Literate and illiterate world population in Panama

Panama: Literate and illiterate world population was 3.8% in 2024. ◆ Volatile

Latest (2024)
3.8%
Change on year
down 3.5%
World rank
82nd
of 128 countries
All-time high
32.5%
in 1950
All-time low
3.8%
in 2024
Years of data
10
1950–2024

Literate and illiterate world population in Panama, 1950–2024

01020301950198720241950: 32.5 %1980: 11.9 %1990: 11.2 %2000: 8.1 %2010: 5.9 %2018: 4.6 %2019: 4.3 %2021: 3.8 %2023: 3.9 %2024: 3.8 %

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

Analysis

The most recent figure for literate and illiterate world population in Panama is 3.8%, measured in 2024. That is the lowest value across all 10 years on record.

Compared with earlier readings it is down 3.5% on the previous year and down 36.2% over ten years.

Over the whole period, literate and illiterate world population in Panama peaked at 32.5% in 1950 and was at its lowest, 3.8%, in 2024.

That places Panama 82nd 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 32.5% 32.5% 32.5% 1
1980s 11.9% 11.9% 11.9% 1
1990s 11.2% 11.2% 11.2% 1
2000s 8.1% 8.1% 8.1% 1
2010s 4.9% 4.3% 5.9% 3
2020s 3.8% 3.8% 3.9% 3

Countries ranked near Panama

  1. 79 Indonesia 4.0% compare
  2. 80 Brunei 3.9% compare
  3. 81 Vietnam 3.9% compare
  4. 83 Chile 3.6% compare
  5. 84 Kuwait 3.5% compare
  6. 85 Belgium 3.5% compare
  7. 85 France 3.5% compare
  8. 85 United States 3.5% compare

See the full ranking of 128 places →

More population data for Panama

All data for Panama →

Frequently asked questions

What is literate and illiterate world population in Panama?
Literate and illiterate world population in Panama was 3.8% 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 Panama?
The highest recorded value was 32.5% in 1950.
What is the lowest literate and illiterate world population recorded in Panama?
The lowest recorded value was 3.8% in 2024.
How does Panama rank for literate and illiterate world population?
Panama ranks 82nd out of 128 countries with data for 2024.
Is literate and illiterate world population rising or falling in Panama?
Over the last ten years it is down 36.2%. The long-run trend across the full record is volatile.
Where does this Panama 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 — 10 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.