Countries in Africa Ranked by Literacy rate (2024)
Literacy rate: each country's latest value (2019–2024), ranked from highest to lowest. Source: The World Bank (CC BY 4.0).
Summary
Mauritius ranks #1 with 94.3% of people 15+ (2023). Zimbabwe is second with 93.2% of people 15+, 1.1% behind. The top five are Mauritius, Zimbabwe, South Africa, Eswatini and Lesotho. The median across all 39 is 71.3% of people 15+; Chad is last at 30.6% of people 15+. Mauritius's figure has risen 12% since 2000 (84.3% of people 15+ to 94.3% of people 15+ in 2023).
- #1
- Mauritius · 94.3% of people 15+
- Median
- 71.3% of people 15+
- Coverage
- 39 countries in Africa
- Data year
- 2024
- Last updated
- 2026-11-14
Full ranking
| Rank | Country | Literacy rate (% of people 15+) | Year |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Mauritius | 94.3 | 2023 |
| 2 | Zimbabwe | 93.2 | 2019 |
| 3 | South Africa | 91.2 | 2024 |
| 4 | Eswatini | 90.8 | 2022 |
| 5 | Lesotho | 90.5 | 2024 |
| 6 | Gabon | 88.9 | 2021 |
| 7 | Cabo Verde | 88.5 | 2024 |
| 8 | Namibia | 87.6 | 2023 |
| 9 | São Tomé and Principe | 87.4 | 2019 |
| 10 | Tunisia | 86.3 | 2023 |
| 11 | Egypt, Arab Rep. | 79.5 | 2022 |
| 12 | Rwanda | 78.8 | 2022 |
| 13 | Tanzania | 78.2 | 2022 |
| 14 | Uganda | 77 | 2024 |
| 15 | Ghana | 76.5 | 2021 |
| 16 | Comoros | 75.6 | 2021 |
| 17 | Madagascar | 74.7 | 2021 |
| 18 | Togo | 72.6 | 2022 |
| 19 | Zambia | 71.8 | 2024 |
| 20 | Burundi | 71.3 | 2020 |
| 21 | Nigeria | 70.4 | 2024 |
| 22 | Malawi | 70.2 | 2020 |
| 23 | Congo, Dem. Rep. | 68.5 | 2023 |
| 24 | Angola | 68.2 | 2023 |
| 25 | Guinea-Bissau | 63.9 | 2022 |
| 26 | Mozambique | 61.7 | 2022 |
| 27 | Ethiopia | 60.5 | 2022 |
| 28 | Mauritania | 59.5 | 2020 |
| 29 | Somalia, Fed. Rep. | 54.1 | 2022 |
| 30 | Gambia, The | 51.6 | 2021 |
| 31 | Benin | 51.4 | 2022 |
| 32 | Senegal | 50.4 | 2023 |
| 33 | Côte d'Ivoire | 50 | 2021 |
| 34 | Sierra Leone | 43.6 | 2019 |
| 35 | Central African Republic | 42.4 | 2019 |
| 36 | Burkina Faso | 41.6 | 2023 |
| 37 | Mali | 35.6 | 2024 |
| 38 | Niger | 35.6 | 2022 |
| 39 | Chad | 30.6 | 2019 |
About the top 10
#1 Mauritius
Mauritius ranks #1 on this list with 94.3% of people 15+ (2023).
- Capital
- Port Louis
- Continent
- Africa
- Income group
- Upper middle income
- Population
- 1.24 million people (2025)
- GDP
- US$16.16 billion (2025)
- GDP per person
- US$12,991 (2025)
- Life expectancy
- 73.8 years (2024)
- Urban population
- 39% of population (2025)
Also ranks #6 in cereal yield · #11 in low-birthweight babies share · #15 in population density.
#2 Zimbabwe
Zimbabwe ranks #2 on this list with 93.2% of people 15+ (2019).
- Capital
- Harare
- Continent
- Africa
- Income group
- Lower middle income
- Population
- 16.95 million people (2025)
- GDP
- US$51.22 billion (2025)
- GDP per person
- US$3,021 (2025)
- Life expectancy
- 63.1 years (2024)
- Urban population
- 40.5% of population (2025)
Largest cities: Harare, Masvingo.
Also ranks #2 in lending interest rate · #3 in inflation rate · #4 in income share of richest 10%.
#3 South Africa
South Africa ranks #3 on this list with 91.2% of people 15+.
- Capital
- Pretoria, Cape Town
- Continent
- Africa
- Income group
- Upper middle income
- Population
- 64.75 million people (2025)
- GDP
- US$427.18 billion (2025)
- GDP per person
- US$6,598 (2025)
- Life expectancy
- 66.3 years (2024)
- Urban population
- 63.8% of population (2025)
Largest cities: City of Johannesburg Metropolitan Municipality, Johannesburg, Cape Town.
Also ranks #2 in unemployment rate · #2 in youth unemployment rate · #2 in income share of richest 10%.
#4 Eswatini
Eswatini ranks #4 on this list with 90.8% of people 15+ (2022).
- Capital
- Mbabane, Lobamba
- Continent
- Africa
- Income group
- Lower middle income
- Population
- 1.26 million people (2025)
- GDP
- US$5.16 billion (2025)
- GDP per person
- US$4,108 (2025)
- Life expectancy
- 64.3 years (2024)
- Urban population
- 26.7% of population (2025)
Also ranks #1 in unemployment rate · #1 in hiv prevalence · #3 in youth unemployment rate.
#5 Lesotho
Lesotho ranks #5 on this list with 90.5% of people 15+.
- Capital
- Maseru
- Continent
- Africa
- Income group
- Lower middle income
- Population
- 2.36 million people (2025)
- GDP
- US$2.57 billion (2025)
- GDP per person
- US$1,089 (2025)
- Life expectancy
- 57.8 years (2024)
- Urban population
- 44.7% of population (2025)
Also ranks #1 in tax revenue share of gdp · #1 in suicide mortality rate · #2 in agricultural land share.
#6 Gabon
Gabon ranks #6 on this list with 88.9% of people 15+ (2021).
- Capital
- Libreville
- Continent
- Africa
- Income group
- Upper middle income
- Population
- 2.59 million people (2025)
- GDP
- US$21.43 billion (2025)
- GDP per person
- US$8,263 (2025)
- Life expectancy
- 68.5 years (2024)
- Urban population
- 92.1% of population (2025)
Also ranks #3 in forest area share · #4 in renewable energy share · #6 in unemployment rate.
#7 Cabo Verde
Cabo Verde ranks #7 on this list with 88.5% of people 15+.
- Capital
- Praia
- Continent
- Africa
- Income group
- Upper middle income
- Population
- 527,330 people (2025)
- GDP
- US$3.06 billion (2025)
- GDP per person
- US$5,797 (2025)
- Life expectancy
- 76.2 years (2024)
- Urban population
- 77.6% of population (2025)
Also ranks #10 in bank branches per 100,000 adults · #17 in women in parliament share · #23 in youth unemployment rate.
#8 Namibia
Namibia ranks #8 on this list with 87.6% of people 15+ (2023).
- Capital
- Windhoek
- Continent
- Africa
- Income group
- Lower middle income
- Population
- 3.09 million people (2025)
- GDP
- US$15.08 billion (2025)
- GDP per person
- US$4,876 (2025)
- Life expectancy
- 67.5 years (2024)
- Urban population
- 50.9% of population (2025)
Also ranks #1 in women in ministerial positions share · #2 in tax revenue share of gdp · #4 in education expenditure share of gdp.
#9 São Tomé and Principe
São Tomé and Principe ranks #9 on this list with 87.4% of people 15+ (2019).
- Capital
- São Tomé
- Continent
- Africa
- Income group
- Lower middle income
- Population
- 240,250 people (2025)
- GDP
- US$981.29 million (2025)
- GDP per person
- US$4,084 (2025)
- Life expectancy
- 69.9 years (2024)
- Urban population
- 69.2% of population (2025)
Also ranks #10 in services value added share of gdp · #16 in lending interest rate · #18 in prevalence of undernourishment.
#10 Tunisia
Tunisia ranks #10 on this list with 86.3% of people 15+ (2023).
- Capital
- Tunis
- Continent
- Africa
- Income group
- Lower middle income
- Population
- 12.35 million people (2025)
- GDP
- US$57.5 billion (2025)
- GDP per person
- US$4,657 (2025)
- Life expectancy
- 76.7 years (2024)
- Urban population
- 70.7% of population (2025)
Also ranks #9 in youth unemployment rate · #9 in gender parity index (school enrolment) · #16 in unemployment rate.
Profile facts: World Bank (CC BY 4.0) and Wikidata (CC0); weather links go to Purr Weather, another ChowChow Labs site.
Source and method
Literacy rate: each country's latest value (2019–2024), ranked from highest to lowest.
Source: The World Bank, indicator SE.ADT.LITR.ZS. Licence: CC BY 4.0. Retrieved: 2026-11-14.
The World Bank: Literacy rate, adult total (% of people ages 15 and above): Data API, UN Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organization (UNESCO) (via World Development Indicators)
Original data provider, as recorded by the World Bank: Data API, UN Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organization (UNESCO).
Values are shown as published. Provider terms: The World Bank. All licences: Sources & licences.