentage points
World, 2022
87.4%
Position in 2022
37th of 45
Adult literacy rate in Timor-Leste over time
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Timor-Leste
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 | Timor-Leste | World |
|---|---|---|
| 2024 | – | 87.7% |
| 2023 | – | 87.6% |
| 2022 | 69.4% | 87.4% |
| 2021 | – | 87.2% |
| 2020 | – | 87.0% |
| 2019 | – | 86.8% |
| 2018 | – | 86.8% |
| 2017 | – | 86.5% |
| 2016 | 65.8% | 86.3% |
| 2015 | 64.4% | 86.0% |
| 2014 | – | 85.6% |
| 2013 | – | 85.2% |
| 2012 | – | 84.9% |
| 2011 | – | 84.7% |
| 2010 | 58.3% | 84.4% |
| 2009 | – | 83.8% |
| 2008 | – | 83.5% |
| 2007 | 50.6% | 83.1% |
| 2006 | – | 82.5% |
| 2005 | – | 82.6% |
| 2004 | – | 82.6% |
| 2003 | – | 82.2% |
| 2002 | – | 81.7% |
| 2001 | 37.6% | 81.4% |
| 2000 | – | 81.1% |
A dash means no value was published for that period.
In short
- The previous available figure was 65.8% in 2016, a change of +3.6 percentage points.
- Since 2001, when it was 37.6%, the figure has changed by +31.8 percentage points.
- Among the 45 countries with data for 2022, Timor-Leste has the 37th highest value.
- The figure for the world in 2022 was 87.4%.
More for Timor-Leste
All statistics for Timor-Leste
Primary school enrolment (gross)
119.7%
2023 · World Bank
ILO estimate of the youth NEET rate
29.0%
2025 · ILOSTAT
Primary completion (UIS)
80.7%
2016 · UNESCO UIS
Lower secondary completion
66.0%
2016 · UNESCO UIS
Upper secondary completion
52.0%
2016 · UNESCO UIS
Out-of-school children
6.9%
2023 · UNESCO UIS