Literate and illiterate world population in Cambodia

Cambodia: Literate and illiterate world population was 28.1% in 2021. ◆ Volatile

Latest (2021)
28.1%
Change on year
up 60.9%
World rank
28th
of 128 countries
All-time high
82.5%
in 1950
All-time low
12.3%
in 2019
Years of data
11
1950–2021

Literate and illiterate world population in Cambodia, 1950–2021

204060801950198520211950: 82.5 %1998: 32.7 %2004: 26.4 %2008: 23.1 %2009: 23.9 %2013: 20.4 %2014: 21.9 %2015: 19.5 %2019: 12.3 %2020: 17.4 %2021: 28.1 %

Source: UNESCO (1957) and other sources – with major processing by Our World in Data. Measured in %.

Analysis

Cambodia recorded 28.1% for literate and illiterate world population in 2021.

Compared with earlier readings it is up 60.9% on the previous year and up 17.6% over ten years.

Over the whole period, literate and illiterate world population in Cambodia peaked at 82.5% in 1950 and was at its lowest, 12.3%, in 2019.

That places Cambodia 28th out of 128 countries with data for 2021, putting it in the top quarter.

The series is highly variable year to year, so single readings are best treated with caution.

Averages by decade

DecadeAverage LowestHighest Years
1950s 82.5% 82.5% 82.5% 1
1990s 32.7% 32.7% 32.7% 1
2000s 24.5% 23.1% 26.4% 3
2010s 18.5% 12.3% 21.9% 4
2020s 22.8% 17.4% 28.1% 2

Countries ranked near Cambodia

  1. 25 Nigeria 29.6% compare
  2. 26 Burundi 28.7% compare
  3. 27 Zambia 28.2% compare
  4. 29 Cameroon 27.4% compare
  5. 30 Togo 27.4% compare
  6. 31 Madagascar 25.3% compare

See the full ranking of 128 places →

More population data for Cambodia

All data for Cambodia →

Frequently asked questions

What is literate and illiterate world population in Cambodia?
Literate and illiterate world population in Cambodia was 28.1% in 2021, according to UNESCO (1957) and other sources – with major processing by Our World in Data.
What is the highest literate and illiterate world population recorded in Cambodia?
The highest recorded value was 82.5% in 1950.
What is the lowest literate and illiterate world population recorded in Cambodia?
The lowest recorded value was 12.3% in 2019.
How does Cambodia rank for literate and illiterate world population?
Cambodia ranks 28th out of 128 countries with data for 2021.
Is literate and illiterate world population rising or falling in Cambodia?
Over the last ten years it is up 17.6%. The long-run trend across the full record is volatile.
Where does this Cambodia data come from?
The figures come from UNESCO (1957) and other sources – with major processing by Our World in Data, published as part of Literate and illiterate world population. Statizoid updates them automatically from the source API.

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About this data

Indicator
Literate and illiterate world population
Unit
%
Source
UNESCO (1957) and other sources – with major processing by Our World in Data
Licence
CC BY 4.0 (Our World in Data)
Coverage
128 places, 1,272 data points, 1475–2024
Last refreshed

Share of adults who cannot read and write a short, simple statement on their everyday life.