Literate and illiterate world population in Guatemala

Guatemala: Literate and illiterate world population was 17.9% in 2024. ◆ Volatile

Latest (2024)
17.9%
Change on year
up 5.4%
World rank
42nd
of 128 countries
All-time high
72.5%
in 1950
All-time low
17.0%
in 2022
Years of data
11
1950–2024

Literate and illiterate world population in Guatemala, 1950–2024

204060801950198720241950: 72.5 %1994: 35.8 %2002: 30.9 %2012: 21.7 %2013: 23 %2014: 18.7 %2015: 19.8 %2018: 19.2 %2022: 17 %2023: 17 %2024: 17.9 %

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

Analysis

Guatemala recorded 17.9% for literate and illiterate world population in 2024.

That represents a change of up 5.4% on the previous year and down 4.4% over ten years.

Over the whole period, literate and illiterate world population in Guatemala peaked at 72.5% in 1950 and was at its lowest, 17.0%, in 2022.

That places Guatemala 42nd 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 72.5% 72.5% 72.5% 1
1990s 35.8% 35.8% 35.8% 1
2000s 30.9% 30.9% 30.9% 1
2010s 20.5% 18.7% 23.0% 5
2020s 17.3% 17.0% 17.9% 3

Countries ranked near Guatemala

  1. 39 Rwanda 21.2% compare
  2. 40 Bangladesh 21.0% compare
  3. 41 Egypt 20.5% compare
  4. 43 Iraq 15.9% compare
  5. 44 Tunisia 13.8% compare
  6. 45 Papua New Guinea 13.0% compare

See the full ranking of 128 places →

More population data for Guatemala

All data for Guatemala →

Frequently asked questions

What is literate and illiterate world population in Guatemala?
Literate and illiterate world population in Guatemala was 17.9% 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 Guatemala?
The highest recorded value was 72.5% in 1950.
What is the lowest literate and illiterate world population recorded in Guatemala?
The lowest recorded value was 17.0% in 2022.
How does Guatemala rank for literate and illiterate world population?
Guatemala ranks 42nd out of 128 countries with data for 2024.
Is literate and illiterate world population rising or falling in Guatemala?
Over the last ten years it is down 4.4%. The long-run trend across the full record is volatile.
Where does this Guatemala 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.