Elderly illiterate population, 65+ years, both sexes in East Asia & Pacific (IDA & IBRD countries)

East Asia & Pacific (IDA & IBRD countries): Elderly illiterate population, 65+ years, both sexes was 32.14 million number in 2019. ▼ Falling

Latest (2019)
32.14 million number
Change on year
down 1.6%
Rank
14th
of 38 groups
All-time high
58.88 million number
in 1996
All-time low
32.14 million number
in 2019
Years of data
44
1976–2019

Elderly illiterate population, 65+ years, both sexes in East Asia & Pacific (IDA & IBRD countries), 1976–2019

020.0M40.0M60.0M1976199720191976: 37.8M number1977: 39.3M number1978: 40.8M number1979: 42.5M number1980: 44.4M number1981: 45.7M number1982: 47.4M number1983: 49.1M number1984: 50.7M number1985: 52.3M number1986: 53.9M number1987: 54.3M number1988: 48.0M number1989: 49.3M number1990: 58.9M number1991: 51.9M number1992: 53.3M number1993: 54.5M number1994: 55.9M number1995: 57.3M number1996: 58.9M number1997: 43.0M number1998: 44.1M number1999: 45.7M number2000: 47.2M number2001: 48.2M number2002: 49.2M number2003: 49.8M number2004: 51.1M number2005: 51.7M number2006: 48.9M number2007: 39.7M number2008: 40.2M number2009: 37.8M number2010: 37.2M number2011: 36.7M number2012: 35.8M number2013: 36.0M number2014: 34.6M number2015: 34.2M number2016: 33.9M number2017: 33.5M number2018: 32.6M number2019: 32.1M number

Source: UNESCO Institute for Statistics. Measured in number.

Analysis

The most recent figure for elderly illiterate population, 65+ years, both sexes in East Asia & Pacific (IDA & IBRD countries) is 32.14 million number, measured in 2019. That is the lowest value across all 44 years on record.

The figure is down 1.6% on the previous year and down 15.0% over ten years.

Over the whole period, elderly illiterate population, 65+ years, both sexes in East Asia & Pacific (IDA & IBRD countries) peaked at 58.88 million number in 1996 and was at its lowest, 32.14 million number, in 2019.

East Asia & Pacific (IDA & IBRD countries) ranks 14th of 38 groups on this measure, in the middle of the range.

The long-run direction has been consistently falling across the 44 years of available data.

Elderly illiterate population, 65+ years, both sexes in East Asia & Pacific (IDA & IBRD countries), year by year

Annual values for Elderly illiterate population, 65+ years, both sexes (number) in East Asia & Pacific (IDA & IBRD countries), 1976 to 2019.
Year number Change
1976 37.80 million number
1977 39.31 million number +4.0%
1978 40.83 million number +3.9%
1979 42.54 million number +4.2%
1980 44.43 million number +4.5%
1981 45.71 million number +2.9%
1982 47.41 million number +3.7%
1983 49.08 million number +3.5%
1984 50.70 million number +3.3%
1985 52.29 million number +3.1%
1986 53.89 million number +3.1%
1987 54.32 million number +0.8%
1988 48.02 million number -11.6%
1989 49.29 million number +2.7%
1990 58.86 million number +19.4%
1991 51.87 million number -11.9%
1992 53.27 million number +2.7%
1993 54.46 million number +2.2%
1994 55.91 million number +2.7%
1995 57.27 million number +2.4%
1996 58.88 million number +2.8%
1997 43.04 million number -26.9%
1998 44.14 million number +2.5%
1999 45.71 million number +3.6%
2000 47.19 million number +3.2%
2001 48.21 million number +2.2%
2002 49.15 million number +2.0%
2003 49.79 million number +1.3%
2004 51.07 million number +2.6%
2005 51.71 million number +1.3%
2006 48.94 million number -5.4%
2007 39.69 million number -18.9%
2008 40.20 million number +1.3%
2009 37.79 million number -6.0%
2010 37.24 million number -1.4%
2011 36.66 million number -1.6%
2012 35.76 million number -2.5%
2013 35.99 million number +0.6%
2014 34.59 million number -3.9%
2015 34.21 million number -1.1%
2016 33.94 million number -0.8%
2017 33.54 million number -1.2%
2018 32.65 million number -2.7%
2019 32.14 million number -1.5%

Averages by decade

DecadeAverage LowestHighest Years
1970s 40.12 million number 37.80 million number 42.54 million number 4
1980s 49.51 million number 44.43 million number 54.32 million number 10
1990s 52.34 million number 43.04 million number 58.88 million number 10
2000s 46.37 million number 37.79 million number 51.71 million number 10
2010s 34.67 million number 32.14 million number 37.24 million number 10

Countries ranked near East Asia & Pacific (IDA & IBRD countries)

  1. 11 Mexico 1.77 million number compare
  2. 12 Morocco 1.66 million number compare
  3. 13 Thailand 1.56 million number compare
  4. 14 South Africa 1.35 million number compare
  5. 15 Türkiye 1.33 million number compare
  6. 16 Nepal 1.23 million number compare
  7. 17 Viet Nam 984,040 number compare

See the full ranking of 120 places →

More reference data data for East Asia & Pacific (IDA & IBRD countries)

All data for East Asia & Pacific (IDA & IBRD countries) →

Frequently asked questions

What is elderly illiterate population, 65+ years, both sexes in East Asia & Pacific (IDA & IBRD countries)?
Elderly illiterate population, 65+ years, both sexes in East Asia & Pacific (IDA & IBRD countries) was 32.14 million number in 2019, according to UNESCO Institute for Statistics.
What is the highest elderly illiterate population, 65+ years, both sexes recorded in East Asia & Pacific (IDA & IBRD countries)?
The highest recorded value was 58.88 million number in 1996.
What is the lowest elderly illiterate population, 65+ years, both sexes recorded in East Asia & Pacific (IDA & IBRD countries)?
The lowest recorded value was 32.14 million number in 2019.
How does East Asia & Pacific (IDA & IBRD countries) rank for elderly illiterate population, 65+ years, both sexes?
East Asia & Pacific (IDA & IBRD countries) ranks 14th out of 38 groups with data for 2019.
Is elderly illiterate population, 65+ years, both sexes rising or falling in East Asia & Pacific (IDA & IBRD countries)?
Over the last ten years it is down 15.0%. The long-run trend across the full record is falling.
Where does this East Asia & Pacific (IDA & IBRD countries) data come from?
The figures come from UNESCO Institute for Statistics, published as part of Elderly illiterate population, 65+ years, both sexes (number). Statizoid updates them automatically from the source API.

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Elderly illiterate population, 65+ years, both sexes in East Asia & Pacific (IDA & IBRD countries). Statizoid, drawing on UNESCO Institute for Statistics. Retrieved 05 September 2026, from https://reference.statizoid.com/stat/elderly-illiterate-population-65-years-both-sexes-number/east-asia-and-pacific-ida-and-ibrd-countries/

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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.