Society · Adult literacy rate · The Gambia
The Gambia’s adult literacy rate was 51.6% of adults in 2021.
51.6% of adults
2021
Down 1.5 pp from 2018.
Stale — last updated 18 Oct 2026
In plain words
51.6% of adults
What it is. The adult literacy rate is the share of the adult population able to read and write a short, simple statement about everyday life. It sets a basic threshold, so someone who manages a simple message counts the same as someone who handles long documents. Arithmetic, reading complex texts and using digital services sit outside it.
Higher is better. A higher rate means more adults can follow written instructions, fill in forms and take paid work that involves text, so a rising figure is good news. The latest figure, 51.6% of adults in 2021, sits near the top of the range since 2000. That range runs from 36.8% of adults in 2000 to a high of 53.2% in 2018. The 2021 figure is a little below the 2018 peak.
Why it matters. With just over half of adults able to read and write a simple statement, written notices, product labels and school forms reach only part of the adult population in The Gambia. Employers hiring for jobs that involve written records or safety instructions draw on a smaller pool of candidates. The state has reason to keep using spoken channels such as radio alongside written ones when it needs to reach every household.
| Period | Adult literacy rate · The Gambia |
|---|---|
| 2000 | 36.8% of adults |
| 2015 | 50.8% of adults |
| 2018 | 53.2% of adults |
| 2021 | 51.6% 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, The Gambia, 2021; source World Bank, World Development Indicators (CC BY 4.0), retrieved 18 Oct 2026; https://data.strata-af.com/society/adult-literacy/gambia
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.