SCI Surveys Iranians’ Reading Behavior

The average time spent on reading in Iran amounted to 16 minutes and 36 seconds per day, or 8 hours and 18 minutes per month in the year ending March 2020, the Statistical Center of Iran reported.  
Monthly time spent on reading non-school books (general literature books) reached 6 hours and 32 minutes, newspapers 1 hour and 23 minutes, and magazines 23 minutes.
In general, 62.9% of literate persons above 15 years reported reading a non-school book, newspapers or magazines during the year under review: 54.5% reported reading non-school books such as paperbacks or electronic book; 22.4% reported reading a newspaper (paper or electronic); and 8.9% reported reading a magazine (paper or electronic).
Reading the Qur’an and Islamic holy books accounted for 2 hours and 32 minutes of the total 6 hours and 32 minutes of monthly reading of non-school books.
Of the people who reported reading non-school books in 2020-21, 33.2% read at least one book, 52.7% two to four books, 7.5% five to seven books and 6.5% read more than seven books.
Top priorities when it comes to the type of books were Qur’an and Islamic holy books, fictions and short stories, psychology books and religious books (apart from Qur’an and Islamic books).
Yazd with 15 hours and 16 minutes, Qom with 15 hours and 12 minutes and Qazvin with 12 hours and 58 minutes registered the highest average reading time per month while Kermanshah with 3 hours and 40 minutes, Kohgilouyeh-Boyerahmad Province with 3 hours and 22 minutes and Bushehr with 2 hours and 40 minutes posted the lowest average reading time per month.
The census on the cultural behavior of households in 2020-21, including their reading, sport activities, nutrition and social activities, was carried out among 62,560 households, of whom 43,700 lived in urban areas and 18,860 lived in rural areas.