Literate and illiterate world population in Canada

Canada: Literate and illiterate world population was 2.5% in 1950. ◆ Volatile

Latest (1950)
2.5%
World rank
94th
of 128 countries
All-time high
17.1%
in 1901
All-time low
2.5%
in 1950
Years of data
5
1901–1950

Literate and illiterate world population in Canada, 1901–1950

0510151901192519501901: 17.1 %1911: 11 %1921: 5.7 %1931: 4.3 %1950: 2.5 %

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

Analysis

In 1950, literate and illiterate world population in Canada stood at 2.5%. That is the lowest value across all 5 years on record.

Over the whole period, literate and illiterate world population in Canada peaked at 17.1% in 1901 and was at its lowest, 2.5%, in 1950.

That places Canada 94th out of 128 countries with data for 1950, putting it in the middle of the range.

Literate and illiterate world population in Canada, year by year

Annual values for Literate and illiterate world population in Canada, 1901 to 1950.
Year % Change
1901 17.1%
1911 11.0% -35.7%
1921 5.7% -48.2%
1931 4.3% -24.6%
1950 2.5% -41.9%

Canada compared with similar countries

  • Canada's 2.5% is above the median for high income countries, which is 2.2%, 1.1× the median. (33 countries reporting)

Averages by decade

DecadeAverage LowestHighest Years
1900s 17.1% 17.1% 17.1% 1
1910s 11.0% 11.0% 11.0% 1
1920s 5.7% 5.7% 5.7% 1
1930s 4.3% 4.3% 4.3% 1
1950s 2.5% 2.5% 2.5% 1

Countries ranked near Canada

  1. 91 Venezuela 2.8%
  2. 92 Turkey 2.7% compare
  3. 93 Oman 2.7%
  4. 95 Cuba 2.4% compare
  5. 95 Singapore 2.4%
  6. 97 Albania 2.3%

See the full ranking of 128 places →

More population data for Canada

All data for Canada →

Frequently asked questions

What is literate and illiterate world population in Canada?
Literate and illiterate world population in Canada was 2.5% in 1950, 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 Canada?
The highest recorded value was 17.1% in 1901.
What is the lowest literate and illiterate world population recorded in Canada?
The lowest recorded value was 2.5% in 1950.
How does Canada rank for literate and illiterate world population?
Canada ranks 94th out of 128 countries with data for 1950.
Where does this Canada 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 Canada. Statizoid, drawing on UNESCO (1957) and other sources – with major processing by Our World in Data. Retrieved 23 September 2026, from https://population.statizoid.com/stat/literate-and-illiterate-world-population/canada/

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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.