East Asia & Pacific (IDA & IBRD countries) vs South Africa: Elderly illiterate population, 65+ years, both sexes

East Asia & Pacific (IDA & IBRD countries)
32.14 million number
in 2019
South Africa
1.35 million number
in 2017
East Asia & Pacific (IDA & IBRD countries) rank
14th
South Africa rank
14th

Elderly illiterate population, 65+ years, both sexes over time

  • East Asia & Pacific (IDA & IBRD countries)
  • South Africa
020.0M40.0M60.0M197619972019

How they compare

East Asia & Pacific (IDA & IBRD countries) currently reports 32.14 million number against 1.35 million number in South Africa, a difference of 30.79 million number.

That makes East Asia & Pacific (IDA & IBRD countries)'s figure about 23.8 times South Africa's.

Across all 10 years both countries report, East Asia & Pacific (IDA & IBRD countries) has been ahead every year.

East Asia & Pacific (IDA & IBRD countries) ranks 14th and South Africa ranks 14th of 38 groups.

East Asia & Pacific (IDA & IBRD countries) has averaged higher in every one of the 4 decades both report.

Head to head by decade

Decade East Asia & Pacific (IDA & IBRD countries) South Africa Difference Ahead
1980s 44.43 million number 473,263 number 43.96 million number East Asia & Pacific (IDA & IBRD countries)
1990s 58.88 million number 932,637 number 57.95 million number East Asia & Pacific (IDA & IBRD countries)
2000s 38.74 million number 878,040 number 37.86 million number East Asia & Pacific (IDA & IBRD countries)
2010s 35.33 million number 875,518 number 34.46 million number East Asia & Pacific (IDA & IBRD countries)

Averages of every year both report within each decade.

Frequently asked questions

Which has higher elderly illiterate population, 65+ years, both sexes, East Asia & Pacific (IDA & IBRD countries) or South Africa?
East Asia & Pacific (IDA & IBRD countries), at 32.14 million number against 1.35 million number in South Africa as of 2019.
What is the difference in elderly illiterate population, 65+ years, both sexes between East Asia & Pacific (IDA & IBRD countries) and South Africa?
30.79 million number, with East Asia & Pacific (IDA & IBRD countries) ahead.
How many years of comparable data are there for East Asia & Pacific (IDA & IBRD countries) and South Africa?
10 years are reported by both, from 1980 to 2017.
How do East Asia & Pacific (IDA & IBRD countries) and South Africa rank globally for elderly illiterate population, 65+ years, both sexes?
East Asia & Pacific (IDA & IBRD countries) ranks 14th and South Africa ranks 14th of 38 groups.
Where does this data come from?
UNESCO Institute for Statistics, published as Elderly illiterate population, 65+ years, both sexes (number). Statizoid refreshes it automatically from the source and publishes the full history for both places.

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East Asia & Pacific (IDA & IBRD countries) vs South Africa: Elderly illiterate population, 65+ years, both sexes. Statizoid, drawing on UNESCO Institute for Statistics. Retrieved 14 September 2026, from https://reference.statizoid.com/compare/elderly-illiterate-population-65-years-both-sexes-number/east-asia-and-pacific-ida-and-ibrd-countries/south-africa/

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About this data

Indicator
Elderly illiterate population, 65+ years, both sexes (number)
Unit
number
Source
UNESCO Institute for Statistics
Licence
CC BY 4.0 (World Bank Open Data)
Coverage
120 places, 2,196 data points, 1970–2019
Last refreshed

Total number of adults over age 65 who cannot both read and write with understanding a short simple statement on their everyday life.