Band 8+: You should spend about 20 minutes on this task. The bar chart shows the literacy rate (% of people who can read and write) by region and gender in 2011. Summarise the information by selecting and reporting the main features, and make comparisons where relevant. Write at least 150 words.You should spend about 20 minutes on this task. The bar chart shows the literacy rate (% of people who can read and write) by region and gender in 2011. Summarise the information by selecting and reporting the main features, and make comparisons where relevant. Write at least 150 words.

The bar chart illustrates the percentage of literate men and women across seven different regions in 2011. Overall, it is clear that male literacy rates were generally higher than those for females, with the highest figures recorded in Central Asia and the lowest in Sub-Saharan Africa.

In Central Asia and Central / Eastern Europe, both male and female literacy rates stood at 100% in 2011. Similarly, East Asia / Pacific and Latin America / Caribbean also showed very high rates with all figures ranging from around 90% to 95%. In these regions, there was only a slight difference between the rates for men and women.

In contrast, the remaining three regions had lower literacy rates and a more significant gender gap. The three regions of the Arab states, South and West Asia, and Sub-Saharan Africa recorded average literacy rates ranging from around 95% down to 60%. The gap between male and female literacy was between 5% and 20%. The most significant difference was a 20% gap observed in South and West Asia. These regions also had the highest illiteracy rates in the chart.