Literate and illiterate world population in Argentina

Argentina: Literate and illiterate world population was 0.9% in 2020. ◆ Volatile

Latest (2020)
0.9%
World rank
117th
of 128 countries
All-time high
35.1%
in 1914
All-time low
0.9%
in 2020
Years of data
7
1914–2020

Literate and illiterate world population in Argentina, 1914–2020

0102030401914196720201914: 35.1 %1947: 13.6 %1950: 12.5 %1980: 6.1 %1991: 4 %2001: 2.8 %2020: 0.86 %

Source: UNESCO (1957) and other sources – with major processing by Our World in Data. Measured in %.

Analysis

In 2020, literate and illiterate world population in Argentina stood at 0.9%. That is the lowest value across all 7 years on record.

Over the whole period, literate and illiterate world population in Argentina peaked at 35.1% in 1914 and was at its lowest, 0.9%, in 2020.

That places Argentina 117th out of 128 countries with data for 2020, putting it in the bottom quarter.

Literate and illiterate world population in Argentina, year by year

Annual values for Literate and illiterate world population in Argentina, 1914 to 2020.
Year % Change
1914 35.1%
1947 13.6% -61.3%
1950 12.5% -8.1%
1980 6.1% -51.3%
1991 4.0% -35.0%
2001 2.8% -29.0%
2020 0.9% -69.4%

Argentina compared with similar countries

  • Argentina's 0.9% is below the median for upper middle income countries, which is 4.6%, 19% of the median. (38 countries reporting)
  • Argentina's 0.9% is below the median for Latin America & Caribbean, which is 5.6%, 15% of the median. (22 countries reporting)

Averages by decade

DecadeAverage LowestHighest Years
1910s 35.1% 35.1% 35.1% 1
1940s 13.6% 13.6% 13.6% 1
1950s 12.5% 12.5% 12.5% 1
1980s 6.1% 6.1% 6.1% 1
1990s 4.0% 4.0% 4.0% 1
2000s 2.8% 2.8% 2.8% 1
2020s 0.9% 0.9% 0.9% 1

Countries ranked near Argentina

  1. 114 United Arab Emirates 1.2% compare
  2. 115 Hungary 1.1% compare
  3. 116 Uruguay 1.1% compare
  4. 118 Romania 0.8% compare
  5. 119 Qatar 0.7% compare
  6. 120 Serbia 0.7% compare

See the full ranking of 128 places →

More population data for Argentina

All data for Argentina →

Frequently asked questions

What is literate and illiterate world population in Argentina?
Literate and illiterate world population in Argentina was 0.9% in 2020, according to UNESCO (1957) and other sources – with major processing by Our World in Data.
What is the highest literate and illiterate world population recorded in Argentina?
The highest recorded value was 35.1% in 1914.
What is the lowest literate and illiterate world population recorded in Argentina?
The lowest recorded value was 0.9% in 2020.
How does Argentina rank for literate and illiterate world population?
Argentina ranks 117th out of 128 countries with data for 2020.
Where does this Argentina data come from?
The figures come from UNESCO (1957) and other sources – with major processing by Our World in Data, published as part of Literate and illiterate world population. Statizoid updates them automatically from the source API.

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Literate and illiterate world population in Argentina. Statizoid, drawing on UNESCO (1957) and other sources – with major processing by Our World in Data. Retrieved 24 September 2026, from https://population.statizoid.com/stat/literate-and-illiterate-world-population/argentina/

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About this data

Indicator
Literate and illiterate world population
Unit
%
Source
UNESCO (1957) and other sources – with major processing by Our World in Data
Licence
CC BY 4.0 (Our World in Data)
Coverage
128 places, 1,272 data points, 1475–2024
Last refreshed

Share of adults who cannot read and write a short, simple statement on their everyday life.