Literate and illiterate world population in Venezuela

Venezuela: Literate and illiterate world population was 2.8% in 2017. ◆ Volatile

Latest (2017)
2.8%
Change on year
down 1.9%
World rank
91st
of 128 countries
All-time high
47.5%
in 1950
All-time low
2.8%
in 2017
Years of data
15
1950–2017

Literate and illiterate world population in Venezuela, 1950–2017

010203040501950198320171950: 47.5 %1981: 15.3 %1990: 10.2 %2001: 7 %2005: 5.6 %2006: 5.3 %2007: 4.8 %2008: 4.7 %2009: 4.5 %2010: 4.6 %2011: 5.2 %2012: 4 %2015: 3.4 %2016: 2.9 %2017: 2.8 %

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 Venezuela is 2.8%, measured in 2017. That is the lowest value across all 15 years on record.

Compared with earlier readings it is down 1.9% on the previous year and down 41.9% over ten years.

Over the whole period, literate and illiterate world population in Venezuela peaked at 47.5% in 1950 and was at its lowest, 2.8%, in 2017.

That places Venezuela 91st out of 128 countries with data for 2017, putting it in the middle of the range.

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

Literate and illiterate world population in Venezuela, year by year

Annual values for Literate and illiterate world population in Venezuela, 1950 to 2017.
Year % Change
1950 47.5% —
1981 15.3% -67.9%
1990 10.2% -33.4%
2001 7.0% -31.0%
2005 5.6% -19.8%
2006 5.3% -5.2%
2007 4.8% -9.1%
2008 4.7% -3.3%
2009 4.5% -4.2%
2010 4.6% +2.6%
2011 5.2% +13.5%
2012 4.0% -23.3%
2015 3.4% -15.5%
2016 2.9% -15.3%
2017 2.8% -1.9%

Venezuela compared with similar countries

  • Venezuela's 2.8% is below the median for lower middle income countries, which is 21.8%, 13% of the median. (39 countries reporting)
  • Venezuela's 2.8% is below the median for Latin America & Caribbean, which is 5.6%, 50% of the median. (22 countries reporting)

Averages by decade

DecadeAverage LowestHighest Years
1950s 47.5% 47.5% 47.5% 1
1980s 15.3% 15.3% 15.3% 1
1990s 10.2% 10.2% 10.2% 1
2000s 5.3% 4.5% 7.0% 6
2010s 3.8% 2.8% 5.2% 6

Countries ranked near Venezuela

  1. 88 Macao 3.5% compare
  2. 89 Bolivia 3.3% compare
  3. 90 China 3.3% compare
  4. 92 Turkey 2.7% compare
  5. 93 Oman 2.7% compare
  6. 94 Canada 2.5%

See the full ranking of 128 places →

More population data for Venezuela

All data for Venezuela →

Frequently asked questions

What is literate and illiterate world population in Venezuela?
Literate and illiterate world population in Venezuela was 2.8% in 2017, 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 Venezuela?
The highest recorded value was 47.5% in 1950.
What is the lowest literate and illiterate world population recorded in Venezuela?
The lowest recorded value was 2.8% in 2017.
How does Venezuela rank for literate and illiterate world population?
Venezuela ranks 91st out of 128 countries with data for 2017.
Is literate and illiterate world population rising or falling in Venezuela?
Over the last ten years it is down 41.9%. The long-run trend across the full record is volatile.
Where does this Venezuela 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 Venezuela. 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/venezuela-rb/

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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.