Countries With the Fastest Growth 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 rose are listed. Source: The World Bank (CC BY 4.0).
Summary
Papua New Guinea rose the most: by 16.9 pts, from 70.1% of people 15+ to 87% of people 15+ in the five years to 2022. Benin is second (+12.5 pts), followed by Togo (+11.6 pts). 33 countries rose over that period; the median change among them was +1.01 pts.
- #1
- Papua New Guinea · +16.9 pts
- Median
- +1.01 pts
- Coverage
- 33 countries
- Data year
- 2024
- Last updated
- 2026-11-14
Full ranking
| Rank | Country | From | To | 5-year change (points) |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Papua New Guinea | 70.1 | 87 | +16.9 pts |
| 2 | Benin | 38.9 | 51.4 | +12.5 pts |
| 3 | Togo | 61 | 72.6 | +11.6 pts |
| 4 | Egypt, Arab Rep. | 71.2 | 79.5 | +8.28 pts |
| 5 | Tunisia | 79.5 | 86.3 | +6.77 pts |
| 6 | Bangladesh | 72.9 | 79 | +6.11 pts |
| 7 | Senegal | 46.6 | 50.4 | +3.75 pts |
| 8 | India | 74.9 | 78.2 | +3.27 pts |
| 9 | Palau | 96.6 | 99.8 | +3.25 pts |
| 10 | Burkina Faso | 39.4 | 41.6 | +2.22 pts |
| 11 | Iran, Islamic Rep. | 86.9 | 88.9 | +2.05 pts |
| 12 | Oman | 95.6 | 97.3 | +1.76 pts |
| 13 | Paraguay | 93.2 | 94.9 | +1.65 pts |
| 14 | Spain | 98.3 | 99.7 | +1.45 pts |
| 15 | Türkiye | 95.9 | 97.3 | +1.4 pts |
| 16 | United Arab Emirates | 97.8 | 98.8 | +1.03 pts |
| 17 | Mozambique | 60.7 | 61.7 | +1.01 pts |
| 18 | Brazil | 93.9 | 94.7 | +0.847 pts |
| 19 | Indonesia | 95.2 | 96 | +0.78 pts |
| 20 | Kuwait | 95.7 | 96.5 | +0.77 pts |
| 21 | Iraq | 83.3 | 84.1 | +0.765 pts |
| 22 | Malaysia | 95.1 | 95.8 | +0.69 pts |
| 23 | El Salvador | 89.1 | 89.8 | +0.63 pts |
| 24 | Singapore | 97.1 | 97.7 | +0.6 pts |
| 25 | West Bank and Gaza | 97.4 | 97.9 | +0.559 pts |
| 26 | Sri Lanka | 92.3 | 92.7 | +0.49 pts |
| 27 | Panama | 95.7 | 96.2 | +0.488 pts |
| 28 | Dominican Republic | 93.7 | 94 | +0.357 pts |
| 29 | Philippines | 98.2 | 98.5 | +0.29 pts |
| 30 | Mongolia | 98.5 | 98.6 | +0.18 pts |
| 31 | Mexico | 95.4 | 95.6 | +0.161 pts |
| 32 | Uruguay | 98.8 | 98.9 | +0.14 pts |
| 33 | Colombia | 95.3 | 95.3 | +0.09 pts |
About the top 10
#1 Papua New Guinea
Papua New Guinea ranks #1 on this list with +16.9 pts.
- 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.
#2 Benin
Benin ranks #2 on this list with +12.5 pts.
- Capital
- Porto-Novo
- Continent
- Africa
- Income group
- Lower middle income
- Population
- 14.81 million people (2025)
- GDP
- US$24.57 billion (2025)
- GDP per person
- US$1,658 (2025)
- Life expectancy
- 61 years (2024)
- Urban population
- 53.4% of population (2025)
Also ranks #8 in maternal mortality ratio · #10 in female labour force participation · #10 in livestock production index.
#3 Togo
Togo ranks #3 on this list with +11.6 pts.
- Capital
- Lomé
- Continent
- Africa
- Income group
- Lower middle income
- Population
- 8.59 million people (2025)
- GDP
- US$11.89 billion (2025)
- GDP per person
- US$1,384 (2025)
- Life expectancy
- 62.9 years (2024)
- Urban population
- 44.4% of population (2025)
Largest cities: Lomé.
Also ranks #8 in arable land share · #19 in age dependency ratio · #19 in age dependency ratio (young).
#4 Egypt, Arab Rep.
Egypt, Arab Rep. ranks #4 on this list with +8.28 pts.
- Capital
- Cairo
- Continent
- Africa
- Income group
- Lower middle income
- Population
- 118.37 million people (2025)
- GDP
- US$365.25 billion (2025)
- GDP per person
- US$3,086 (2025)
- Life expectancy
- 71.8 years (2024)
- Urban population
- 42.9% of population (2025)
Largest cities: Cairo, Alexandria, Giza.
Also ranks #1 in irrigated land share · #3 in deposit interest rate · #5 in remittances received.
#5 Tunisia
Tunisia ranks #5 on this list with +6.77 pts.
- 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.
#6 Bangladesh
Bangladesh ranks #6 on this list with +6.11 pts.
- Capital
- Dhaka
- Continent
- Asia
- Income group
- Lower middle income
- Population
- 175.69 million people (2025)
- GDP
- US$456.32 billion (2025)
- GDP per person
- US$2,597 (2025)
- Life expectancy
- 74.9 years (2024)
- Urban population
- 33.2% of population (2025)
Largest cities: Dhaka, Chittagong, Gazipur.
Also ranks #1 in arable land share · #2 in irrigated land share · #2 in low-birthweight babies share.
#7 Senegal
Senegal ranks #7 on this list with +3.75 pts.
- Capital
- Dakar
- Continent
- Africa
- Income group
- Lower middle income
- Population
- 18.93 million people (2025)
- GDP
- US$37.01 billion (2025)
- GDP per person
- US$1,955 (2025)
- Life expectancy
- 68.9 years (2024)
- Urban population
- 55.8% of population (2025)
Largest cities: Dakar.
Also ranks #1 in gender parity index (school enrolment) · #3 in crop production index · #8 in debt service share of exports.
#8 India
India ranks #8 on this list with +3.27 pts.
- Capital
- New Delhi
- Continent
- Asia
- Income group
- Lower middle income
- Population
- 1.46 billion people (2025)
- GDP
- US$3.96 trillion (2025)
- GDP per person
- US$2,703 (2025)
- Life expectancy
- 72.2 years (2024)
- Urban population
- 35.7% of population (2025)
Largest cities: Delhi, Mumbai, Bengaluru.
Also ranks #1 in population · #1 in rural population · #1 in remittances received.
#9 Palau
Palau ranks #9 on this list with +3.25 pts.
- 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.
#10 Burkina Faso
Burkina Faso ranks #10 on this list with +2.22 pts.
- Capital
- Ouagadougou
- Continent
- Africa
- Income group
- Low income
- Population
- 24.08 million people (2025)
- GDP
- US$27.63 billion (2025)
- GDP per person
- US$1,148 (2025)
- Life expectancy
- 61.3 years (2024)
- Urban population
- 28.9% of population (2025)
Largest cities: Ouagadougou.
Also ranks #7 in mineral rents share of gdp · #9 in children out of school (primary) · #11 in under-5 mortality 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
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 rose 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.