Literate and illiterate world population in Thailand

Thailand: Literate and illiterate world population was 8.9% in 2022. ◆ Volatile

Latest (2022)
8.9%
Change on year
up 1.9%
World rank
57th
of 128 countries
All-time high
47.5%
in 1950
All-time low
3.6%
in 2010
Years of data
11
1950–2022

Literate and illiterate world population in Thailand, 1950–2022

010203040501950198620221950: 47.5 %1980: 12 %2000: 7.3 %2005: 6.5 %2010: 3.6 %2013: 6.3 %2015: 7.1 %2016: 8 %2018: 6.2 %2019: 8.7 %2022: 8.9 %

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

Analysis

In 2022, literate and illiterate world population in Thailand stood at 8.9%.

The figure is up 1.9% on the previous year and up 41.3% over ten years.

Over the whole period, literate and illiterate world population in Thailand peaked at 47.5% in 1950 and was at its lowest, 3.6%, in 2010.

That places Thailand 57th out of 128 countries with data for 2022, 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 47.5% 47.5% 47.5% 1
1980s 12.0% 12.0% 12.0% 1
2000s 6.9% 6.5% 7.3% 2
2010s 6.7% 3.6% 8.7% 6
2020s 8.9% 8.9% 8.9% 1

Countries ranked near Thailand

  1. 54 El Salvador 10.2% compare
  2. 55 Lesotho 9.6% compare
  3. 56 Eswatini 9.2% compare
  4. 58 South Africa 8.8% compare
  5. 59 Lebanon 8.0% compare
  6. 60 Puerto Rico 7.6% compare

See the full ranking of 128 places →

More population data for Thailand

All data for Thailand →

Frequently asked questions

What is literate and illiterate world population in Thailand?
Literate and illiterate world population in Thailand was 8.9% 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 Thailand?
The highest recorded value was 47.5% in 1950.
What is the lowest literate and illiterate world population recorded in Thailand?
The lowest recorded value was 3.6% in 2010.
How does Thailand rank for literate and illiterate world population?
Thailand ranks 57th out of 128 countries with data for 2022.
Is literate and illiterate world population rising or falling in Thailand?
Over the last ten years it is up 41.3%. The long-run trend across the full record is volatile.
Where does this Thailand 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.