Literate and illiterate world population in Ecuador

Ecuador: Literate and illiterate world population was 6.5% in 2024. ◆ Volatile

Latest (2024)
6.5%
Change on year
up 74.1%
World rank
64th
of 128 countries
All-time high
42.5%
in 1950
All-time low
3.7%
in 2022
Years of data
19
1950–2024

Literate and illiterate world population in Ecuador, 1950–2024

0102030401950198720241950: 42.5 %1982: 16.4 %1990: 11.7 %2001: 9 %2007: 7.9 %2008: 7.6 %2009: 7.8 %2010: 8.2 %2011: 8.4 %2012: 7.9 %2013: 6.7 %2014: 5.8 %2015: 5.5 %2016: 5.7 %2017: 7.2 %2020: 6.4 %2021: 5.5 %2022: 3.7 %2024: 6.5 %

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

Analysis

In 2024, literate and illiterate world population in Ecuador stood at 6.5%.

Compared with earlier readings it is up 74.1% on the previous year and up 12.6% over ten years.

Over the whole period, literate and illiterate world population in Ecuador peaked at 42.5% in 1950 and was at its lowest, 3.7%, in 2022.

That places Ecuador 64th out of 128 countries with data for 2024, 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
1950s 42.5% 42.5% 42.5% 1
1980s 16.4% 16.4% 16.4% 1
1990s 11.7% 11.7% 11.7% 1
2000s 8.1% 7.6% 9.0% 4
2010s 6.9% 5.5% 8.4% 8
2020s 5.5% 3.7% 6.5% 4

Countries ranked near Ecuador

  1. 61 Sri Lanka 7.3% compare
  2. 62 Suriname 7.1% compare
  3. 63 Malta 6.7% compare
  4. 65 Myanmar 6.5% compare
  5. 66 Peru 6.3% compare
  6. 67 Greece 6.1% compare

See the full ranking of 128 places →

More population data for Ecuador

All data for Ecuador →

Frequently asked questions

What is literate and illiterate world population in Ecuador?
Literate and illiterate world population in Ecuador was 6.5% in 2024, 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 Ecuador?
The highest recorded value was 42.5% in 1950.
What is the lowest literate and illiterate world population recorded in Ecuador?
The lowest recorded value was 3.7% in 2022.
How does Ecuador rank for literate and illiterate world population?
Ecuador ranks 64th out of 128 countries with data for 2024.
Is literate and illiterate world population rising or falling in Ecuador?
Over the last ten years it is up 12.6%. The long-run trend across the full record is volatile.
Where does this Ecuador 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 — 19 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.