![](https://substackcdn.com/image/fetch/w_1456,c_limit,f_auto,q_auto:good,fl_progressive:steep/https%3A%2F%2Fbucketeer-e05bbc84-baa3-437e-9518-adb32be77984.s3.amazonaws.com%2Fpublic%2Fimages%2F32cf58df-4f8e-4e63-b8b2-2048e4627946_800x1068.jpeg)
Source: Our World in Data
Published: September 2018
Literate and Illiterate World Population
Circulated: August 6, 2019
Literacy rate of growth climbed in the middle of the 20th century, when the expansion of basic education became a global priority. The population for the estimate is 15 years and older.
![](https://substackcdn.com/image/fetch/w_1456,c_limit,f_auto,q_auto:good,fl_progressive:steep/https%3A%2F%2Fbucketeer-e05bbc84-baa3-437e-9518-adb32be77984.s3.amazonaws.com%2Fpublic%2Fimages%2Fe46e2ea5-484f-490c-abb1-759846997153_299x181.png)