Literate and illiterate world population in Laos

Laos: Literate and illiterate world population was 24.4% in 2023. ◆ Volatile

Latest (2023)
24.4%
World rank
34th
of 128 countries
All-time high
82.5%
in 1950
All-time low
15.3%
in 2015
Years of data
8
1950–2023

Literate and illiterate world population in Laos, 1950–2023

204060801950198620231950: 82.5 %1995: 39.8 %2000: 30.4 %2001: 31.3 %2005: 27.3 %2015: 15.3 %2017: 26.3 %2023: 24.4 %

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

Analysis

Laos recorded 24.4% for literate and illiterate world population in 2023.

That represents a change of up 58.8% over ten years.

Over the whole period, literate and illiterate world population in Laos peaked at 82.5% in 1950 and was at its lowest, 15.3%, in 2015.

Laos ranks 34th of 128 countries on this measure, in the middle of the range.

Averages by decade

DecadeAverage LowestHighest Years
1950s 82.5% 82.5% 82.5% 1
1990s 39.8% 39.8% 39.8% 1
2000s 29.7% 27.3% 31.3% 3
2010s 20.8% 15.3% 26.3% 2
2020s 24.4% 24.4% 24.4% 1

Countries ranked near Laos

  1. 31 Madagascar 25.3% compare
  2. 32 Algeria 24.9% compare
  3. 33 Comoros 24.4% compare
  4. 35 Ghana 23.5% compare
  5. 36 Uganda 23.0% compare
  6. 37 India 21.8% compare

See the full ranking of 128 places →

More population data for Laos

All data for Laos →

Frequently asked questions

What is literate and illiterate world population in Laos?
Literate and illiterate world population in Laos was 24.4% in 2023, 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 Laos?
The highest recorded value was 82.5% in 1950.
What is the lowest literate and illiterate world population recorded in Laos?
The lowest recorded value was 15.3% in 2015.
How does Laos rank for literate and illiterate world population?
Laos ranks 34th out of 128 countries with data for 2023.
Is literate and illiterate world population rising or falling in Laos?
Over the last ten years it is up 58.8%. The long-run trend across the full record is volatile.
Where does this Laos 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.