本文统计的是全世界各个国家和地区的识字率的数据，15岁以上人口识字率平均为86.7%，其中男性识字率为90.1%，女性识字率为83.3%。世界各国的识字率差别比较大，其中发达国家的识字率为99.2%，南亚和西亚的识字率为70.2%，撒哈拉以南非洲的识字率为64.0%。全世界总共7.81亿成年人文盲当中，有超过75%的文盲分布在南亚、西亚和撒哈拉以南非洲地区，并且女性文盲占全球成年人文盲总数的将近三分之二。
| 排名 | 国家 | 全部 | 男性 | 女性 | 性别差异 | 统计时间 |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 世界 | 86.70% | 90.10% | 83.30% | 6.80% | 2020 | |
| 1 | 安道尔 | 100.00% | 100.00% | 100.00% | 0.00% | 2016 |
| 2 | 芬兰 | 100.00% | - | - | - | - |
| 3 | 朝鲜 | 100.00% | 100.00% | 100.00% | 0.00% | 2015 |
| 4 | 列支敦士登 | 100.00% | - | - | - | - |
| 5 | 卢森堡 | 100.00% | - | - | - | - |
| 6 | 挪威 | 100.00% | - | - | - | - |
| 7 | 斯洛伐克 | 100.00% | - | - | - | - |
| 8 | 乌兹别克斯坦 | 100.00% | 100.00% | 100.00% | 0.00% | 2019 |
| 9 | 白俄罗斯 | 99.90% | 99.90% | 99.90% | 0.00% | 2019 |
| 10 | 拉脱维亚 | 99.90% | 99.90% | 99.90% | 0.00% | 2018 |
| 11 | 圣马力诺 | 99.90% | 99.90% | 99.90% | 0.00% | 2018 |
| 12 | 亚美尼亚 | 99.80% | 99.80% | 99.70% | 0.10% | 2020 |
| 13 | 阿塞拜疆 | 99.80% | 99.90% | 99.70% | 0.20% | 2019 |
| 14 | 古巴 | 99.80% | 99.90% | 99.80% | 0.10% | 2015 |
| 15 | 爱沙尼亚 | 99.80% | 99.80% | 99.80% | 0.00% | 2015 |
| 16 | 哈萨克斯坦 | 99.80% | 99.80% | 99.70% | 0.10% | 2018 |
| 17 | 立陶宛 | 99.80% | 99.80% | 99.80% | 0.00% | 2015 |
| 18 | 波兰 | 99.80% | 99.90% | 99.70% | 0.20% | 2015 |
| 19 | 塔吉克斯坦 | 99.80% | 99.80% | 99.70% | 0.10% | 2015 |
| 20 | 乌克兰 | 99.80% | 99.80% | 99.70% | 0.10% | 2015 |
| 21 | 俄罗斯 | 99.70% | 99.70% | 99.70% | 0.00% | 2018 |
| 22 | 斯洛文尼亚 | 99.70% | 99.70% | 99.70% | 0.00% | 2015 |
| 23 | 土库曼斯坦 | 99.70% | 99.80% | 99.60% | 0.20% | 2015 |
| 24 | 巴巴多斯 | 99.60% | 99.60% | 99.60% | 0.00% | 2014 |
| 25 | 格鲁吉亚 | 99.60% | 99.70% | 99.50% | 0.20% | 2019 |
| 26 | 吉尔吉斯斯坦 | 99.60% | 99.70% | 99.50% | 0.20% | 2018 |
| 27 | 塞尔维亚 | 99.50% | 99.90% | 99.10% | 0.80% | 2019 |
| 28 | 摩尔多瓦 | 99.40% | 99.70% | 99.10% | 0.60% | 2015 |
| 29 | 汤加 | 99.40% | 99.40% | 99.50% | 0.10% | 2018 |
| 30 | 克罗地亚 | 99.30% | 99.70% | 98.90% | 0.80% | 2015 |
| 31 | 意大利 | 99.20% | 99.40% | 99.00% | 0.40% | 2018 |
| 32 | 蒙古 | 99.20% | 99.10% | 99.20% | 0.10% | 2020 |
| 33 | 塞浦路斯 | 99.10% | 99.50% | 98.70% | 0.80% | 2015 |
| 34 | 斐济 | 99.10% | 99.10% | 99.10% | 0.00% | 2018 |
| 35 | 匈牙利 | 99.10% | 99.10% | 99.00% | 0.10% | 2015 |
| 36 | 萨摩亚 | 99.10% | 99.00% | 99.20% | 0.20% | 2018 |
| 37 | 安提瓜和巴布达 | 99.00% | 98.40% | 99.40% | 1.00% | 2015 |
| 38 | 阿根廷 | 99.00% | 98.90% | 99.10% | 0.20% | 2018 |
| 39 | 澳大利亚 | 99.00% | - | - | - | - |
| 40 | 比利时 | 99.00% | - | - | - | - |
| 41 | 加拿大 | 99.00% | - | - | - | - |
| 42 | 捷克共和国 | 99.00% | 99.00% | 99.00% | 0.00% | 2011 |
| 43 | 丹麦 | 99.00% | - | - | - | - |
| 44 | 法国 | 99.00% | - | - | - | - |
| 45 | 德国 | 99.00% | - | - | - | - |
| 46 | 冰岛 | 99.00% | - | - | - | - |
| 47 | 爱尔兰 | 99.00% | - | - | - | - |
| 48 | 日本 | 99.00% | - | - | - | - |
| 49 | 密克罗尼西亚 | 99.00% | - | - | - | - |
| 50 | 摩纳哥 | 99.00% | - | - | - | - |
| 51 | 荷兰 | 99.00% | - | - | - | - |
| 52 | 新西兰 | 99.00% | - | - | - | - |
| 53 | 瑞典 | 99.00% | - | - | - | - |
| 54 | 瑞士 | 99.00% | - | - | - | - |
| 55 | 特立尼达和多巴哥 | 99.00% | 99.20% | 98.70% | 0.50% | 2015 |
| 56 | 图瓦卢 | 99.00% | - | - | - | - |
| 57 | 英国 | 99.00% | - | - | - | - |
| 58 | 黑山 | 98.80% | 99.50% | 98.30% | 1.20% | 2018 |
| 59 | 罗马尼亚 | 98.80% | 99.10% | 98.60% | 0.50% | 2018 |
| 60 | 乌拉圭 | 98.80% | 98.50% | 99.00% | 0.50% | 2019 |
| 61 | 格林纳达 | 98.60% | 98.60% | 98.60% | 0.00% | 2014 |
| 62 | 西班牙 | 98.60% | 99.00% | 98.20% | 0.80% | 2020 |
| 63 | 波黑 | 98.50% | 99.50% | 97.50% | 2.00% | 2015 |
| 64 | 保加利亚 | 98.40% | 98.70% | 98.10% | 0.60% | 2015 |
| 65 | 马其顿 | 98.40% | 99.10% | 97.60% | 1.50% | 2020 |
| 66 | 马绍尔群岛 | 98.30% | 98.30% | 98.20% | 0.10% | 2011 |
| 67 | 约旦 | 98.20% | 98.60% | 97.80% | 0.80% | 2018 |
| 68 | 阿尔巴尼亚 | 98.10% | 98.50% | 97.80% | 0.70% | 2018 |
| 69 | 奥地利 | 98.00% | - | - | - | - |
| 70 | 韩国 | 98.00% | - | - | - | - |
| 71 | 哥斯达黎加 | 97.90% | 97.80% | 97.90% | 0.10% | 2018 |
| 72 | 希腊 | 97.90% | 98.50% | 97.40% | 1.10% | 2018 |
| 73 | 以色列 | 97.80% | 98.70% | 96.80% | 1.90% | 2011 |
| 74 | 马尔代夫 | 97.70% | 97.30% | 98.10% | 0.80% | 2016 |
| 75 | 沙特阿拉伯 | 97.60% | 98.60% | 96.00% | 2.60% | 2020 |
| 76 | 阿联酋 | 97.60% | 98.00% | 96.90% | 1.10% | 2019 |
| 77 | 巴林 | 97.50% | 99.90% | 94.90% | 5.00% | 2018 |
| 78 | 新加坡 | 97.50% | 98.90% | 96.10% | 2.80% | 2019 |
| 79 | 文莱 | 97.20% | 98.10% | 93.40% | 4.70% | 2018 |
| 80 | 委内瑞拉 | 97.10% | 97.00% | 97.20% | 0.20% | 2016 |
| 81 | 圣基茨和尼维斯 | 97.00% | - | - | - | - |
| 82 | 中国 | 96.80% | 98.50% | 95.20% | 3.30% | 2018 |
| 83 | 土耳其 | 96.70% | 99.10% | 94.40% | 4.70% | 2019 |
| 84 | 帕劳 | 96.60% | 96.80% | 96.30% | 0.50% | 2015 |
| 85 | 科威特 | 96.50% | 97.10% | 95.40% | 1.70% | 2020 |
| 86 | 智利 | 96.30% | 96.30% | 96.30% | 0.00% | 2017 |
| 87 | 菲律宾 | 96.30% | 95.70% | 96.90% | 1.20% | 2019 |
| 88 | 葡萄牙 | 96.10% | 97.40% | 95.10% | 2.30% | 2018 |
| 89 | 巴哈马 | 96.00% | - | - | - | - |
| 90 | 印度尼西亚 | 96.00% | 97.40% | 94.60% | 2.80% | 2020 |
| 91 | 圣文森特和格林纳丁斯 | 96.00% | - | - | - | - |
| 92 | 塞舌尔 | 95.90% | 95.40% | 96.40% | 1.00% | 2018 |
| 93 | 越南 | 95.80% | 97.00% | 94.60% | 2.40% | 2019 |
| 94 | 阿曼 | 95.70% | 97.00% | 92.70% | 4.30% | 2018 |
| 95 | 巴拿马 | 95.70% | 98.80% | 95.40% | 3.40% | 2019 |
| 96 | 哥伦比亚 | 95.60% | 95.40% | 95.90% | 0.50% | 2020 |
| 97 | 赤道几内亚 | 95.30% | 97.40% | 93.00% | 4.40% | 2015 |
| 98 | 墨西哥 | 95.20% | 96.10% | 94.50% | 1.60% | 2020 |
| 99 | 黎巴嫩 | 95.10% | 96.90% | 93.30% | 3.60% | 2018 |
| 100 | 马来西亚 | 95.00% | 96.20% | 93.60% | 2.60% | 2019 |
| 101 | 瑙鲁 | 95.00% | - | - | - | - |
| 102 | 巴勒斯坦 | 95.00% | - | - | - | - |
| 103 | 南非 | 95.00% | 95.50% | 94.50% | 1.00% | 2019 |
| 104 | 马耳他 | 94.50% | 93.00% | 96.00% | 3.00% | 2018 |
| 105 | 巴拉圭 | 94.50% | 94.90% | 94.20% | 0.70% | 2020 |
| 106 | 秘鲁 | 94.50% | 97.00% | 92.00% | 5.00% | 2020 |
| 107 | 苏里南 | 94.40% | 96.10% | 92.70% | 3.40% | 2018 |
| 108 | 多明尼加共和国 | 93.80% | 93.80% | 93.80% | 0.00% | 2016 |
| 109 | 泰国 | 93.80% | 95.20% | 92.40% | 2.80% | 2018 |
| 110 | 厄瓜多尔 | 93.60% | 94.80% | 92.50% | 2.30% | 2020 |
| 111 | 卡塔尔 | 93.50% | 92.40% | 94.70% | 2.30% | 2017 |
| 112 | 巴西 | 93.20% | 93.00% | 93.40% | 0.40% | 2018 |
| 113 | 圣多美和普林西比 | 92.80% | 96.20% | 89.50% | 6.70% | 2018 |
| 114 | 玻利维亚 | 92.50% | 96.50% | 88.60% | 7.90% | 2015 |
| 115 | 斯里兰卡 | 92.30% | 93.00% | 91.60% | 1.40% | 2019 |
| 116 | 多米尼克 | 92.00% | - | - | - | - |
| 117 | 纳米比亚 | 91.50% | 91.60% | 91.40% | 0.20% | 2018 |
| 118 | 毛里求斯 | 91.30% | 93.40% | 89.40% | 4.00% | 2018 |
| 119 | 利比亚 | 91.00% | 96.70% | 85.60% | 11.10% | 2015 |
| 120 | 圣卢西亚 | 90.00% | - | - | - | - |
| 121 | 科特迪瓦 | 89.90% | 93.10% | 86.70% | 6.40% | 2019 |
| 122 | 萨尔瓦多 | 89.10% | 91.30% | 87.30% | 4.00% | 2019 |
| 123 | 缅甸 | 89.10% | 92.40% | 86.30% | 6.10% | 2019 |
| 124 | 牙买加 | 88.70% | 84.00% | 93.10% | 9.10% | 2015 |
| 125 | 博茨瓦纳 | 88.50% | 88.00% | 88.90% | 0.90% | 2015 |
| 126 | 圭亚那 | 88.50% | 87.20% | 89.80% | 2.60% | 2015 |
| 127 | 洪都拉斯 | 88.50% | 88.20% | 88.70% | 0.50% | 2019 |
| 128 | 斯威士兰 | 88.40% | 88.30% | 88.50% | 0.20% | 2018 |
| 129 | 瓦努阿图 | 87.50% | 88.30% | 86.70% | 1.60% | 2018 |
| 130 | 佛得角 | 86.80% | 91.70% | 82.00% | 9.70% | 2015 |
| 131 | 赞比亚 | 86.70% | 90.60% | 83.10% | 7.50% | 2018 |
| 132 | 津巴布韦 | 86.50% | 88.50% | 84.60% | 3.90% | 2015 |
| 133 | 叙利亚 | 86.40% | 91.70% | 81.00% | 10.70% | 2015 |
| 134 | 美国 | 86.00% | - | - | - | - |
| 135 | 伊拉克 | 85.60% | 91.20% | 79.90% | 11.30% | 2017 |
| 136 | 伊朗 | 85.50% | 90.40% | 80.80% | 9.60% | 2016 |
| 137 | 加蓬 | 84.70% | 85.90% | 83.40% | 2.50% | 2018 |
| 138 | 老挝 | 84.70% | 90.00% | 79.40% | 10.60% | 2015 |
| 139 | 伯利兹 | 83.00% | - | - | - | - |
| 140 | 尼加拉瓜 | 82.60% | 82.40% | 82.80% | 0.40% | 2015 |
| 141 | 突尼斯 | 81.80% | 89.60% | 74.20% | 15.40% | 2015 |
| 142 | 肯尼亚 | 81.50% | 85.00% | 78.20% | 6.80% | 2018 |
| 143 | 阿尔及利亚 | 81.40% | 87.40% | 75.30% | 12.10% | 2018 |
| 144 | 危地马拉 | 80.80% | 85.30% | 76.70% | 8.60% | 2018 |
| 145 | 柬埔寨 | 80.50% | 86.50% | 75.00% | 11.50% | 2015 |
| 146 | 刚果 | 80.30% | 86.10% | 74.60% | 11.50% | 2018 |
| 147 | 莱索托 | 79.40% | 70.10% | 88.30% | 18.20% | 2015 |
| 148 | 加纳 | 79.00% | 83.50% | 74.50% | 9.00% | 2018 |
| 149 | 坦桑尼亚 | 77.90% | 83.20% | 73.10% | 10.10% | 2015 |
| 150 | 喀麦隆 | 77.10% | 82.60% | 71.60% | 11.00% | 2018 |
| 151 | 刚果民主共和国 | 77.00% | 88.50% | 66.50% | 22.00% | 2016 |
| 152 | 所罗门群岛 | 77.00% | - | - | - | - |
| 153 | 马达加斯加 | 76.70% | 78.40% | 75.10% | 3.30% | 2018 |
| 154 | 厄立特里亚 | 76.60% | 84.40% | 68.90% | 15.50% | 2018 |
| 155 | 乌干达 | 76.50% | 82.70% | 70.80% | 11.90% | 2018 |
| 156 | 孟加拉国 | 74.90% | 77.80% | 72.00% | 5.80% | 2020 |
| 157 | 印度 | 74.40% | 82.40% | 65.80% | 16.60% | 2018 |
| 158 | 摩洛哥 | 73.80% | 83.30% | 64.60% | 18.70% | 2018 |
| 159 | 卢旺达 | 73.20% | 77.60% | 69.40% | 8.20% | 2018 |
| 160 | 埃及 | 71.20% | 76.50% | 65.50% | 11.00% | 2017 |
| 161 | 安哥拉 | 71.10% | 82.00% | 60.70% | 21.30% | 2015 |
| 162 | 也门 | 70.10% | 85.10% | 55.00% | 30.10% | 2015 |
| 163 | 布隆迪 | 68.40% | 76.30% | 61.20% | 15.10% | 2017 |
| 164 | 东帝汶 | 68.10% | 71.90% | 64.20% | 7.70% | 2018 |
| 165 | 尼泊尔 | 67.90% | 78.60% | 59.70% | 18.90% | 2018 |
| 166 | 不丹 | 66.60% | 75.00% | 57.10% | 17.90% | 2017 |
| 167 | 多哥 | 66.50% | 80.00% | 55.10% | 24.90% | 2019 |
| 168 | 巴布亚新几内亚 | 64.20% | 65.60% | 62.80% | 2.80% | 2015 |
| 169 | 马拉维 | 62.10% | 69.80% | 55.20% | 14.60% | 2015 |
| 170 | 尼日利亚 | 62.00% | 71.30% | 52.70% | 18.60% | 2018 |
| 171 | 海地 | 61.70% | 65.30% | 58.30% | 7.00% | 2016 |
| 172 | 莫桑比克 | 60.70% | 72.60% | 50.30% | 22.30% | 2017 |
| 173 | 苏丹 | 60.70% | 65.40% | 56.10% | 9.30% | 2018 |
| 174 | 几内亚比绍 | 59.90% | 71.80% | 48.30% | 23.50% | 2015 |
| 175 | 科摩罗 | 58.80% | 64.60% | 53.00% | 11.60% | 2018 |
| 176 | 巴基斯坦 | 58.00% | 69.30% | 46.50% | 22.80% | 2019 |
| 177 | 毛里塔尼亚 | 53.50% | 63.70% | 43.40% | 20.30% | 2017 |
| 178 | 塞内加尔 | 51.90% | 64.80% | 39.80% | 25.00% | 2017 |
| 179 | 埃塞俄比亚 | 51.80% | 57.20% | 44.40% | 12.80% | 2017 |
| 180 | 冈比亚 | 50.80% | 61.80% | 41.60% | 20.20% | 2015 |
| 181 | 利比里亚 | 48.30% | 62.70% | 34.10% | 28.60% | 2017 |
| 182 | 塞拉利昂 | 43.20% | 51.60% | 39.80% | 11.80% | 2018 |
| 183 | 贝宁 | 42.40% | 54.00% | 31.10% | 22.90% | 2018 |
| 184 | 几内亚 | 39.60% | 54.40% | 27.70% | 26.70% | 2018 |
| 185 | 布基纳法索 | 39.30% | 49.20% | 31.00% | 18.20% | 2018 |
| 186 | 索马里 | 39.00% | - | - | - | - |
| 187 | 中非共和国 | 37.40% | 49.50% | 25.80% | 23.70% | 2018 |
| 188 | 阿富汗 | 37.30% | 52.10% | 22.60% | 29.50% | 2021 |
| 189 | 马里 | 35.50% | 46.20% | 25.70% | 20.50% | 2018 |
| 190 | 尼日尔 | 35.10% | 43.60% | 26.70% | 16.90% | 2018 |
| 191 | 南苏丹 | 34.50% | 40.30% | 28.90% | 11.40% | 2018 |
| 192 | 乍得 | 22.30% | 31.30% | 14.00% | 17.30% | 2016 |
在这份识字率统计表格中，有几个国家的识字率是100%：安道尔、芬兰、朝鲜、列支敦士登、卢森堡、木偶为、斯洛伐克和乌兹别克斯坦，该数据出自联合国教科文组织，这些调查数据大部分都是由相关国家自行申报，所以有一些就出现是100%的识字率。
我国成年人的识字率大约为96.8%，其中男性识字率为98.5%，女性识字率为95.2%，排名世界第82名。
美国成年人的识字率大约为86%，排名世界第134名。美国是发达国家中识字率最低，文盲率最高的国家。
印度成年人的识字率大约为74.4%，其中男性识字率为82.4%，女性识字率为65.8%，排名世界第157名。
世界上文盲率最高的国家是非洲的乍得，2016年乍得成年人识字率仅为22.3%，其中男性识字率为31.3%，女性识字率仅为14%。
