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Doha, Qatar: Qatar’s performance in the “Countries By Literacy Rate” ranking published by WorldAtlas reinforces its status as one of the world’s more educated nations, particularly within the Middle East and the broader global context.
According to the WorldAtlas compilation, which draws on the most recent Unesco and World Bank data available, Qatar’s adult literacy rate stands at 98 percent. This places the country among a group of nations with near-universal literacy, reflecting decades of sustained investment in education and human development.
The WorldAtlas ranking orders countries by the percentage of their population aged 15 and above that is able to read and write a simple statement. Its data reveal stark contrasts: at the top tier are small wealthy states and former socialist countries exhibiting literacy rates close to 100 percent, while at the lower end are countries where fewer than half of adults are literate.
In the WorldAtlas list, Qatar appears alongside several high-performing peers. With a 98 percent literacy rate, Qatar sits in the upper tier of the global rankings, comparable to other advanced or rapidly developing economies such as Saudi Arabia, Singapore, and the United Arab Emirates—which also report literacy rates of 98 percent in the same dataset.
Although the list does not assign a strict numerical rank (e.g., “5th” or “10th”), Qatar clearly performs strongly relative to the global distribution of literacy rates. In contrast to nations at the very top—where small states, many with populations under a million, report 100 percent literacy—Qatar’s rating is effectively within a competitive cluster of countries that have achieved near universal literacy.
Within the Arab world, Qatar’s literacy performance is notable. Though patterns vary among Arab states depending on economic structure, education policy, and demographics, Qatar consistently ranks near the top among its regional peers. For example, Arab League data from prior compilations show Qatar’s adult literacy rate exceeding those of several countries in the region, and comparable to or higher than regional averages.
In the Gulf Cooperation Council (GCC), Qatar’s position is particularly strong. GCC states with similar socio-economic profiles—such as the UAE, Kuwait, and Saudi Arabia—concertedly invest in education infrastructure and compulsory schooling, which supports high literacy outcomes. As such, Qatar’s 98 percent literacy rate reflects an educational standard consistent with other high-income economies that prioritise access to schooling and adult education programs.
High literacy is widely recognised as a key enabler of social and economic development.
