Society · Adult literacy rate · Ethiopia
Ethiopia’s adult literacy rate was 60.5% of adults in 2022.
60.5% of adults
2022
Up 5.6 pp from 2021.
Stale — last updated 18 Oct 2026
In plain words
60.5% of adults
What it is. The adult literacy rate is the share of adults who can read and write a short, simple statement about everyday life. Each person either meets that basic threshold or does not, so the rate says nothing about how well someone reads longer or more complex text. It also leaves out numeracy and the quality of the schooling behind the skill.
Higher is better. Literacy gives people access to written instructions, contracts and public information, so a higher share of literate adults is better. The latest figure is 60.5% of adults in 2022, up from 54.9% of adults a year earlier, a rise of 5.6 percentage points. Since 1994 the rate has ranged from 27% of adults at the start of that span to 60.5% of adults in 2022, so the latest reading is the highest in the range.
Why it matters. A large minority of Ethiopian adults still cannot read a short everyday statement, which limits how easily they can follow health advice or check the terms of a loan. Farmers and small traders who read and write can keep records and compare prices more easily. For the state, a rising rate widens the pool of workers who can be trained for jobs beyond basic farming and trade.
| Period | Adult literacy rate · Ethiopia |
|---|---|
| 1994 | 27% of adults |
| 2004 | 35.9% of adults |
| 2007 | 39% of adults |
| 2013 | 48.4% of adults |
| 2016 | 47.5% of adults |
| 2019 | 55% of adults |
| 2021 | 54.9% of adults |
| 2022 | 60.5% of adults |
Source: World Bank, World Development Indicators (CC BY 4.0) · Licence: CC BY 4.0
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Strata-AF™ Data, Adult literacy rate, Ethiopia, 2022; source World Bank, World Development Indicators (CC BY 4.0), retrieved 18 Oct 2026; https://data.strata-af.com/society/adult-literacy/ethiopia
Data insights · Worked out from the published figures
What this means
Working this out from the published figures…
Strata AI commentary is coming — reviewed, dated, and generated only from the figures on this page.
Methodology
People aged 15 and over who can read and write a short, simple statement about everyday life, as a share of that age group. Unit: % of adults. Literacy is measured in surveys and censuses, so new figures arrive every few years.
Source: World Bank, World Development Indicators (series SE.ADT.LITR.ZS), retrieved through the World Bank API and published under CC BY 4.0. Updated annually; the World Bank's own source notes apply.