Countries With the Fastest Decline in Literacy rate (5-Year Change)
Change in Literacy rate over the five years to each country's latest year, in points (a share or rate is not shown as a % of itself). Only countries that fell are listed. Source: The World Bank (CC BY 4.0).
Summary
Mauritania fell the most: by 5.58 pts, from 65.1% of people 15+ to 59.5% of people 15+ in the five years to 2020. Congo, Dem. Rep. is second (−5.05 pts), followed by South Africa (−3.87 pts). 12 countries fell over that period; the median change among them was −0.716 pts.
- #1
- Mauritania · −5.58 pts
- Median
- −0.716 pts
- Coverage
- 12 countries
- Data year
- 2024
- Last updated
- 2026-11-14
Full ranking
| Rank | Country | From | To | 5-year change (points) |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Mauritania | 65.1 | 59.5 | −5.58 pts |
| 2 | Congo, Dem. Rep. | 73.6 | 68.5 | −5.05 pts |
| 3 | South Africa | 95 | 91.2 | −3.87 pts |
| 4 | Lesotho | 92.4 | 90.5 | −1.95 pts |
| 5 | Bhutan | 66.6 | 64.9 | −1.65 pts |
| 6 | Sierra Leone | 44.4 | 43.6 | −0.79 pts |
| 7 | Namibia | 88.3 | 87.6 | −0.643 pts |
| 8 | Maldives | 98.6 | 98.2 | −0.4 pts |
| 9 | Honduras | 88.5 | 88.3 | −0.26 pts |
| 10 | Georgia | 99.9 | 99.7 | −0.196 pts |
| 11 | Armenia | 100 | 99.8 | −0.16 pts |
| 12 | Côte d'Ivoire | 50 | 50 | −0.04 pts |
About the top 10
#1 Mauritania
Mauritania ranks #1 on this list with −5.58 pts.
- Capital
- Nouakchott
- Continent
- Africa
- Income group
- Lower middle income
- Population
- 5.32 million people (2025)
- GDP
- US$11.68 billion (2025)
- GDP per person
- US$2,198 (2025)
- Life expectancy
- 68.7 years (2024)
- Urban population
- 61.5% of population (2025)
Largest cities: Nouakchott.
Also ranks #2 in gross capital formation rate · #3 in prevalence of wasting (under-5) · #8 in gender parity index (school enrolment).
#2 Congo, Dem. Rep.
Congo, Dem. Rep. ranks #2 on this list with −5.05 pts.
- Capital
- Kinshasa
- Continent
- Africa
- Income group
- Low income
- Population
- 112.83 million people (2025)
- GDP
- US$91.03 billion (2025)
- GDP per person
- US$806.8 (2025)
- Life expectancy
- 62.1 years (2024)
- Urban population
- 45.1% of population (2025)
Largest cities: Kinshasa, Mbuji-Mayi, Kananga.
Also ranks #1 in renewable energy share · #1 in poverty headcount ratio · #1 in mineral rents share of gdp.
#3 South Africa
South Africa ranks #3 on this list with −3.87 pts.
- 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 Lesotho
Lesotho ranks #4 on this list with −1.95 pts.
- 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.
#5 Bhutan
Bhutan ranks #5 on this list with −1.65 pts.
- Capital
- Thimphu
- Continent
- Asia
- Income group
- Lower middle income
- Population
- 796,680 people (2025)
- GDP
- US$3.58 billion (2025)
- GDP per person
- US$4,493 (2025)
- Life expectancy
- 73.3 years (2024)
- Urban population
- 43.4% of population (2025)
Also ranks #3 in gross capital formation rate · #4 in water resources per capita · #4 in protected terrestrial area share.
#6 Sierra Leone
Sierra Leone ranks #6 on this list with −0.79 pts.
- Capital
- Freetown
- Continent
- Africa
- Income group
- Low income
- Population
- 8.82 million people (2025)
- GDP
- US$7.46 billion (2025)
- GDP per person
- US$846.3 (2025)
- Life expectancy
- 62 years (2024)
- Urban population
- 45.9% of population (2025)
Also ranks #1 in school enrolment (primary) · #7 in under-5 mortality rate · #8 in forest rents share of gdp.
#7 Namibia
Namibia ranks #7 on this list with −0.643 pts.
- 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.
#8 Maldives
Maldives ranks #8 on this list with −0.4 pts.
- Capital
- Malé
- Continent
- Asia
- Income group
- Upper middle income
- Population
- 529,680 people (2025)
- GDP
- US$7.74 billion (2025)
- GDP per person
- US$14,615 (2025)
- Life expectancy
- 81.3 years (2024)
- Urban population
- 42.5% of population (2025)
Also ranks #5 in male population share · #5 in population ages 15-64 share · #8 in population density.
#9 Honduras
Honduras ranks #9 on this list with −0.26 pts.
- Capital
- Tegucigalpa
- Continent
- North America
- Income group
- Lower middle income
- Population
- 11.01 million people (2025)
- GDP
- US$39.6 billion (2025)
- GDP per person
- US$3,598 (2025)
- Life expectancy
- 73 years (2024)
- Urban population
- 59.3% of population (2025)
Largest cities: Tegucigalpa.
Also ranks #6 in deposit interest rate · #10 in gini index · #11 in homicide rate.
#10 Georgia
Georgia ranks #10 on this list with −0.196 pts.
- Capital
- Tbilisi
- Continent
- Asia
- Income group
- Upper middle income
- Population
- 3.94 million people (2025)
- GDP
- US$38.14 billion (2025)
- GDP per person
- US$9,692 (2025)
- Life expectancy
- 74.7 years (2024)
- Urban population
- 61.2% of population (2025)
Largest cities: Tbilisi.
Also ranks #2 in alcohol consumption per capita · #6 in physicians per 1,000 · #10 in female population share.
Profile facts: World Bank (CC BY 4.0) and Wikidata (CC0); weather links go to Purr Weather, another ChowChow Labs site.
Source and method
Change in Literacy rate over the five years to each country's latest year, in points (a share or rate is not shown as a % of itself). Only countries that fell are listed.
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 (changes are computed from the published values). Provider terms: The World Bank. All licences: Sources & licences.