Literate and illiterate world population in Syria

Syria: Literate and illiterate world population was 5.6% in 2021. ◆ Volatile

Latest (2021)
5.6%
World rank
71st
of 128 countries
All-time high
72.5%
in 1950
All-time low
5.6%
in 2021
Years of data
5
1950–2021

Literate and illiterate world population in Syria, 1950–2021

0204060801950198520211950: 72.5 %1981: 44.4 %2002: 17.1 %2004: 19.2 %2021: 5.6 %

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

Analysis

In 2021, literate and illiterate world population in Syria stood at 5.6%. That is the lowest value across all 5 years on record.

Over the whole period, literate and illiterate world population in Syria peaked at 72.5% in 1950 and was at its lowest, 5.6%, in 2021.

That places Syria 71st out of 128 countries with data for 2021, putting it in the middle of the range.

Averages by decade

DecadeAverage LowestHighest Years
1950s 72.5% 72.5% 72.5% 1
1980s 44.4% 44.4% 44.4% 1
2000s 18.1% 17.1% 19.2% 2
2020s 5.6% 5.6% 5.6% 1

Countries ranked near Syria

  1. 68 Seychelles 6.0% compare
  2. 69 Dominican Republic 6.0% compare
  3. 70 Mauritius 5.7% compare
  4. 72 Jordan 5.6% compare
  5. 73 Portugal 5.5% compare
  6. 74 Brazil 5.3% compare

See the full ranking of 128 places →

More population data for Syria

All data for Syria →

Frequently asked questions

What is literate and illiterate world population in Syria?
Literate and illiterate world population in Syria was 5.6% in 2021, 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 Syria?
The highest recorded value was 72.5% in 1950.
What is the lowest literate and illiterate world population recorded in Syria?
The lowest recorded value was 5.6% in 2021.
How does Syria rank for literate and illiterate world population?
Syria ranks 71st out of 128 countries with data for 2021.
Where does this Syria 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 — 5 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.