Literate and illiterate world population in Chile

Chile: Literate and illiterate world population was 3.6% in 2017. ◆ Volatile

Latest (2017)
3.6%
Change on year
up 15.0%
World rank
83rd
of 128 countries
All-time high
49.9%
in 1907
All-time low
3.1%
in 2015
Years of data
12
1907–2017

Literate and illiterate world population in Chile, 1907–2017

010203040501907196220171907: 49.9 %1920: 36.9 %1930: 24.4 %1940: 26.4 %1950: 22.5 %1982: 8.9 %1992: 5.7 %2002: 4.3 %2011: 3.3 %2013: 3.7 %2015: 3.1 %2017: 3.6 %

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

Analysis

Chile recorded 3.6% for literate and illiterate world population in 2017.

The figure is up 15.0% on the previous year and up 9.1% over ten years.

Over the whole period, literate and illiterate world population in Chile peaked at 49.9% in 1907 and was at its lowest, 3.1%, in 2015.

That places Chile 83rd out of 128 countries with data for 2017, putting it in the middle of the range.

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

Averages by decade

DecadeAverage LowestHighest Years
1900s 49.9% 49.9% 49.9% 1
1920s 36.9% 36.9% 36.9% 1
1930s 24.4% 24.4% 24.4% 1
1940s 26.4% 26.4% 26.4% 1
1950s 22.5% 22.5% 22.5% 1
1980s 8.9% 8.9% 8.9% 1
1990s 5.7% 5.7% 5.7% 1
2000s 4.3% 4.3% 4.3% 1
2010s 3.4% 3.1% 3.7% 4

Countries ranked near Chile

  1. 80 Brunei 3.9% compare
  2. 81 Vietnam 3.9% compare
  3. 82 Panama 3.8% compare
  4. 84 Kuwait 3.5% compare
  5. 85 Belgium 3.5% compare
  6. 85 France 3.5% compare
  7. 85 United States 3.5% compare

See the full ranking of 128 places →

More population data for Chile

All data for Chile →

Frequently asked questions

What is literate and illiterate world population in Chile?
Literate and illiterate world population in Chile was 3.6% in 2017, 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 Chile?
The highest recorded value was 49.9% in 1907.
What is the lowest literate and illiterate world population recorded in Chile?
The lowest recorded value was 3.1% in 2015.
How does Chile rank for literate and illiterate world population?
Chile ranks 83rd out of 128 countries with data for 2017.
Is literate and illiterate world population rising or falling in Chile?
Over the last ten years it is up 9.1%. The long-run trend across the full record is volatile.
Where does this Chile 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.

Download this data

CSV · JSON — 12 observations, free to reuse under CC BY 4.0 (Our World in Data).

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.