The chart below shows estimated world literacy rates by region and by gender for the year 2000. Summarize the information by selecting and reporting the main features, and make comparisons where relevant.You should write at least 150 words.

This bar graph represents the approximate rates of illiteracy worldwide in the year 2000, categorized by region and gender.

The lowest illiteracy rates are in developed countries for both males and females at 2% and 4%, respectively. This is in stark contrast with South Asia, which houses the highest percentage of illiteracy at 35% and 55% for males and females, respectively.

Other countries have varying patterns. Latin America and the Caribbean have approximately equal illiteracy rates, where 10% of males cannot read compared to 12% of the opposite gender. East Asia, interestingly, shows low male illiteracy at 8% but high female illiteracy at 20%. Sub-Saharan Africa and Arab states have approximately similar rates of male illiteracy at 31% and 29%, respectively, and 48% and 52% female illiteracy each.

Overall, in the year 2000, developed countries display the lowest rates of illiteracy, South Asia the highest, and other countries with a varying range of patterns.