Adult literacy rate, population 15+ years, rural — Value — All age in South Africa
South Africa: Adult literacy rate, population 15+ years, rural — Value — All age was 84.75 % in 2024. ▬ Flat
Adult literacy rate, population 15+ years, rural — Value — All age in South Africa, 2009–2024
Source: Food and Agriculture Organization of the United Nations. Measured in %.
Analysis
The most recent figure for adult literacy rate, population 15+ years, rural — value — all age in South Africa is 84.75 %, measured in 2024.
The figure is up 2.4% on the previous year and down 4.1% over ten years.
Over the whole period, adult literacy rate, population 15+ years, rural — value — all age in South Africa peaked at 90.78 % in 2019 and was at its lowest, 82.77 %, in 2021.
That places South Africa 24th out of 41 countries with data for 2024, putting it in the middle of the range.
Adult literacy rate, population 15+ years, rural — Value — All age in South Africa, year by year
| Year | % | Change |
|---|---|---|
| 2009 | 86.7 % | — |
| 2010 | 86.44 % | -0.3% |
| 2011 | 86.95 % | +0.6% |
| 2012 | 87.54 % | +0.7% |
| 2014 | 88.41 % | +1.0% |
| 2015 | 88.64 % | +0.3% |
| 2016 | 84.96 % | -4.2% |
| 2019 | 90.78 % | +6.9% |
| 2021 | 82.77 % | -8.8% |
| 2024 | 84.75 % | +2.4% |
South Africa compared with similar countries
- South Africa's 84.75 % is below the median for upper middle income countries, which is 92.09 %, 92% of the median. (20 countries reporting)
- South Africa's 84.75 % is above the median for Sub-Saharan Africa, which is 40.25 %, 2.1× the median. (9 countries reporting)
Averages by decade
| Decade | Average | Lowest | Highest | Years |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2000s | 86.7 % | 86.7 % | 86.7 % | 1 |
| 2010s | 87.67 % | 84.96 % | 90.78 % | 7 |
| 2020s | 83.76 % | 82.77 % | 84.75 % | 2 |
Countries ranked near South Africa
More economy & growth data for South Africa
- Africa's Development Dynamics (AfDD) Table 04 - Annual real GDP 0.4836 Percent per annum (2029)
- Africa's Development Dynamics (AfDD) Table 02 - Annual real GDP 1.4 Percent per annum (2029)
- Foreign direct investment, net outflows (BoP, current US$), gaps -4.01 billion BoP, current US$ (2025)
- Foreign direct investment, net outflows (BoP, current US$), per unit -0.0094 BoP, current US$ per US$ of GDP (2025)
- Foreign direct investment, net outflows (BoP, current US$), per capita -61.95 BoP, current US$ per person (2025)
- Foreign direct investment, net inflows (BoP, current US$), gaps filled -2.16 billion BoP, current US$ (2025)
- Foreign direct investment, net inflows (BoP, current US$), annual -192.73 % change on previous year (2025)
- Foreign direct investment, net inflows (BoP, current US$), per unit -0.0051 BoP, current US$ per US$ of GDP (2025)
- Foreign direct investment, net inflows (BoP, current US$), per capita -33.37 BoP, current US$ per person (2025)
- Total reserves (includes gold, current US$), annual growth rate 16.18 % change on previous year (2025)
Frequently asked questions
- What is adult literacy rate, population 15+ years, rural — value — all age in South Africa?
- Adult literacy rate, population 15+ years, rural — value — all age in South Africa was 84.75 % in 2024, according to Food and Agriculture Organization of the United Nations.
- What is the highest adult literacy rate, population 15+ years, rural — value — all age recorded in South Africa?
- The highest recorded value was 90.78 % in 2019.
- What is the lowest adult literacy rate, population 15+ years, rural — value — all age recorded in South Africa?
- The lowest recorded value was 82.77 % in 2021.
- How does South Africa rank for adult literacy rate, population 15+ years, rural — value — all age?
- South Africa ranks 24th out of 41 countries with data for 2024.
- Is adult literacy rate, population 15+ years, rural — value — all age rising or falling in South Africa?
- Over the last ten years it is down 4.1%. The long-run trend across the full record is flat.
- Where does this South Africa data come from?
- The figures come from Food and Agriculture Organization of the United Nations, published as part of Adult literacy rate, population 15+ years, rural — Value — All age ranges or no breakdown by age — Rural. Statizoid updates them automatically from the source API.
Download this data
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About this data
The Suite of Gender Indicators presents a set of indicators relevant to agrifood systems that are disaggregated by sex, with the aim of highlighting gender differences across agrifood systems. The initial set of indicators is based on those used in FAO’s 2023 Status of Women in Agrifood Systems (SWAFS) report and on the recommendations of an expert consultation held in December 2023, and covers key dimensions including economic participation, governance, agency, social norms, assets and services, education, health, and nutrition. Indicator selection was informed by expert judgment and by the availability of data with sufficient geographic and temporal coverage to enable meaningful comparisons across regions and over time. While most indicators are produced and published by FAO and other international organizations, the objective of this domain is to provide a one-stop shop for sex-disaggregated data on agrifood systems.