Literate and illiterate world population in Brunei

Brunei: Literate and illiterate world population was 3.9% in 2011. ◆ Volatile

Latest (2011)
3.9%
World rank
80th
of 128 countries
All-time high
72.5%
in 1950
All-time low
3.9%
in 2011
Years of data
5
1950–2011

Literate and illiterate world population in Brunei, 1950–2011

0204060801950198020111950: 72.5 %1981: 22.3 %1991: 12.2 %2001: 7.3 %2011: 3.9 %

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

Analysis

The most recent figure for literate and illiterate world population in Brunei is 3.9%, measured in 2011. That is the lowest value across all 5 years on record.

That represents a change of down 46.7% over ten years.

Over the whole period, literate and illiterate world population in Brunei peaked at 72.5% in 1950 and was at its lowest, 3.9%, in 2011.

Brunei ranks 80th of 128 countries on this measure, in the middle of the range.

Literate and illiterate world population in Brunei, year by year

Annual values for Literate and illiterate world population in Brunei, 1950 to 2011.
Year % Change
1950 72.5% —
1981 22.3% -69.3%
1991 12.2% -45.2%
2001 7.3% -39.9%
2011 3.9% -46.7%

Brunei compared with similar countries

  • Brunei's 3.9% is above the median for high income countries, which is 2.2%, 1.8× the median. (33 countries reporting)
  • Brunei's 3.9% is below the median for East Asia & Pacific, which is 4.0%, 99% of the median. (18 countries reporting)

Averages by decade

DecadeAverage LowestHighest Years
1950s 72.5% 72.5% 72.5% 1
1980s 22.3% 22.3% 22.3% 1
1990s 12.2% 12.2% 12.2% 1
2000s 7.3% 7.3% 7.3% 1
2010s 3.9% 3.9% 3.9% 1

Countries ranked near Brunei

  1. 77 Mexico 4.5% compare
  2. 78 Malaysia 4.2% compare
  3. 79 Indonesia 4.0% compare
  4. 81 Vietnam 3.9% compare
  5. 82 Panama 3.8% compare
  6. 83 Chile 3.6% compare

See the full ranking of 128 places →

More population data for Brunei

All data for Brunei →

Frequently asked questions

What is literate and illiterate world population in Brunei?
Literate and illiterate world population in Brunei was 3.9% in 2011, 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 Brunei?
The highest recorded value was 72.5% in 1950.
What is the lowest literate and illiterate world population recorded in Brunei?
The lowest recorded value was 3.9% in 2011.
How does Brunei rank for literate and illiterate world population?
Brunei ranks 80th out of 128 countries with data for 2011.
Is literate and illiterate world population rising or falling in Brunei?
Over the last ten years it is down 46.7%. The long-run trend across the full record is volatile.
Where does this Brunei 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 Brunei. Statizoid, drawing on UNESCO (1957) and other sources – with major processing by Our World in Data. Retrieved 25 September 2026, from https://population.statizoid.com/stat/literate-and-illiterate-world-population/brunei-darussalam/

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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

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