This is a list of countries by literacy rate. The global literacy rate for all people aged 15 and above is 86.3%. The global literacy rate for all males is 90.0%, and the rate for all females is 82.7%. The rate varies throughout the world, with developed nations having a rate of 99.2% (2013), South and West Asia having 70.2% (2015), and sub-Saharan Africa at 64.0% (2015). Over 75% of the world's 781 million illiterate adults are found in South Asia, West Asia, and sub-Saharan Africa, and women represent almost two-thirds of all illiterate adults globally.

List of UN member states by age group and gender disparity

Data published by UNESCO using the following definitions: "Youth: Percentage of people aged 15 to 24 years who can both read and write, with understanding, a short simple statement on their everyday life. Generally, 'literacy' also encompasses 'numeracy', the ability to make simple arithmetic calculations. Adult: Percentage of the population aged 25 years and over who can both read and write, with understanding, a short simple statement on his/her everyday life. Generally, 'literacy' also encompasses 'numeracy', the ability to make simple arithmetic calculations. Elderly: Percentage of the population aged 65 years and over who can both read and write, with understanding, a short simple statement on their everyday life. Generally, 'literacy' also encompasses 'numeracy', the ability to make simple arithmetic calculations. Gender Parity Index (GPI): The gender parity index (GPI) of the youth literacy rate is the ratio of the female to male literacy rates of the population aged 15 to 24 years. A GPI value between 0.97 and 1.03 is usually interpreted to indicate gender parity." "*" indicates "Literacy in country or territory" or "Education in country or territory" links.

List of UN member and observer states by adult literacy rate

"*" indicates "Literacy in country or territory" or "Education in country or territory" links.

List of other states and territories