Zimbabwe Ranks 8th Among Africa’s Most Literate Countries, Just Behind South Africa – Zimbabwe has cemented its place as one of the most literate countries in Africa, with an adult literacy rate of 89.7%, according to a recent report by Intelpoint using data from the CIA World Factbook.
The data measures the percentage of people aged 15 and above who can read and write, and it places Zimbabwe within the top ten on the continent.
This high literacy rate is a testament to Zimbabwe’s historical emphasis on education, dating back to the post-independence era when investment in schooling became a national priority.
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Despite economic hardships and challenges in the education sector, the country continues to produce relatively strong literacy outcomes compared to many of its regional peers.
In the literacy rankings, Zimbabwe is ahead of countries like Zambia (86.7%), Kenya (82.6%), and Uganda (79.0%), and significantly outperforms neighbors like Malawi (67.3%), Mozambique (63.4%), and Nigeria (62.0%). At the top of the list is Seychelles (95.9%), followed by South Africa (95.0%), and Sao Tome and Principe (94.8%).
The rankings also shed light on concerning disparities across the continent.
Countries like Chad (26.8%), South Sudan (34.5%), and Mali (35.5%) rank at the bottom, revealing gaps in access to education and resources.
Full List of African Countries by Adult Literacy Rate
(Percentage of population aged 15 and above who can read and write)
- Seychelles – 95.9%
- South Africa – 95.0%
- Sao Tome and Principe – 94.8%
- Namibia – 92.3%
- Mauritius – 92.2%
- Cape Verde – 90.8%
- Côte d’Ivoire – 89.9%
- Zimbabwe – 89.7%
- Eswatini – 88.4%
- Zambia – 86.7%
- Gabon – 85.5%
- Tunisia – 82.7%
- Kenya – 82.6%
- Tanzania – 81.8%
- Algeria – 81.4%
- Lesotho – 81.0%
- Congo – 80.6%
- DR Congo – 80.0%
- Ghana – 79.0%
- Uganda – 79.0%
- Madagascar – 77.3%
- Cameroon – 77.1%
- Eritrea – 76.6%
- Morocco – 75.9%
- Rwanda – 75.9%
- Burundi – 74.7%
- Egypt – 73.1%
- Malawi – 67.3%
- Mauritania – 67.0%
- Togo – 66.5%
- Mozambique – 63.4%
- Comoros – 62.0%
- Nigeria – 62.0%
- Sudan – 60.7%
- Gambia – 58.1%
- Senegal – 56.3%
- Guinea-Bissau – 52.9%
- Sierra Leone – 47.7%
- Burkina Faso – 46.0%
- Benin – 45.8%
- Guinea – 45.3%
- Central African Republic – 37.4%
- Niger – 37.3%
- Mali – 35.5%
- South Sudan – 34.5%
- Chad – 26.8%
