Literate and illiterate world population in Sierra Leone

Sierra Leone: Literate and illiterate world population was 56.4% in 2019. ▼ Falling

Latest (2019)
56.4%
Change on year
up 10.2%
World rank
8th
of 128 countries
All-time high
92.5%
in 1950
All-time low
50.6%
in 2015
Years of data
7
1950–2019

Literate and illiterate world population in Sierra Leone, 1950–2019

0204060801001950198420191950: 92.5 %2004: 65.2 %2014: 55.6 %2015: 50.6 %2017: 55.2 %2018: 51.2 %2019: 56.4 %

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 Sierra Leone is 56.4%, measured in 2019.

That represents a change of up 10.2% on the previous year and down 13.4% over ten years.

Over the whole period, literate and illiterate world population in Sierra Leone peaked at 92.5% in 1950 and was at its lowest, 50.6%, in 2015.

That places Sierra Leone 8th out of 128 countries with data for 2019, putting it in the top 10%.

Averages by decade

DecadeAverage LowestHighest Years
1950s 92.5% 92.5% 92.5% 1
2000s 65.2% 65.2% 65.2% 1
2010s 53.8% 50.6% 56.4% 5

Countries ranked near Sierra Leone

  1. 5 Guinea 60.4% compare
  2. 6 Burkina Faso 58.4% compare
  3. 7 Central African Republic 57.6% compare
  4. 9 Cote d'Ivoire 50.0% compare
  5. 10 Senegal 49.6% compare
  6. 11 Benin 48.6% compare

See the full ranking of 128 places →

More population data for Sierra Leone

All data for Sierra Leone →

Frequently asked questions

What is literate and illiterate world population in Sierra Leone?
Literate and illiterate world population in Sierra Leone was 56.4% in 2019, 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 Sierra Leone?
The highest recorded value was 92.5% in 1950.
What is the lowest literate and illiterate world population recorded in Sierra Leone?
The lowest recorded value was 50.6% in 2015.
How does Sierra Leone rank for literate and illiterate world population?
Sierra Leone ranks 8th out of 128 countries with data for 2019.
Is literate and illiterate world population rising or falling in Sierra Leone?
Over the last ten years it is down 13.4%. The long-run trend across the full record is falling.
Where does this Sierra Leone 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.