Literate and illiterate world population in Tonga

Tonga: Literate and illiterate world population was 0.5% in 2023. ◆ Volatile

Latest (2023)
0.5%
World rank
122nd
of 128 countries
All-time high
8.9%
in 2019
All-time low
0.4%
in 1976
Years of data
8
1950–2023

Literate and illiterate world population in Tonga, 1950–2023

024681950198620231950: 7.5 %1976: 0.41 %1996: 1.1 %2006: 0.98 %2011: 0.61 %2016: 2.9 %2019: 8.9 %2023: 0.52 %

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

Analysis

Tonga recorded 0.5% for literate and illiterate world population in 2023.

The figure is down 14.8% over ten years.

Over the whole period, literate and illiterate world population in Tonga peaked at 8.9% in 2019 and was at its lowest, 0.4%, in 1976.

Tonga ranks 122nd of 128 countries on this measure, in the bottom quarter.

Averages by decade

DecadeAverage LowestHighest Years
1950s 7.5% 7.5% 7.5% 1
1970s 0.4% 0.4% 0.4% 1
1990s 1.1% 1.1% 1.1% 1
2000s 1.0% 1.0% 1.0% 1
2010s 4.1% 0.6% 8.9% 3
2020s 0.5% 0.5% 0.5% 1

Countries ranked near Tonga

  1. 119 Qatar 0.7% compare
  2. 120 Serbia 0.7% compare
  3. 121 Italy 0.7% compare
  4. 123 Georgia 0.3% compare
  5. 124 Spain 0.3% compare
  6. 125 Tajikistan 0.3% compare

See the full ranking of 128 places →

More population data for Tonga

All data for Tonga →

Frequently asked questions

What is literate and illiterate world population in Tonga?
Literate and illiterate world population in Tonga was 0.5% in 2023, 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 Tonga?
The highest recorded value was 8.9% in 2019.
What is the lowest literate and illiterate world population recorded in Tonga?
The lowest recorded value was 0.4% in 1976.
How does Tonga rank for literate and illiterate world population?
Tonga ranks 122nd out of 128 countries with data for 2023.
Is literate and illiterate world population rising or falling in Tonga?
Over the last ten years it is down 14.8%. The long-run trend across the full record is volatile.
Where does this Tonga 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.