The article considers the main directions, effective methods and technologies of formation of functional literacy of students in the study of the themes "National, religious composition of the world population" and "Centers of World Civilization" in the section "Social Geography" of the school course of geography.

To disclose the content of the topic a system of tasks at the level of application, analysis, synthesis, evaluation, modeling, requiring work with digital maps, additional sources of information, allowing to increase the cognitive activity of students.

In addition, on the basis of the analysis of the results of empirical research carried out to improve functional literacy of students, increasing the results of students in the study of "Civilization centers of the world", "National, language and religious composition of the world", the features of the spread of language families a comprehensive analysis of the importance of using modern active and interactive methods and technologies.