Literate and illiterate world population in Turkey

Turkey: Literate and illiterate world population was 2.7% in 2021. ◆ Volatile

Latest (2021)
2.7%
Change on year
down 16.0%
World rank
92nd
of 128 countries
All-time high
91.8%
in 1927
All-time low
2.7%
in 2021
Years of data
23
1927–2021

Literate and illiterate world population in Turkey, 1927–2021

0204060801001927197420211927: 91.8 %1935: 79.6 %1945: 69.5 %1950: 67.5 %1975: 38.4 %1980: 34.3 %1985: 24 %1990: 20.8 %2004: 12.6 %2005: 11.8 %2006: 11.9 %2007: 11.3 %2009: 9.2 %2010: 7.3 %2011: 5.9 %2012: 5.1 %2013: 4.7 %2014: 4.6 %2015: 4.4 %2016: 4.1 %2017: 3.9 %2019: 3.3 %2021: 2.7 %

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 Turkey is 2.7%, measured in 2021. That is the lowest value across all 23 years on record.

The figure is down 16.0% on the previous year and down 53.5% over ten years.

Over the whole period, literate and illiterate world population in Turkey peaked at 91.8% in 1927 and was at its lowest, 2.7%, in 2021.

Turkey ranks 92nd of 128 countries on this measure, 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
1920s 91.8% 91.8% 91.8% 1
1930s 79.6% 79.6% 79.6% 1
1940s 69.5% 69.5% 69.5% 1
1950s 67.5% 67.5% 67.5% 1
1970s 38.4% 38.4% 38.4% 1
1980s 29.2% 24.0% 34.3% 2
1990s 20.8% 20.8% 20.8% 1
2000s 11.4% 9.2% 12.6% 5
2010s 4.8% 3.3% 7.3% 9
2020s 2.7% 2.7% 2.7% 1

Countries ranked near Turkey

  1. 89 Bolivia 3.3% compare
  2. 90 China 3.3% compare
  3. 91 Venezuela 2.8% compare
  4. 93 Oman 2.7% compare
  5. 94 Canada 2.5% compare
  6. 95 Cuba 2.4% compare
  7. 95 Singapore 2.4% compare

See the full ranking of 128 places →

More population data for Turkey

All data for Turkey →

Frequently asked questions

What is literate and illiterate world population in Turkey?
Literate and illiterate world population in Turkey was 2.7% 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 Turkey?
The highest recorded value was 91.8% in 1927.
What is the lowest literate and illiterate world population recorded in Turkey?
The lowest recorded value was 2.7% in 2021.
How does Turkey rank for literate and illiterate world population?
Turkey ranks 92nd out of 128 countries with data for 2021.
Is literate and illiterate world population rising or falling in Turkey?
Over the last ten years it is down 53.5%. The long-run trend across the full record is volatile.
Where does this Turkey 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 — 23 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.