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Statistics · Country
Literacy rate in China
1982 – 2020 · 5 data points
5 of 13 · Countries
Updated Oct 21, 2026
Source: World Bank — World Development Indicators, 1982 – 2020
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Latest value · 2020
96.7%
+1.6 pp
since 2010
Countries · 2020
5 of 13
Place 1 is the highest value.
since 2010
+1.6 pp
vs World
+9.0 pp
World: 87.7% · 2024
Literacy rate, 1982 – 2020 percent · China · World
+1.6 pp since 2010
0%
25%
50%
75%
100%
1982
2000
2024
China
World
Source: World Bank — World Development Indicators, 1982 – 2020
Compared with Literacy rate · percent
China
96.7%
World
87.7% · 2024
Source: World Bank — World Development Indicators
The series at a glance China · 1982 – 2020
Latest value
96.7% · 2020
First value
65.5% · 1982
Highest
96.7% · 2020
Lowest
65.5% · 1982
Data points
5
By year
All years · 1982 – 2020
| Year | China | Change | World |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2020 | 96.7% | +1.6 pp | 87.0% |
| 2010 | 95.1% | +4.2 pp | 84.4% |
| 2000 | 90.9% | +13.1 pp | 81.1% |
| 1990 | 77.8% | +12.3 pp | 74.6% |
| 1982 | 65.5% | 68.9% |
Source: World Bank — World Development Indicators, 1982 – 2020
Ranking · Countries
2020 · Place 1 is the highest value.
| # | Territory | Literacy rate | |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Argentina | 99.1% | |
| 2 | Spain | 98.6% | |
| 3 | Philippines | 98.5% | |
| 4 | Saudi Arabia | 97.6% | |
| 5 | China | 96.7% | |
| 6 | Indonesia | 96.0% | |
| 7 | Colombia | 95.6% | |
| 8 | Mexico | 95.2% | |
| 9 | Brazil | 94.7% | |
| 10 | Ecuador | 93.6% | |
| 11 | India | 75.5% | |
| 12 | Bangladesh | 74.9% | |
| 13 | Congo - Kinshasa | 65.7% |
Source: World Bank — World Development Indicators, 2020
What it means
The share of people aged 15 and over who can read and write.
How it is calculated
People aged 15+ able to read and write a simple note divided by all people aged 15+.
Education & commute
China in numbers