Ireland vs United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern Ireland: Literate and illiterate world population

Ireland
1.5
in 1950
United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern Ireland
1.5
in 1950
Ireland rank
105th
United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern Ireland rank
105th

Literate and illiterate world population over time

  • Ireland
  • United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern Ireland
020406080100147517121950

How they compare

Ireland currently reports 1.5 against 1.5 in United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern Ireland, a difference of 0.

The two have swapped places 1 time across 5 shared years of data; in 1475 it was Ireland ahead.

Ireland ranks 105th and United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern Ireland ranks 105th of 128 countries.

Ireland has averaged higher in every one of the 5 decades both report.

Head to head by decade

Decade Ireland United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern Ireland Difference Ahead
1470s 100 95 5 Ireland
1550s 100 84 16 Ireland
1650s 97 47 50 Ireland
1750s 79 46 33 Ireland
1950s 1.5 1.5 0

Averages of every year both report within each decade.

Frequently asked questions

Which has higher literate and illiterate world population, Ireland or United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern Ireland?
Ireland, at 1.5 against 1.5 in United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern Ireland as of 1950.
What is the difference in literate and illiterate world population between Ireland and United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern Ireland?
0, with Ireland ahead.
How many years of comparable data are there for Ireland and United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern Ireland?
5 years are reported by both, from 1475 to 1950.
How do Ireland and United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern Ireland rank globally for literate and illiterate world population?
Ireland ranks 105th and United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern Ireland ranks 105th of 128 countries.
Where does this data come from?
Our World in Data, published as Literate and illiterate world population. Statizoid refreshes it automatically from the source and publishes the full history for both places.

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Ireland vs United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern Ireland: Literate and illiterate world population. Statizoid, drawing on Our World in Data. Retrieved 25 August 2026, from https://population.statizoid.com/compare/literate-and-illiterate-world-population/ireland/united-kingdom/

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About this data

Indicator
Literate and illiterate world population
Source
Our World in Data
Licence
CC BY 4.0 (Our World in Data)
Coverage
128 places, 1,272 data points, 1475–2024
Last refreshed