Literate and illiterate world population in Tanzania

Tanzania: Literate and illiterate world population was 21.8% in 2022. ◆ Volatile

Latest (2022)
21.8%
Change on year
up 22.7%
World rank
38th
of 128 countries
All-time high
92.5%
in 1950
All-time low
17.8%
in 2020
Years of data
8
1950–2022

Literate and illiterate world population in Tanzania, 1950–2022

204060801001950198620221950: 92.5 %1988: 40.9 %2002: 30.6 %2012: 21.9 %2014: 20.1 %2015: 22.1 %2020: 17.8 %2022: 21.8 %

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 Tanzania is 21.8%, measured in 2022.

The figure is up 22.7% on the previous year and down 0.5% over ten years.

Over the whole period, literate and illiterate world population in Tanzania peaked at 92.5% in 1950 and was at its lowest, 17.8%, in 2020.

That places Tanzania 38th out of 128 countries with data for 2022, putting it in the middle of the range.

Averages by decade

DecadeAverage LowestHighest Years
1950s 92.5% 92.5% 92.5% 1
1980s 40.9% 40.9% 40.9% 1
2000s 30.6% 30.6% 30.6% 1
2010s 21.4% 20.1% 22.1% 3
2020s 19.8% 17.8% 21.8% 2

Countries ranked near Tanzania

  1. 35 Ghana 23.5% compare
  2. 36 Uganda 23.0% compare
  3. 37 India 21.8% compare
  4. 39 Rwanda 21.2% compare
  5. 40 Bangladesh 21.0% compare
  6. 41 Egypt 20.5% compare

See the full ranking of 128 places →

More population data for Tanzania

All data for Tanzania →

Frequently asked questions

What is literate and illiterate world population in Tanzania?
Literate and illiterate world population in Tanzania was 21.8% in 2022, 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 Tanzania?
The highest recorded value was 92.5% in 1950.
What is the lowest literate and illiterate world population recorded in Tanzania?
The lowest recorded value was 17.8% in 2020.
How does Tanzania rank for literate and illiterate world population?
Tanzania ranks 38th out of 128 countries with data for 2022.
Is literate and illiterate world population rising or falling in Tanzania?
Over the last ten years it is down 0.5%. The long-run trend across the full record is volatile.
Where does this Tanzania 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.