Countries in Oceania 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
Tuvalu ranks #1 with 100% of people 15+ (2022). Palau is second with 99.8% of people 15+, 0.16% behind. The top five are Tuvalu, Palau, Tonga, Kiribati and Samoa. The median across all 9 is 98% of people 15+; Papua New Guinea is last at 87% of people 15+.
- #1
- Tuvalu · 100% of people 15+
- Median
- 98% of people 15+
- Coverage
- 9 countries in Oceania
- Data year
- 2024
- Last updated
- 2026-11-14
Full ranking
| Rank | Country | Literacy rate (% of people 15+) | Year |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Tuvalu | 100 | 2022 |
| 2 | Palau | 99.8 | 2020 |
| 3 | Tonga | 99.5 | 2023 |
| 4 | Kiribati | 98.6 | 2020 |
| 5 | Samoa | 98 | 2019 |
| 6 | Naoero | 96.6 | 2023 |
| 7 | Marshall Islands | 95.8 | 2021 |
| 8 | Vanuatu | 88 | 2023 |
| 9 | Papua New Guinea | 87 | 2022 |
About the top 9
#1 Tuvalu
Tuvalu ranks #1 on this list with 100% of people 15+ (2022).
- Capital
- Funafuti
- Continent
- Oceania
- Income group
- Upper middle income
- Population
- 9,492 people (2025)
- GDP
- US$57.35 million (2025)
- GDP per person
- US$6,041 (2025)
- Life expectancy
- 67.3 years (2024)
- Urban population
- 65.4% of population (2025)
Also ranks #1 in agricultural land share · #1 in health expenditure share of gdp · #1 in literacy rate.
#2 Palau
Palau ranks #2 on this list with 99.8% of people 15+ (2020).
- Capital
- Ngerulmud
- Continent
- Oceania
- Income group
- High income
- Population
- 17,663 people (2025)
- GDP
- US$345 million (2025)
- GDP per person
- US$19,532 (2025)
- Life expectancy
- 69.4 years (2024)
- Urban population
- 79.3% of population (2025)
Also ranks #1 in co2 emissions per capita · #2 in protected marine area share · #4 in forest area share.
#3 Tonga
Tonga ranks #3 on this list with 99.5% of people 15+ (2023).
- Capital
- Nukuʻalofa
- Continent
- Oceania
- Income group
- Upper middle income
- Population
- 103,740 people (2025)
- GDP
- US$679.22 million (2025)
- GDP per person
- US$6,547 (2025)
- Life expectancy
- 73.1 years (2024)
- Urban population
- 21.2% of population (2025)
Also ranks #7 in rural population share · #10 in completion rate (primary) · #11 in income share of poorest 10%.
#4 Kiribati
Kiribati ranks #4 on this list with 98.6% of people 15+ (2020).
- Capital
- South Tarawa
- Continent
- Oceania
- Income group
- Lower middle income
- Population
- 136,490 people (2025)
- GDP
- US$349.23 million (2025)
- GDP per person
- US$2,559 (2025)
- Life expectancy
- 66.6 years (2024)
- Urban population
- 63.4% of population (2025)
Also ranks #1 in education expenditure share of gdp · #2 in government revenue share of gdp · #3 in income share of poorest 10%.
#5 Samoa
Samoa ranks #5 on this list with 98% of people 15+ (2019).
- Capital
- Apia
- Continent
- Oceania
- Income group
- Upper middle income
- Population
- 219,310 people (2025)
- GDP
- US$1.29 billion (2025)
- GDP per person
- US$5,873 (2025)
- Life expectancy
- 71.8 years (2024)
- Urban population
- 17.5% of population (2025)
Also ranks #3 in rural population share · #4 in diabetes prevalence · #16 in age dependency ratio.
#6 Naoero
Naoero ranks #6 on this list with 96.6% of people 15+ (2023).
- Capital
- Yaren District
- Continent
- Oceania
- Income group
- High income
- Population
- 12,025 people (2025)
- GDP
- US$176.04 million (2025)
- GDP per person
- US$14,640 (2025)
- Life expectancy
- 62.3 years (2024)
- Urban population
- 100% of population (2025)
Also ranks #1 in government revenue share of gdp · #2 in health expenditure share of gdp · #8 in atms per 100,000 adults.
#7 Marshall Islands
Marshall Islands ranks #7 on this list with 95.8% of people 15+ (2021).
- Capital
- Majuro
- Continent
- Oceania
- Income group
- Upper middle income
- Population
- 36,282 people (2025)
- GDP
- US$308 million (2025)
- GDP per person
- US$8,489 (2025)
- Life expectancy
- 67.1 years (2024)
- Urban population
- 79.1% of population (2025)
Also ranks #2 in diabetes prevalence · #5 in health expenditure share of gdp · #5 in completion rate (lower secondary).
#8 Vanuatu
Vanuatu ranks #8 on this list with 88% of people 15+ (2023).
- Capital
- Port Vila
- Continent
- Oceania
- Income group
- Lower middle income
- Population
- 335,170 people (2025)
- GDP
- US$1.35 billion (2025)
- GDP per person
- US$4,039 (2025)
- Life expectancy
- 71.7 years (2024)
- Urban population
- 22.3% of population (2025)
Also ranks #6 in school enrolment (secondary) · #6 in completion rate (primary) · #9 in rural population share.
#9 Papua New Guinea
Papua New Guinea ranks #9 on this list with 87% of people 15+ (2022).
- Capital
- Port Moresby
- Continent
- Oceania
- Income group
- Lower middle income
- Population
- 10.76 million people (2025)
- GDP
- US$32.5 billion (2025)
- GDP per person
- US$3,020 (2025)
- Life expectancy
- 66.3 years (2024)
- Urban population
- 15.8% of population (2025)
Also ranks #2 in rural population share · #5 in water resources per capita · #6 in smoking prevalence.
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.