A new study has revealed which countries are the world’s biggest bookworms - and Estonia leads the way.
Researchers at the Australian National University and University of Nevada in the US surveyed adults across 31 countries, between the ages of 25 and 65, and asked them how many books they had in their home when they were 16.
On average, Estonians owned 218 books per house, with a third of respondents from the country owning 350 books or more.
The Week
Escape your echo chamber. Get the facts behind the news, plus analysis from multiple perspectives.
Sign up for The Week's Free Newsletters
From our morning news briefing to a weekly Good News Newsletter, get the best of The Week delivered directly to your inbox.
From our morning news briefing to a weekly Good News Newsletter, get the best of The Week delivered directly to your inbox.
The study also found that “having more books growing up, even if you don’t necessarily read more, improves educational outcomes”, says The Guardian.
The study established that the number of household books at age 16 had a positive correlation with literacy, numeracy and IT skills in later years - independent of how much tertiary study a person did, or how often they read as an adult.
They found the positive impact was greatest for those with higher levels of disadvantage, “meaning lower income families could narrow the education gap by exposing their children to more books in the house”, says The Guardian.
“Literacy-wise, bookish adolescence makes up for a good deal of educational advantage,” the report said.
In the paper, titled Scholarly Culture: How Books in Adolescence Enhance Adult Literacy, Numeracy and Technology Skills in 31 Societies and published in the journal Social Science Research, the team wrote: “Adolescent exposure to books is an integral part of social practices that foster long-term cognitive competencies spanning literacy, numeracy and ICT skills.
“Growing up with home libraries boosts adult skills in these areas beyond the benefits accrued from parental education or own educational or occupational attainment.”
The top 15 countries for booklovers:
1 Estonia - 218 (average number of books per house when people were 16)2 Norway - 2123 Czech Republic - 2044 Denmark - 1925 Russia - 1546 Germany - 1517 Australia - 1488 UK - 1439 Canada - 12510 France - 11711 USA - 11412 Ireland - 10713 Japan - 10214 Belgium - 9515 Chile - 52
-
Will California’s Proposition 50 kill gerrymandering reform?Talking Points Or is opposing Trump the greater priority for voters?
-
‘The trickle of shutdowns could soon become a flood’Instant Opinion Opinion, comment and editorials of the day
-
Wikipedia: Is ‘neutrality’ still possible?Feature Wikipedia struggles to stay neutral as conservatives accuse the site of being left-leaning
-
Sanae Takaichi: Japan’s Iron Lady set to be the country’s first woman prime ministerIn the Spotlight Takaichi is a member of Japan’s conservative, nationalist Liberal Democratic Party
-
Russia is ‘helping China’ prepare for an invasion of TaiwanIn the Spotlight Russia is reportedly allowing China access to military training
-
Interpol arrests hundreds in Africa-wide sextortion crackdownIN THE SPOTLIGHT A series of stings disrupts major cybercrime operations as law enforcement estimates millions in losses from schemes designed to prey on lonely users
-
China is silently expanding its influence in American citiesUnder the Radar New York City and San Francisco, among others, have reportedly been targeted
-
How China uses 'dark fleets' to circumvent trade sanctionsThe Explainer The fleets are used to smuggle goods like oil and fish
-
One year after mass protests, why are Kenyans taking to the streets again?today's big question More than 60 protesters died during demonstrations in 2024
-
What happens if tensions between India and Pakistan boil over?TODAY'S BIG QUESTION As the two nuclear-armed neighbors rattle their sabers in the wake of a terrorist attack on the contested Kashmir region, experts worry that the worst might be yet to come
-
Why Russia removed the Taliban's terrorist designationThe Explainer Russia had designated the Taliban as a terrorist group over 20 years ago
