Literate and illiterate world population in Mongolia

Mongolia: Literate and illiterate world population was 1.4% in 2024. ◆ Volatile

Latest (2024)
1.4%
Change on year
unchanged
World rank
112th
of 128 countries
All-time high
42.5%
in 1950
All-time low
0.8%
in 2021
Years of data
10
1950–2024

Literate and illiterate world population in Mongolia, 1950–2024

0102030401950198720241950: 42.5 %2000: 2.2 %2010: 1.7 %2018: 3.1 %2019: 1.5 %2020: 0.82 %2021: 0.786 %2022: 1.3 %2023: 1.4 %2024: 1.4 %

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

Analysis

In 2024, literate and illiterate world population in Mongolia stood at 1.4%.

The figure is down 21.8% over ten years.

Over the whole period, literate and illiterate world population in Mongolia peaked at 42.5% in 1950 and was at its lowest, 0.8%, in 2021.

That places Mongolia 112th out of 128 countries with data for 2024, putting it in the bottom quarter.

The series is highly variable year to year, so single readings are best treated with caution.

Literate and illiterate world population in Mongolia, year by year

Annual values for Literate and illiterate world population in Mongolia, 1950 to 2024.
Year % Change
1950 42.5%
2000 2.2% -94.8%
2010 1.7% -22.0%
2018 3.1% +78.2%
2019 1.5% -50.3%
2020 0.8% -46.8%
2021 0.8% -4.2%
2022 1.3% +61.7%
2023 1.4% +7.1%
2024 1.4% +0.0%

Mongolia compared with similar countries

  • Mongolia's 1.4% is below the median for upper middle income countries, which is 4.6%, 30% of the median. (38 countries reporting)
  • Mongolia's 1.4% is below the median for East Asia & Pacific, which is 4.0%, 34% of the median. (18 countries reporting)

Averages by decade

DecadeAverage LowestHighest Years
1950s 42.5% 42.5% 42.5% 1
2000s 2.2% 2.2% 2.2% 1
2010s 2.1% 1.5% 3.1% 3
2020s 1.1% 0.8% 1.4% 5

Countries ranked near Mongolia

  1. 111 Montenegro 1.5% compare
  2. 113 Poland 1.3% compare
  3. 114 United Arab Emirates 1.2% compare
  4. 115 Hungary 1.1% compare

See the full ranking of 128 places →

More population data for Mongolia

All data for Mongolia →

Frequently asked questions

What is literate and illiterate world population in Mongolia?
Literate and illiterate world population in Mongolia was 1.4% in 2024, 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 Mongolia?
The highest recorded value was 42.5% in 1950.
What is the lowest literate and illiterate world population recorded in Mongolia?
The lowest recorded value was 0.8% in 2021.
How does Mongolia rank for literate and illiterate world population?
Mongolia ranks 112th out of 128 countries with data for 2024.
Is literate and illiterate world population rising or falling in Mongolia?
Over the last ten years it is down 21.8%. The long-run trend across the full record is volatile.
Where does this Mongolia 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 Mongolia. 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/mongolia/

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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.