Literate and illiterate world population in East Timor

East Timor: Literate and illiterate world population was 30.6% in 2022. ▼ Falling

Latest (2022)
30.6%
World rank
23rd
of 128 countries
All-time high
97.0%
in 1950
All-time low
30.6%
in 2022
Years of data
7
1950–2022

Literate and illiterate world population in East Timor, 1950–2022

4060801001950198620221950: 97 %2001: 62.4 %2007: 49.4 %2010: 41.7 %2015: 35.5 %2016: 34.2 %2022: 30.6 %

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 East Timor is 30.6%, measured in 2022. That is the lowest value across all 7 years on record.

The figure is down 26.6% over ten years.

Over the whole period, literate and illiterate world population in East Timor peaked at 97.0% in 1950 and was at its lowest, 30.6%, in 2022.

That places East Timor 23rd out of 128 countries with data for 2022, putting it in the top quarter.

Averages by decade

DecadeAverage LowestHighest Years
1950s 97.0% 97.0% 97.0% 1
2000s 55.9% 49.4% 62.4% 2
2010s 37.2% 34.2% 41.7% 3
2020s 30.6% 30.6% 30.6% 1

Countries ranked near East Timor

  1. 20 Angola 31.8% compare
  2. 21 Democratic Republic of Congo 31.5% compare
  3. 22 Nepal 31.3% compare
  4. 24 Malawi 29.9% compare
  5. 25 Nigeria 29.6% compare
  6. 26 Burundi 28.7% compare

See the full ranking of 128 places →

More population data for East Timor

All data for East Timor →

Frequently asked questions

What is literate and illiterate world population in East Timor?
Literate and illiterate world population in East Timor was 30.6% 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 East Timor?
The highest recorded value was 97.0% in 1950.
What is the lowest literate and illiterate world population recorded in East Timor?
The lowest recorded value was 30.6% in 2022.
How does East Timor rank for literate and illiterate world population?
East Timor ranks 23rd out of 128 countries with data for 2022.
Is literate and illiterate world population rising or falling in East Timor?
Over the last ten years it is down 26.6%. The long-run trend across the full record is falling.
Where does this East Timor 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.