Some of the most well-read countries in the world are India, Thailand, China, the Philippines, and Egypt. In India, studies show that people read an average of over 10 hours per week. On average, people around the world read about 6.5 hours per week.
Unfortunately, reading is on the decline in the United States. In 2015, about 27% of the country did not read a book. That’s even worse than Vietnam's reading rates. So why are some of these other countries outpacing the US regarding reading?
In China, promoting the love of reading is a high priority. A government program called the Stone Soup Happy Reading Alliance focuses on not just the skill of reading, but encouraging their citizens to enjoy the experience of reading. Which results in more readers and a better-educated population.
Many other countries also place a bigger emphasis on teaching a foreign language to students at a young age. Not only does the ability to read in another language open you up to a wider variety of reading material, it also equips your mind to be sharper when reading new things.
Thankfully, the National Education Association (NEA) started a program in the US called Read Across America with the goal of “help you motivate kids to read, bring the joys of reading to students of all ages, and make all children feel valued and welcome.” The movement organizes local events and provides resources to educators to encourage reading in young Americans.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=jCgH_kCj75Q