In this article, we will look at the 30 most illiterate countries in the world.
The most simple definition of literacy is the ability to read and write. According to the World Literacy Foundation (WLF), nearly one in every five people are completely illiterate. WLF also estimates that illiteracy costs the world 800 billion pounds annually. The cost associated with illiteracy includes welfare, unemployment benefits, social programs, and reduced government revenues. Lack of access to education leads to a lack of awareness, which lands illiterate people in undesirable circumstances. Many governments around the world run their welfare programs to help people trapped in undesirable circumstances. In addition, an illiterate person is less likely to have a stable flow of income, making them entitled to unemployment benefits in many parts of the world. Since illiterate people are likely to earn less than others, government tax revenue is compromised. The global economy is moving toward a knowledge economy. In a country where the literacy level is low, many important positions remain vacant. This in turn slows down the GDP growth rate.
Illiteracy traps individuals and their future generations in a vicious cycle. Literacy has a direct relationship with the employment chances and income of an individual. Lack of literacy leads to welfare dependence and low self-esteem. Illiteracy is also associated with higher levels of crime. In addition, the inability to read and comprehend also limits an individual’s ability to make an informed decision. An illiterate person will have difficulties performing basic tasks such as filling out forms and understanding government policies, thereby putting themselves at a disadvantage. Those who are not literate usually do not have favorable opinions about education. They prefer their children to help them at work rather than obtain an education, and so the vicious cycle of illiteracy continues.
Illiteracy also adversely affects health. During the Covid-19, many illiterate people were unable to comprehend government and healthcare guidelines and put themselves at risk of infection. People with little or no education are unable to understand health guidelines and hence put their lives and well-being at risk.
While the United States is not one of the most illiterate countries in the world, it could be better. For instance, the most Illiterate city in the United States, New Haven, has an issue of children not being able to read according to their grade level. Nearly four out of ten children in the United States enter kindergarten with a lower-than-required skill level. Education, or lack thereof, during the early years of a child, has a significant effect on the chances of success of the kid. It is one of the major determinants of whether the child will go on to graduate from college or not. While the country goes through what the experts dub a ‘ Silent Literary Crisis’, many people in the country remain functionally illiterate. One in five people in the United States reads below a 3rd-grade level, while half of Americans read below the sixth level. Functionally illiterate people can understand basic vocabulary but are not able to comprehend most written material. With the hefty costs associated with illiteracy, The United States must work to improve the functional literacy of its people.
This current silent literary crisis has created opportunities for many companies operating in the ED tech sector. These companies include Chegg, Inc. (NYSE:CHGG) and Coursera, Inc. (NYSE:COUR). Chegg, Inc. (NYSE:CHGG) helps school children with their homework. It also serves as an online learning platform, which makes learning easier for children. Coursera, Inc. (NYSE:COUR), on the other hand, provides online courses and professional certificates. The online platform even offers Master’s degrees. With that backdrop in mind, let’s look at some of the most illiterate countries in the world.
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Methodology
There are many ways to measure literacy, but for our list, we utilized the most common and simple-to-understand method. To curate our list of the most illiterate countries in the world, we looked at literacy rates, as defined by the most basic definition of literacy, in people aged 15 and above. To compile this list, we used data from the World Bank. It is also essential to note that for each country, we used its most recent available literacy rate estimates.
30 – Bhutan
Literacy Rate – 72%
Although Bhutan is one of the most illiterate countries in the world, it is worth noting that it has made significant improvements in the last two decades. Its literacy rate in 2005 was 52.8%.
29 – Nepal
Literacy Rate – 71%
Illiteracy in Nepal has been on a decline since 1991. However, still alot needs to be done. The country had an illiterate population of 9,784,566 people as recently as 2015. The illiteracy situation among women is worse as only 49% of women are literate.
28 – Timor-Leste
Literacy Rate – 70%
Timor-Leste is one of the most illiterate countries in the world. According to UNICEF, there are high repetition rates (24%) and dropout rates (5%) already in grade 1. According to its own Ministry of Education, 39% of all children between the ages of 5 and 6 are not in preschool or primary school.
27 – Malawi
Literacy Rate – 68%
According to the UNESCO Institute of Statistics, around seven million people in Malawi cannot read and write. This means that a significant population of the country cannot read and write a simple phrase, putting them at a severe disadvantage in their lives.
26 – Mauritania
Literacy Rate – 67%
Mauritania has severe education issues, resulting in a low literacy rate. There is low-quality basic education and access to quality secondary education is also difficult. In addition, civil society, local communities, and the private sector need a stronger involvement in improving the situation.
25 – Togo
Literacy Rate – 67%
Inadequate funding and limited resources have hindered the literacy rate in Togo. Togo is an African country where the education and literacy situation for women is far worse than for men. Nearly two-thirds of Africa’s illiterate population is made up of women.
24 – Nigeria
Literacy Rate – 62%
Nigeria is one of the most illiterate countries in the world. 38% of the adult population aged 15 and above are illiterate, and millions of children are out of school. Some regions in Nigeria, such as Yobe, have extremely low literacy rates (7%).
23 – Comoros
Literacy Rate – 62%
Comoros is one of the poorest countries in the world and has limited resources for education. The country has struggled to get children to enroll in educational institutions, and the country only has one university.
22 – Haiti
Literacy Rate – 62%
With only about 62% of people being able to read and write, Haiti is one of the most illiterate countries in the world. Most students in the country do not move on to secondary education once they finish their primary education. In addition, a very small proportion of students are able to attend a university. Around 90% of schools in the country are privately run by for-profit organizations, making it difficult for most people to afford education.
21 – Papua New Guinea
Literacy Rate – 62%
Papua New Guinea has one of the lowest literacy rates in the Pacific. Although the country’s literacy rates have grown in the last few years, the improvement is only marginal, and more must be done.
20 – Sudan
Literacy Rate – 61%
Sudan is one of the most illiterate countries in the world. Illiteracy in the country affects females disproportionately, as is the case with most countries in Africa. According to UNICEF, up to 3.6 million children aged 5 to 13 years are out of school, more than half of which are girls.
19 – Mozambique
Literacy Rate – 60%
According to Mozambique’s own Ministry of Education, less than half of the population in Mozambique finishes primary school. Among those who do finish primary school, only 8 percent transition to secondary school. Like most other countries in Africa, female literacy lags behind male literacy by a significant margin in Mozambique.
18 – Gambia
Literacy Rate – 59%
Millions of children in Gambia are out of school. The country has limited resources, and education is not a priority.
17 – Pakistan
Literacy Rate – 58%
Illiteracy is one of the major problems for Pakistan as it remains one of Asia’s most illiterate countries. Millions of children are out of school and working in factories, as child labor is prevalent in the country. The country lacks the infrastructure and facilities to impart education, and students find it difficult to access quality education. Most of the schools in the country are run by private for-profit organizations, making it difficult for most people to attain education. Females are disproportionately affected by the illiteracy issue as deep-rooted cultural values prevent them from gaining education.
16 – Senegal
Literacy Rate – 58%
Senegal has one of the worst infrastructure for education. There is a clear lack of access to quality and relevant education. This, coupled with low attendance in schools, makes it one of the most illiterate countries in the world.
15 – Yemen
Literacy Rate – 54%
Frequent conflicts in Yemen have halted its educational progress. Schools throughout the country frequently halt their academic activities because of rising conflicts. Literacy efforts have not been the top priority of the country, given the conflicts in the region.
14 – Guinea-Bissau
Literacy Rate – 54%
Very few children in Guinea-Bissau are able to start their school at the prescribed age of six. In addition, one-fourth of the people in the country experience malnutrition, as a result of which education takes a back seat.
13 – Ethiopia
Literacy Rate – 52%
Overlapping crises and conflicts, drought, and more recently, the COVID-19 pandemic have had an adverse effect on the educational system of the country. Ethiopia already lacks resources to impart quality education, which is exacerbated by the conflicts going on in the country.
12 – Sierra Leone
Literacy Rate – 49%
With only a 49% literacy rate, Sierra Leone is one of the most illiterate countries in the world. The country lacks adequate infrastructure to impart quality education, and many schools lack basic facilities such as classrooms.
11 – Liberia
Literacy Rate – 48%
The education system of Liberia faces many challenges, leading to a lack of literacy in the country. There is an undersupply of teaching and learning materials. A high proportion of teachers in the country are underqualified.
10 – Benin
Literacy Rate – 47%
Benin is one of the 10 most illiterate countries in the world. Very few students in the country progress to secondary and universities because of the prevalent child labor.
9 – Guinea
Literacy Rate – 45%
One-third of the school-age children in Guinea are out of school. In addition, the schools lack conducive learning conditions.
8 – Somalia
Literacy Rate – 41%
Somalia has one of the lowest literacy rates in Africa. The country lacks proper infrastructure for education.
7 – Niger
Literacy Rate – 38%
More than half of this children in Niger are out of school. Even those who enroll in school remain at high risk of dropping out.
6 – Central African Republic
Literacy Rate – 37%
Frequent conflicts and poor quality education have affected the literacy rate in the Central African Republic. The country also lacks the political will to fight illiteracy.
5 – Afghanistan
Literacy Rate – 37%
Afghanistan is the most illiterate country in Asia. The country has remained in the grip of violent clashes. The current ruling group in the country also does not seem interested in dealing with illiteracy. In addition, women are not allowed to attend schools in the country.
4 – South Sudan
Literacy Rate – 35%
With a literacy rate of 35%, most of the population in South Sudan remains illiterate. With issues such as conflicts and lack of food, education has taken a back seat in the country.