Literate and illiterate world population in Myanmar

Myanmar: Literate and illiterate world population was 6.5% in 2020. ◆ Volatile

Latest (2020)
6.5%
Change on year
down 40.8%
World rank
65th
of 128 countries
All-time high
71.6%
in 1901
All-time low
4.2%
in 2018
Years of data
12
1901–2020

Literate and illiterate world population in Myanmar, 1901–2020

0204060801901196020201901: 71.6 %1911: 70.6 %1921: 64.3 %1931: 59.8 %1950: 42.5 %1983: 21.4 %2000: 10.1 %2014: 9.6 %2016: 15.2 %2018: 4.2 %2019: 10.9 %2020: 6.5 %

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

Analysis

In 2020, literate and illiterate world population in Myanmar stood at 6.5%.

Compared with earlier readings it is down 40.8% on the previous year and down 32.9% over ten years.

Over the whole period, literate and illiterate world population in Myanmar peaked at 71.6% in 1901 and was at its lowest, 4.2%, in 2018.

That places Myanmar 65th out of 128 countries with data for 2020, 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 71.6% 71.6% 71.6% 1
1910s 70.6% 70.6% 70.6% 1
1920s 64.3% 64.3% 64.3% 1
1930s 59.8% 59.8% 59.8% 1
1950s 42.5% 42.5% 42.5% 1
1980s 21.4% 21.4% 21.4% 1
2000s 10.1% 10.1% 10.1% 1
2010s 10.0% 4.2% 15.2% 4
2020s 6.5% 6.5% 6.5% 1

Countries ranked near Myanmar

  1. 62 Suriname 7.1% compare
  2. 63 Malta 6.7% compare
  3. 64 Ecuador 6.5% compare
  4. 66 Peru 6.3% compare
  5. 67 Greece 6.1% compare
  6. 68 Seychelles 6.0% compare

See the full ranking of 128 places →

More population data for Myanmar

All data for Myanmar →

Frequently asked questions

What is literate and illiterate world population in Myanmar?
Literate and illiterate world population in Myanmar was 6.5% in 2020, 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 Myanmar?
The highest recorded value was 71.6% in 1901.
What is the lowest literate and illiterate world population recorded in Myanmar?
The lowest recorded value was 4.2% in 2018.
How does Myanmar rank for literate and illiterate world population?
Myanmar ranks 65th out of 128 countries with data for 2020.
Is literate and illiterate world population rising or falling in Myanmar?
Over the last ten years it is down 32.9%. The long-run trend across the full record is volatile.
Where does this Myanmar 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.