Latin America & Caribbean Literacy Rate 1974-2024

Adult literacy rate is the percentage of people ages 15 and above who can both read and write with understanding a short simple statement about their everyday life.
  • Latin America & Caribbean literacy rate for 2020 was 94.12%, a 0.02% increase from 2019.
  • Latin America & Caribbean literacy rate for 2019 was 94.09%, a 0.41% increase from 2018.
  • Latin America & Caribbean literacy rate for 2018 was 93.68%, a 0.16% increase from 2017.
  • Latin America & Caribbean literacy rate for 2017 was 93.52%, a 0.04% increase from 2016.
Data Source: World Bank

MLA Citation:
Similar Country Ranking
Country Name Literacy Rate
East Asia & Pacific 96.01%
Latin America & Caribbean 94.12%
World 86.81%
South Asia 73.28%
Sub-Saharan Africa 67.27%
Latin America & Caribbean Literacy Rate - Historical Data
Year Literacy Rate Annual Change
2020 94.12% 0.02%
2019 94.09% 0.41%
2018 93.68% 0.16%
2017 93.52% 0.04%
2016 93.49% 0.47%
2015 93.02% 0.17%
2014 92.85% 0.45%
2013 92.40% 0.05%
2012 92.36% 0.22%
2011 92.14% 0.57%
2010 91.57% -0.01%
2009 91.58% 0.27%
2008 91.30% 0.25%
2007 91.05% 0.65%
2006 90.40% -0.06%
2005 90.47% 0.48%
2004 89.99% -0.02%
2003 90.01% 0.76%
2002 89.24% 0.11%
2001 89.13% 0.10%
2000 89.03% 0.24%
1999 88.79% 0.30%
1998 88.50% 0.48%
1997 88.02% 0.29%
1996 87.73% 0.33%
1995 87.40% 0.60%
1994 86.80% 0.56%
1993 86.23% 0.63%
1992 85.60% 0.62%
1991 84.98% 0.56%
1990 84.42% 0.34%
1989 84.08% 0.44%
1988 83.64% 0.48%
1987 83.16% 0.28%
1986 82.88% 0.35%
1985 82.53% 0.35%
1984 82.18% 0.36%
1983 81.82% 0.38%
1982 81.43% 0.36%
1981 81.07% 0.37%
1980 80.70% 0.35%
1979 80.35% 0.38%
1978 79.97% 0.42%
1977 79.54% 0.39%
1976 79.15% 0.33%
1975 78.82% 0.00%
1974 78.83% 0.00%