Papua New Guinea: Literacy rate

* indicates monthly or quarterly data series
 Papua New Guinea

Literacy rate

 Latest value 87.00
 Year 2022
 Measure percent
 Data availability 2000 - 2022
 Average 70.84
 Min - Max 57.34 - 87.00
 Source UNESCO
 Available for Data download
The latest value from 2022 is 87 percent, an increase from 70.06 percent in 2017. In comparison, the world average is 84.77 percent, based on data from 44 countries. Historically, the average for Papua New Guinea from 2000 to 2022 is 70.84 percent. The minimum value, 57.34 percent, was reached in 2000 while the maximum of 87 percent was recorded in 2022. See the global rankings for that indicator or use the country comparator to compare trends over time.
Select indicator
* indicates monthly or quarterly data series
From   To 


 Recent values Papua New Guinea: Literacy rate
 2022 87.00
 2017 70.06
 2010 68.97
 2000 57.34




Definition: 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.

Other resources:

Download data from our database

All indicators for Papua New Guinea

All indicators on the website

Article: Are trade deficits bad for the economy?

Article: Sources of economic growth

Article: Currency values and investment returns

All articles



 Related indicators Latest Reference Measure
 Education spending, percent of GDP 0.78 2023 percent
 Education spending, percent of government spending 3.54 2023 percent
 Literacy rate 87.00 2022 percent
 Female literacy rate, ages 15-24 91.11 2022 percent
 Male literacy rate, ages 15-24 92.69 2022 percent
 Youth literacy rate, ages 15-24 91.92 2022 percent
 Primary school completion rate 82.75 2023 percent
 School starting age, primary school 7 2025 years
 Female to male ratio, primary school pupils 0.93 2018 percent
 Female to male ratio, secondary school students 0.80 2018 percent
 Female to male ratio, students at tertiary level education 0.57 1999 percent
 Primary school enrollment 121.09 2023 percent
 Secondary school enrollment 52.09 2023 percent
 Tertiary school enrollment 1.95 1999 percent
This site uses cookies.
Learn more here


OK