Literate and illiterate world population in Mali

Mali: Literate and illiterate world population was 64.4% in 2024. ▼ Falling

Latest (2024)
64.4%
World rank
3rd
of 128 countries
All-time high
90.6%
in 1976
All-time low
64.4%
in 2024
Years of data
9
1976–2024

Literate and illiterate world population in Mali, 1976–2024

0204060801001976200020241976: 90.6 %1998: 81 %2003: 76 %2006: 73.8 %2010: 68.9 %2011: 69.4 %2015: 66.9 %2018: 64.5 %2024: 64.4 %

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 Mali stood at 64.4%. That is the lowest value across all 9 years on record.

The figure is down 3.8% over ten years.

Over the whole period, literate and illiterate world population in Mali peaked at 90.6% in 1976 and was at its lowest, 64.4%, in 2024.

That places Mali 3rd out of 128 countries with data for 2024, putting it in the top 10%.

Averages by decade

DecadeAverage LowestHighest Years
1970s 90.6% 90.6% 90.6% 1
1990s 81.0% 81.0% 81.0% 1
2000s 74.9% 73.8% 76.0% 2
2010s 67.4% 64.5% 69.4% 4
2020s 64.4% 64.4% 64.4% 1

Countries ranked near Mali

  1. 1 Chad 69.4% compare
  2. 2 Niger 64.4% compare
  3. 4 Afghanistan 62.7% compare
  4. 5 Guinea 60.4% compare
  5. 6 Burkina Faso 58.4% compare

See the full ranking of 128 places →

More population data for Mali

All data for Mali →

Frequently asked questions

What is literate and illiterate world population in Mali?
Literate and illiterate world population in Mali was 64.4% 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 Mali?
The highest recorded value was 90.6% in 1976.
What is the lowest literate and illiterate world population recorded in Mali?
The lowest recorded value was 64.4% in 2024.
How does Mali rank for literate and illiterate world population?
Mali ranks 3rd out of 128 countries with data for 2024.
Is literate and illiterate world population rising or falling in Mali?
Over the last ten years it is down 3.8%. The long-run trend across the full record is falling.
Where does this Mali 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

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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.