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Q: Which country has the highest literacy rates, based upon fact?
If considers the facts, say taken from UNESCO, which country has achieved the highest level of literacy? Which country has the lowest level of literacy? Where does your own country fit in?
Hello, there, old friend. You consistently report threads for not being about China. Just a reminder. Cheers and best of luck for the new years! 
981977405:
I believe that China will figure in the statistics here but I am not sure exactly where. Thank you for your comments.
giadrosich:
Actually, if you read the list you posted, you would know the exact position of China.
kchur:
So, the logic is, this is a thread about earth and China is on earth. Friggin airtight man.
Here is the list as compiled by the United Nations / UNESCO.
1
1
100.0
2
2
99.9
3
3
99.8
4
4
99.8
5
5
99.7 [j]
6
6
99.7 [l]
7
7
99.7
8
8
99.7
9
9
99.7
10
10
99.7
11
11
99.6
12
12
99.6
13
13
99.5
14
14
99.5
15
15
99.5
16
16
99.4 [j]
17
17
99.3
18
17
99.5 [j]
19
19
99.2
20
20
99.1
Australia is 22 on the list; Canada is 25 on the list; the United States is 45 on the list. China is 68.
This is my list -- this is the United Nation's list.
giadrosich:
So, why post the question. It is easily looked up on the web. You seem to have a perpensity to ask questions you already know the answers to. What's the point?
981977405:
I was asking the question rhetorically speaking in an attempt to engage the comments of some of the more lucid and intellectually-enabled members of this board, thank you very much.
giadrosich:
Exactly. Rhetorical questions are just that. Bombastic. You're welcome very much.
That 'list' (being generous there) is rather interesting, no?? Firstly, I note the top X number of countries are all Eastern European... Russian communism wasn't all that bad, was it? 
Secondly, at the bottom of that website, it very CLEARLY points out that each nation's definition of 'literacy' was different, and since all nations used their own definition, and then UNESCO compiled it into one single list, you're really measuring apples and shoelaces. This is true, even of my own country.
Thirdly,let's note that some countries are reporting 99.??% literacy...(which, btw, is why many developed countries DIDN'T rate higher (Australia, New Zealand, UK, Canada, US and most of Europe only reported 99% literacy, and are all equal on that 99% mark... whcih then listed in alphabetical order... hence, Australia at 22nd,. and USA at 45th...). Do you really trust a country, such as Georgia, Cuba, Kazakhstan, Aremenia, Krygyzstan - when they say they have 99.9% literacy??? I don't! Many people in those countries have never even seen a school!! (obviously, I'm talking about older generations... but then, take into account the wars that have been going on in some cases, for decades!)
And, lastly, let's look at the CIA Factbook website - which says "note: over two-thirds of the world's 793 million illiterate adults are found in only eight countries (Bangladesh, China, Egypt, Ethiopia, India, Indonesia, Nigeria, and Pakistan)" (my emphasis)
981977405:
Actually the literacy rate in Cuba is quite, quite high. While Fidel may have failed in many things and while the country cannot feed itself adequately, it nonetheless has, I believe, the highest literacy rate in Latin America. As for Russia, before 1917, 90% of the country was illiterate. They had tremendous problems with conscripts in the army during World War One because so many could not read. Education in those days was in the hands of the oligarchy. Lenin brought famine and disaster and thugs to power, for a fact, but the current illiteracy levels in Russia proper today are negligible. As for some of the other countries on the list, yes, I was also a bit surprised. Nonetheless, it very, very common knowledge that literacy in the United States has slipped seriously. There was a period in time when the United States had the highest percentage of university graduates. That period has long come-and-gone. The last time that I looked somewhere, and I was surprised to learn this, it was Australia that had the highest percentage of university graduates.
As for the CIA factbook, thank you but no thank you. A very big no thank you.
nevermind:
CIA factbook is just that, facts. It's not about state secrets or anything. It's about numbers. I know people who have assembled information for them.
giadrosich:
"...while the country cannot feed itself adequately, it nonetheless has, I believe, the highest literacy rate in Latin America."
"Well, Sergio, I would much rather read than eat!" Sheesh, sounds practical to me.
This is interesting to know. What else would be interesting to know is how far along have the countries come from being illiterate to becoming more literate. I don't think the list always looked like that and I'm sure that things can change over time. I know that the US had some literacy problems in it's day and now it has improved to number 45 on the list.
I'd like to see how that list looks 5 years from now. Things are changing and I'm sure it won't look the same in the future. Are countries competing to get on that list and get a higher rank? I think so.....
Shining_brow:
No persons indicated on the survey form we sent them that they were illiterate....
My country has a 100% literacy rate of people who can read and write.
