Literacy Rate: Romania

Analysis# Romania Literacy Rate Romania's literacy rate reached 99.16% in 2021, matching its all-time peak and representing a steady climb from 96.71% in 1992—a 2.5 percentage point gain over three decades. The country now ranks among Europe's most literate populations, having nearly closed the gap between its lowest and highest recorded values within the measurement period. The most significant acceleration occurred between 2002 and 2011, when literacy jumped from 97.3% to 98.6%—a 1.3 point surge in a single decade. Since 2011, growth has moderated but remained consistent, adding 0.56 points over the subsequent decade. With Romania sustaining its peak rate through 2021 and no downward pressure evident in recent years, the trajectory suggests the country has stabilized at near-universal literacy levels.