This entry includes a definition of literacy and Census Bureau percentages for the total population, males, and females. There are no universal definitions and standards of literacy. Unless otherwise stated, all fees are based on the most common definition - the ability to read and write at a certain age. Detailing the standards that individual countries use to assess the ability to read and write is beyond the scope of this site. Information on literacy, while not a perfect measure of educational results, is probably far more easily available and valid for international comparisons. Low levels of literacy and education in general, can impede the economic development of a country, especially in a rapidly changing world driven by technology.