{"id": 1076008, "name": "Illiteracy rate", "unit": "%", "createdAt": "2025-06-18T11:09:20.000Z", "updatedAt": "2025-08-29T13:06:00.000Z", "coverage": "", "timespan": "1475-2023", "datasetId": 7127, "shortUnit": "%", "columnOrder": 0, "shortName": "illiteracy_rate", "catalogPath": "grapher/literacy/2025-06-11/historic_literacy_omm/historic_literacy_omm#illiteracy_rate", "descriptionShort": "Share of adults who cannot read and write a short, simple statement on their everyday life.", "descriptionFromProducer": "The current UNESCO standard for defining literacy is the percentage of the population aged 15 and above who can read, understand, and write a short, simple statement on their everyday life. Generally, \u201cliteracy\u201d also encompasses \u201cnumeracy\u201d, the ability to make simple arithmetic calculations.", "descriptionProcessing": "- This dataset combines historical and contemporary literacy rates from various sources to provide a long-term view of global literacy trends from 1451 to the present.\n- 1451\u20131800: Direct literacy surveys did not exist during this period. Data for Great Britain, Ireland, France, Belgium, the Netherlands, Germany, Italy, Spain, Sweden, and Poland comes from the \"[Charting the Rise of the West](https://www.researchgate.net/publication/46544350_Charting_the_Rise_of_the_West_Manuscripts_and_Printed_Books_in_Europe_A_Long-Term_Perspective_from_the_Sixth_through_Eighteenth_Centuries)\" study. The authors estimated literacy rates using manuscript and book production as indirect indicators. While more books likely indicated more readers, this approach has clear limitations.\n- 1820\u20131970 (Global estimates): Estimates for worldwide literacy are drawn from the OECD's \u201c[How Was Life? Global Wellbeing Since 1820](https://www.oecd.org/en/publications/how-was-life_9789264214262-en.html)\u201d report, which compiled a global long-run estimate of literacy using available historical records. A key limitation is that early literacy measures often accepted minimal skills \u2014 such as the ability to sign marriage documents \u2014 which fall short of contemporary literacy standards involving actual reading and writing proficiency.\n- 1900\u20131950: UNESCO's \u201c[Progress of literacy in various countries](https://unesdoc.unesco.org/ark:/48223/pf0000002898)\u201d gathered data from 26 countries, revealing substantial variation in definitions. Some countries required only reading or writing skills, others demanded both, and some accepted signature ability as sufficient proof. Age thresholds also varied widely, ranging from 5 to 15 years.\n- 1950: UNESCO's \u201c[World Illiteracy at Mid-Century](https://unesdoc.unesco.org/ark:/48223/pf0000002930)\u201d marked a significant milestone as the first comprehensive global literacy assessment. Data primarily came from censuses conducted between 1945 and 1954 for populations aged 15 and older. Where census data was unavailable, researchers generated estimates using historical trends and country-specific factors. Given the uncertainty, literacy rates were reported in 5% intervals. This data is reported as a range (e.g., 10\u201320%). These ranges were converted into single-point estimates by taking their midpoint to allow for consistent analysis. For example, 10\u201320% was recoded as 15%.\n- 1970\u2013present: Contemporary data comes from the [UNESCO Institute for Statistics](https://databrowser.uis.unesco.org/resources/bulk), based on population censuses or household surveys, and is often self-reported. A person is considered literate if they can read and write a short, simple sentence about everyday life. Many countries also include basic numeracy in this definition. Rates are shown as the percentage of the population aged 15 and above who meet this threshold.\n- When only the illiteracy rate was reported, the literacy rate was calculated by subtracting it from 100%.", "type": "float", "dataChecksum": "9172475119750437758", "metadataChecksum": "6964511205934298582", "datasetName": "Historic literacy rates - Combined sources", "updatePeriodDays": 365, "datasetVersion": "2025-06-11", "nonRedistributable": false, "display": {"unit": "%", "shortUnit": "%", "numDecimalPlaces": 2}, "schemaVersion": 2, "processingLevel": "major", "presentation": {"topicTagsLinks": ["Global Education"]}, "descriptionKey": ["Literacy is a foundational skill. Children need to learn to read so that they can read to learn. When we fail to teach this foundational skill, people have fewer opportunities to lead the rich and interesting lives that a good education offers. This indicator measures the percentage of people aged 15 and older who can read and write a simple sentence about their daily life.", "Historical data shows that only a very small share of the population, a tiny elite, was able to read and write. Although literacy has increased over the last few generations, it remains an important challenge for our time to [provide this foundational skill to all](https://ourworldindata.org/better-learning).", "However, measuring literacy over time is difficult, as definitions of what it means to be \u201cliterate\u201d have varied widely across countries and historical periods. As a result, comparisons should be made with caution.", "Our team investigated the strengths and shortcomings of the available data on literacy. Based on this work, we've combined historical and contemporary literacy rates from various sources to provide a long-term view of global literacy trends from 1451 to the present. For detailed information on where each data point comes from, you can view and download this [Google Sheet](https://docs.google.com/spreadsheets/d/16Q4CD8ktFhdKUaIb4ab7angUmTachnIKtLR4nKz4UEI/edit).", "Many developed countries have discontinued literacy tracking as rates approached universal levels by the late 20th century, making measurement less relevant for policy purposes.", "All of this data measures basic literacy \u2014 can you read simple text and write your name? It doesn't capture *functional* literacy \u2014 can you understand a job application or follow written instructions? That requires years more education and is much harder to measure historically."], "dimensions": {"years": {"values": [{"id": 1950}, {"id": 1979}, {"id": 2011}, {"id": 2015}, {"id": 2021}, {"id": 2001}, {"id": 2008}, {"id": 2012}, {"id": 2017}, {"id": 1987}, {"id": 2002}, {"id": 2006}, {"id": 1980}, {"id": 2014}, {"id": 1984}, {"id": 1914}, {"id": 1947}, {"id": 1991}, {"id": 1989}, {"id": 2016}, {"id": 2020}, {"id": 2022}, {"id": 2000}, {"id": 2010}, {"id": 1999}, {"id": 2007}, {"id": 2009}, {"id": 2013}, {"id": 2019}, {"id": 2023}, {"id": 1981}, {"id": 2018}, {"id": 1970}, {"id": 1475}, {"id": 1550}, {"id": 1650}, {"id": 1750}, {"id": 1900}, {"id": 1910}, {"id": 1920}, {"id": 1930}, {"id": 1992}, {"id": 2005}, {"id": 1976}, {"id": 2003}, {"id": 1940}, {"id": 2004}, {"id": 1905}, {"id": 1926}, {"id": 1934}, {"id": 1975}, {"id": 1996}, {"id": 1990}, {"id": 1998}, {"id": 1901}, {"id": 1911}, {"id": 1921}, {"id": 1931}, {"id": 1988}, {"id": 1977}, {"id": 1978}, {"id": 1982}, {"id": 1983}, {"id": 1985}, {"id": 1986}, {"id": 1993}, {"id": 1994}, {"id": 1995}, {"id": 1997}, {"id": 1907}, {"id": 1918}, {"id": 1928}, {"id": 1938}, {"id": 1899}, {"id": 1919}, {"id": 1943}, {"id": 1917}, {"id": 1927}, {"id": 1937}, {"id": 1906}, {"id": 1936}, {"id": 1946}, {"id": 1935}, {"id": 1945}, {"id": 1941}, {"id": 1974}, {"id": 1939}, {"id": 1948}, {"id": 1820}, {"id": 1870}, {"id": 1880}, {"id": 1890}, {"id": 1960}]}, "entities": {"values": [{"id": 15, "name": "Afghanistan", "code": "AFG"}, {"id": 16, "name": "Albania", "code": "ALB"}, {"id": 17, "name": "Algeria", "code": "DZA"}, {"id": 246, "name": "American Samoa", "code": "ASM"}, {"id": 18, "name": "Andorra", "code": "AND"}, {"id": 19, "name": "Angola", "code": "AGO"}, {"id": 228, "name": "Anguilla", "code": "AIA"}, {"id": 20, "name": "Antigua and Barbuda", "code": "ATG"}, {"id": 21, "name": "Argentina", "code": "ARG"}, {"id": 22, "name": "Armenia", "code": "ARM"}, {"id": 219, "name": "Aruba", "code": "ABW"}, {"id": 23, "name": "Australia", "code": "AUS"}, {"id": 24, "name": "Austria", "code": "AUT"}, {"id": 25, "name": "Azerbaijan", "code": "AZE"}, {"id": 26, "name": "Bahamas", "code": "BHS"}, {"id": 27, "name": "Bahrain", "code": "BHR"}, {"id": 28, "name": "Bangladesh", "code": "BGD"}, {"id": 29, "name": "Barbados", "code": "BRB"}, {"id": 30, "name": "Belarus", "code": "BLR"}, {"id": 4, "name": "Belgium", "code": "BEL"}, {"id": 31, "name": "Belize", "code": "BLZ"}, {"id": 32, "name": "Benin", "code": "BEN"}, {"id": 194, "name": "Bermuda", "code": "BMU"}, {"id": 33, "name": "Bhutan", "code": "BTN"}, {"id": 34, "name": "Bolivia", "code": "BOL"}, {"id": 35, "name": "Bosnia and Herzegovina", "code": "BIH"}, {"id": 36, "name": "Botswana", "code": "BWA"}, {"id": 37, "name": "Brazil", "code": "BRA"}, {"id": 38, "name": "Brunei", "code": "BRN"}, {"id": 39, "name": "Bulgaria", "code": "BGR"}, {"id": 40, "name": "Burkina Faso", "code": "BFA"}, {"id": 41, "name": "Burundi", "code": "BDI"}, {"id": 42, "name": "Cambodia", "code": "KHM"}, {"id": 43, "name": "Cameroon", "code": "CMR"}, {"id": 44, "name": "Canada", "code": "CAN"}, {"id": 45, "name": "Cape Verde", "code": "CPV"}, {"id": 197, "name": "Cayman Islands", "code": "CYM"}, {"id": 174, "name": "Central African Republic", "code": "CAF"}, {"id": 369112, "name": "Central and Southern Asia (SDG)", "code": null}, {"id": 173, "name": "Chad", "code": "TCD"}, {"id": 304, "name": "Channel Islands", "code": "OWID_CIS"}, {"id": 172, "name": "Chile", "code": "CHL"}, {"id": 171, "name": "China", "code": "CHN"}, {"id": 263, "name": "Cocos Islands", "code": "CCK"}, {"id": 170, "name": "Colombia", "code": "COL"}, {"id": 169, "name": "Comoros", "code": "COM"}, {"id": 168, "name": "Congo", "code": "COG"}, {"id": 199, "name": "Cook Islands", "code": "COK"}, {"id": 166, "name": "Costa Rica", "code": "CRI"}, {"id": 143, "name": "Cote d'Ivoire", "code": "CIV"}, {"id": 165, "name": "Croatia", "code": "HRV"}, {"id": 164, "name": "Cuba", "code": "CUB"}, {"id": 163, "name": "Cyprus", "code": "CYP"}, {"id": 267, "name": "Czechoslovakia", "code": "OWID_CZS"}, {"id": 167, "name": "Democratic Republic of Congo", "code": "COD"}, {"id": 161, "name": "Denmark", "code": "DNK"}, {"id": 154, "name": "Djibouti", "code": "DJI"}, {"id": 160, "name": "Dominican Republic", "code": "DOM"}, {"id": 349172, "name": "East Asia and Pacific (WB)", "code": null}, {"id": 225, "name": "East Timor", "code": "TLS"}, {"id": 369117, "name": "Eastern and South-Eastern Asia (SDG)", "code": null}, {"id": 201, "name": "Ecuador", "code": "ECU"}, {"id": 65, "name": "Egypt", "code": "EGY"}, {"id": 259, "name": "El Salvador", "code": "SLV"}, {"id": 159, "name": "Equatorial Guinea", "code": "GNQ"}, {"id": 157, "name": "Eritrea", "code": "ERI"}, {"id": 156, "name": "Estonia", "code": "EST"}, {"id": 78, "name": "Eswatini", "code": "SWZ"}, {"id": 158, "name": "Ethiopia", "code": "ETH"}, {"id": 349171, "name": "Europe and Central Asia (WB)", "code": null}, {"id": 369110, "name": "Europe and Northern America (SDG)", "code": null}, {"id": 249, "name": "Falkland Islands", "code": "FLK"}, {"id": 250, "name": "Faroe Islands", "code": "FRO"}, {"id": 202, "name": "Fiji", "code": "FJI"}, {"id": 155, "name": "Finland", "code": "FIN"}, {"id": 3, "name": "France", "code": "FRA"}, {"id": 253, "name": "French Guiana", "code": "GUF"}, {"id": 203, "name": "French Polynesia", "code": "PYF"}, {"id": 153, "name": "Gabon", "code": "GAB"}, {"id": 151, "name": "Gambia", "code": "GMB"}, {"id": 152, "name": "Georgia", "code": "GEO"}, {"id": 6, "name": "Germany", "code": "DEU"}, {"id": 150, "name": "Ghana", "code": "GHA"}, {"id": 251, "name": "Gibraltar", "code": "GIB"}, {"id": 149, "name": "Greece", "code": "GRC"}, {"id": 205, "name": "Greenland", "code": "GRL"}, {"id": 206, "name": "Grenada", "code": "GRD"}, {"id": 252, "name": "Guadeloupe", "code": "GLP"}, {"id": 254, "name": "Guam", "code": "GUM"}, {"id": 148, "name": "Guatemala", "code": "GTM"}, {"id": 147, "name": "Guinea", "code": "GIN"}, {"id": 94, "name": "Guinea-Bissau", "code": "GNB"}, {"id": 146, "name": "Guyana", "code": "GUY"}, {"id": 145, "name": "Haiti", "code": "HTI"}, {"id": 139, "name": "Honduras", "code": "HND"}, {"id": 144, "name": "Hong Kong", "code": "HKG"}, {"id": 138, "name": "Hungary", "code": "HUN"}, {"id": 207, "name": "Iceland", "code": "ISL"}, {"id": 137, "name": "India", "code": "IND"}, {"id": 136, "name": "Indonesia", "code": "IDN"}, {"id": 135, "name": "Iran", "code": "IRN"}, {"id": 134, "name": "Iraq", "code": "IRQ"}, {"id": 2, "name": "Ireland", "code": "IRL"}, {"id": 265, "name": "Isle of Man", "code": "IMN"}, {"id": 133, "name": "Israel", "code": "ISR"}, {"id": 8, "name": "Italy", "code": "ITA"}, {"id": 132, "name": "Jamaica", "code": "JAM"}, {"id": 14, "name": "Japan", "code": "JPN"}, {"id": 130, "name": "Jordan", "code": "JOR"}, {"id": 131, "name": "Kazakhstan", "code": "KAZ"}, {"id": 129, "name": "Kenya", "code": "KEN"}, {"id": 204, "name": "Kiribati", "code": "KIR"}, {"id": 208, "name": "Kuwait", "code": "KWT"}, {"id": 126, "name": "Kyrgyzstan", "code": "KGZ"}, {"id": 125, "name": "Laos", "code": "LAO"}, {"id": 349170, "name": "Latin America and Caribbean (WB)", "code": null}, {"id": 367453, "name": "Latin America and the Caribbean (SDG)", "code": null}, {"id": 122, "name": "Latvia", "code": "LVA"}, {"id": 124, "name": "Lebanon", "code": "LBN"}, {"id": 123, "name": "Lesotho", "code": "LSO"}, {"id": 121, "name": "Liberia", "code": "LBR"}, {"id": 120, "name": "Libya", "code": "LBY"}, {"id": 209, "name": "Liechtenstein", "code": "LIE"}, {"id": 119, "name": "Lithuania", "code": "LTU"}, {"id": 461, "name": "Low-income countries", "code": null}, {"id": 460, "name": "Lower-middle-income countries", "code": null}, {"id": 210, "name": "Luxembourg", "code": "LUX"}, {"id": 262, "name": "Macao", "code": "MAC"}, {"id": 118, "name": "Madagascar", "code": "MDG"}, {"id": 117, "name": "Malawi", "code": "MWI"}, {"id": 116, "name": "Malaysia", "code": "MYS"}, {"id": 211, "name": "Maldives", "code": "MDV"}, {"id": 115, "name": "Mali", "code": "MLI"}, {"id": 212, "name": "Malta", "code": "MLT"}, {"id": 223, "name": "Marshall Islands", "code": "MHL"}, {"id": 284, "name": "Martinique", "code": "MTQ"}, {"id": 114, "name": "Mauritania", "code": "MRT"}, {"id": 213, "name": "Mauritius", "code": "MUS"}, {"id": 113, "name": "Mexico", "code": "MEX"}, {"id": 349173, "name": "Middle East and North Africa (WB)", "code": null}, {"id": 458, "name": "Middle-income countries", "code": null}, {"id": 111, "name": "Moldova", "code": "MDA"}, {"id": 214, "name": "Monaco", "code": "MCO"}, {"id": 112, "name": "Mongolia", "code": "MNG"}, {"id": 215, "name": "Montenegro", "code": "MNE"}, {"id": 110, "name": "Morocco", "code": "MAR"}, {"id": 109, "name": "Mozambique", "code": "MOZ"}, {"id": 142, "name": "Myanmar", "code": "MMR"}, {"id": 108, "name": "Namibia", "code": "NAM"}, {"id": 218, "name": "Nauru", "code": "NRU"}, {"id": 107, "name": "Nepal", "code": "NPL"}, {"id": 5, "name": "Netherlands", "code": "NLD"}, {"id": 362, "name": "Netherlands Antilles", "code": "ANT"}, {"id": 220, "name": "New Caledonia", "code": "NCL"}, {"id": 106, "name": "New Zealand", "code": "NZL"}, {"id": 105, "name": "Nicaragua", "code": "NIC"}, {"id": 104, "name": "Niger", "code": "NER"}, {"id": 103, "name": "Nigeria", "code": "NGA"}, {"id": 261, "name": "Niue", "code": "NIU"}, {"id": 285, "name": "Norfolk Island", "code": "NFK"}, {"id": 278896, "name": "North America (WB)", "code": null}, {"id": 128, "name": "North Korea", "code": "PRK"}, {"id": 66, "name": "North Macedonia", "code": "MKD"}, {"id": 369111, "name": "Northern Africa and Western Asia (SDG)", "code": null}, {"id": 102, "name": "Norway", "code": "NOR"}, {"id": 369912, "name": "Oceania (excluding Australia and New Zealand) (SDG)", "code": null}, {"id": 217, "name": "Oman", "code": "OMN"}, {"id": 101, "name": "Pakistan", "code": "PAK"}, {"id": 224, "name": "Palau", "code": "PLW"}, {"id": 140, "name": "Palestine", "code": "PSE"}, {"id": 100, "name": "Panama", "code": "PAN"}, {"id": 99, "name": "Papua New Guinea", "code": "PNG"}, {"id": 98, "name": "Paraguay", "code": "PRY"}, {"id": 97, "name": "Peru", "code": "PER"}, {"id": 96, "name": "Philippines", "code": "PHL"}, {"id": 11, "name": "Poland", "code": "POL"}, {"id": 95, "name": "Portugal", "code": "PRT"}, {"id": 93, "name": "Puerto Rico", "code": "PRI"}, {"id": 226, "name": "Qatar", "code": "QAT"}, {"id": 245, "name": "Reunion", "code": "REU"}, {"id": 92, "name": "Romania", "code": "ROU"}, {"id": 12, "name": "Russia", "code": "RUS"}, {"id": 91, "name": "Rwanda", "code": "RWA"}, {"id": 260, "name": "Saint Helena", "code": "SHN"}, {"id": 353, "name": "Saint Pierre and Miquelon", "code": "SPM"}, {"id": 230, "name": "Saint Vincent and the Grenadines", "code": "VCT"}, {"id": 239, "name": "Samoa", "code": "WSM"}, {"id": 231, "name": "San Marino", "code": "SMR"}, {"id": 232, "name": "Sao Tome and Principe", "code": "STP"}, {"id": 90, "name": "Saudi Arabia", "code": "SAU"}, {"id": 89, "name": "Senegal", "code": "SEN"}, {"id": 88, "name": "Serbia", "code": "SRB"}, {"id": 233, "name": "Seychelles", "code": "SYC"}, {"id": 87, "name": "Sierra Leone", "code": "SLE"}, {"id": 86, "name": "Singapore", "code": "SGP"}, {"id": 83, "name": "Slovenia", "code": "SVN"}, {"id": 195, "name": "Solomon Islands", "code": "SLB"}, {"id": 82, "name": "Somalia", "code": "SOM"}, {"id": 393, "name": "Somaliland", "code": "OWID_SML"}, {"id": 81, "name": "South Africa", "code": "ZAF"}, {"id": 277956, "name": "South Asia (WB)", "code": null}, {"id": 127, "name": "South Korea", "code": "KOR"}, {"id": 258, "name": "South Sudan", "code": "SSD"}, {"id": 9, "name": "Spain", "code": "ESP"}, {"id": 141, "name": "Sri Lanka", "code": "LKA"}, {"id": 367447, "name": "Sub-Saharan Africa (SDG)", "code": null}, {"id": 277950, "name": "Sub-Saharan Africa (WB)", "code": null}, {"id": 79, "name": "Sudan", "code": "SDN"}, {"id": 234, "name": "Suriname", "code": "SUR"}, {"id": 10, "name": "Sweden", "code": "SWE"}, {"id": 7, "name": "Switzerland", "code": "CHE"}, {"id": 77, "name": "Syria", "code": "SYR"}, {"id": 76, "name": "Tajikistan", "code": "TJK"}, {"id": 64, "name": "Tanzania", "code": "TZA"}, {"id": 75, "name": "Thailand", "code": "THA"}, {"id": 74, "name": "Togo", "code": "TGO"}, {"id": 287, "name": "Tokelau", "code": "TKL"}, {"id": 235, "name": "Tonga", "code": "TON"}, {"id": 73, "name": "Trinidad and Tobago", "code": "TTO"}, {"id": 71, "name": "Tunisia", "code": "TUN"}, {"id": 70, "name": "Turkey", "code": "TUR"}, {"id": 69, "name": "Turkmenistan", "code": "TKM"}, {"id": 270, "name": "USSR", "code": "OWID_USS"}, {"id": 68, "name": "Uganda", "code": "UGA"}, {"id": 67, "name": "Ukraine", "code": "UKR"}, {"id": 72, "name": "United Arab Emirates", "code": "ARE"}, {"id": 1, "name": "United Kingdom", "code": "GBR"}, {"id": 13, "name": "United States", "code": "USA"}, {"id": 256, "name": "United States Virgin Islands", "code": "VIR"}, {"id": 459, "name": "Upper-middle-income countries", "code": null}, {"id": 63, "name": "Uruguay", "code": "URY"}, {"id": 62, "name": "Uzbekistan", "code": "UZB"}, {"id": 221, "name": "Vanuatu", "code": "VUT"}, {"id": 238, "name": "Venezuela", "code": "VEN"}, {"id": 84, "name": "Vietnam", "code": "VNM"}, {"id": 371659, "name": "Western Europe (Buringh and van Zanden)", "code": null}, {"id": 355, "name": "World", "code": "OWID_WRL"}, {"id": 61, "name": "Yemen", "code": "YEM"}, {"id": 271, "name": "Yugoslavia", "code": "OWID_YGS"}, {"id": 60, "name": "Zambia", "code": "ZMB"}, {"id": 380, "name": "Zanzibar", "code": "OWID_ZAN"}, {"id": 80, "name": "Zimbabwe", "code": "ZWE"}]}}, "origins": [{"id": 5206, "title": "World illiteracy at mid-century", "description": "This dataset gives an early global picture of adult literacy, using data mostly collected between 1945 and 1954. UNESCO estimated illiteracy rates for people aged 15 and over. In many cases, the numbers came from recent censuses. Where data were missing or outdated, estimates were made using past trends, school or military records, or general information about each country.\n\nBecause the data was not always complete, most illiteracy rates are shown in 5% steps. Even in countries with high literacy, a small number of people\u2014about 1\u20132%\u2014were assumed to be unable to learn to read or write due to disabilities. The estimates use a simple definition of literacy: being able to read or to read and write.", "producer": "UNESCO", "citationFull": "UNESCO. (1957). World illiteracy at mid-century: A statistical study. United Nations Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organization.", "urlMain": "https://unesdoc.unesco.org/ark:/48223/pf0000002930", "dateAccessed": "2025-06-10", "datePublished": "1957", "license": {"url": "https://databrowser.uis.unesco.org/terms-and-conditions", "name": "CC BY 3.0 IGO"}}, {"id": 5207, "title": "Progress of literacy in various countries", "description": "This dataset presents UNESCO\u2019s first global survey of adult illiteracy, based on census and official government data from 26 countries. Countries were included if they had illiteracy data for at least three census years since around 1900. The dataset uses the most recent available figures and shows how literacy levels changed over time in the first half of the 20th century.\n\nThe study notes that countries defined and measured literacy in different ways. Some counted people as literate if they could read or write; others required more, like writing a letter or reading a passage. In some places, being able to sign one\u2019s name was enough; in others, it was not. The age at which people were counted also varied\u2014from as young as 5 to as old as 15.\n\nThese differences make it hard to compare literacy rates across countries or even across time within a country. People who could only read or only write were classified differently depending on local rules. Other issues, like missing data and unclear definitions, add to the difficulty. Despite these limits, the dataset offers important insights into global literacy patterns during this period.", "producer": "UNESCO", "citationFull": "UNESCO. (1953). Progress of literacy in various countries: a preliminary statistical study of available census data since 1900. United Nations Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organization.", "urlMain": "https://unesdoc.unesco.org/ark:/48223/pf0000002898", "dateAccessed": "2025-06-10", "datePublished": "1953", "license": {"url": "https://databrowser.uis.unesco.org/terms-and-conditions", "name": "CC BY 3.0 IGO"}}, {"id": 5208, "title": "Charting the \u201cRise of the West\u201d: Manuscripts and Printed Books in Europe, A Long-Term Perspective from the Sixth through Eighteenth Centuries", "description": "This paper presents estimates of the production of manuscripts and printed books in Western Europe over a span of thirteen centuries. To estimate literacy levels, the authors first calculate book consumption per capita, then convert these figures into literacy rates using two key inputs: historical trends in book prices and an assumed elasticity of demand for books. The book price data are sourced from the work of Jan Luiten van Zanden and Gregory Clark, while the elasticity of demand\u2014reflecting how book consumption responds to price changes\u2014is set at 1.4, based on contemporary economic literature. This method assumes that lower book prices made books more accessible, which in turn helped to increase literacy rates.", "producer": "Buringh and van Zanden", "citationFull": "Buringh, E., & van Zanden, J. L. (2009). Charting the \u201cRise of the West\u201d: Manuscripts and printed books in Europe, a long\u2010term perspective from the sixth through the eighteenth centuries. The Journal of Economic History, 69(2), 409\u2013445. https://doi.org/10.1017/S0022050709000837", "urlMain": "https://www.researchgate.net/publication/46544350_Charting_the_Rise_of_the_West_Manuscripts_and_Printed_Books_in_Europe_A_Long-Term_Perspective_from_the_Sixth_through_Eighteenth_Centuries", "urlDownload": "https://www.researchgate.net/profile/Jan-Zanden/publication/46544350_Charting_the_Rise_of_the_West_Manuscripts_and_Printed_Books_in_Europe_A_Long-Term_Perspective_from_the_Sixth_through_Eighteenth_Centuries/links/00b49528a18ffc6638000000/Charting-the-Rise-of-the-West-Manuscripts-and-Printed-Books-in-Europe-A-Long-Term-Perspective-from-the-Sixth-through-Eighteenth-Centuries.pdf?_tp=eyJjb250ZXh0Ijp7ImZpcnN0UGFnZSI6InB1YmxpY2F0aW9uIiwicGFnZSI6InB1YmxpY2F0aW9uIn19", "dateAccessed": "2025-06-09", "datePublished": "2009", "license": {"name": "CC BY 4.0"}}, {"id": 5209, "title": "How Was Life? Global Well-being since 1820 - Education", "description": "The data comes from the How Was Life? Global Well-being Since 1820 report by the OECD. It notes that the concept of literacy has changed over time, which affects how it is measured. In earlier periods, literacy was broadly understood as being \u201ceducated\u201d or \u201clearned.\u201d However, by the late 19th century, the definition narrowed to mean the ability to read and write simple texts. This shift in meaning was driven by the spread of mass education, which emphasized basic reading and writing skills for large populations. As a result, historical estimates of literacy are based on differing definitions over time, making it important to interpret the data within its historical context.", "producer": "van Zanden, J. et al.", "citationFull": "van Zanden, J., et al. (eds.) (2014), How Was Life?: Global Well-being since 1820, Education, OECD Publishing, Paris. Available at https://www.oecd-ilibrary.org/economics/how-was-life/education-since-1820_9789264214262-9-en. Accessed on 14th August 2023.", "versionProducer": "2014", "urlMain": "https://www.oecd-ilibrary.org/economics/how-was-life/education-since-1820_9789264214262-9-en", "dateAccessed": "2023-08-14", "license": {"url": "https://www.oecd.org/termsandconditions/", "name": "Creative Commons BY 4.0"}}, {"id": 3521, "titleSnapshot": "UNESCO Institute for Statistics (UIS) - Education (SDGs)", "title": "UNESCO Institute for Statistics (UIS) - Education", "descriptionSnapshot": "This snapshot is for the SDG Global and Thematic Indicators dataset.", "description": "The UNESCO Institute for Statistics (UIS) is the official and trusted source of internationally-comparable data on education, science, culture and communication. As the official statistical agency of UNESCO, the UIS produces a wide range of state-of-the-art databases to fuel the policies and investments needed to transform lives and propel the world towards its development goals. The UIS provides free access to data for all UNESCO countries and regional groupings from 1970 to the most recent year available.", "producer": "UNESCO Institute for Statistics", "citationFull": "UNESCO Institute for Statistics (UIS), Education, https://uis.unesco.org/bdds, 2025", "attributionShort": "UIS", "urlMain": "https://databrowser.uis.unesco.org/resources/bulk", "urlDownload": "https://uis.unesco.org/sites/default/files/documents/bdds/022025/SDG.zip", "dateAccessed": "2025-05-01", "datePublished": "2025-02-01", "license": {"url": "https://databrowser.uis.unesco.org/terms-and-conditions", "name": "CC BY 3.0 IGO"}}]}