Elderly illiterate population, 65+ years, both sexes in Europe & Central Asia (excluding high income)

Europe & Central Asia (excluding high income): Elderly illiterate population, 65+ years, both sexes was 1.61 million number in 2019. ▼ Falling

Latest (2019)
1.61 million number
Change on year
down 2.6%
Rank
33rd
of 38 groups
All-time high
5.44 million number
in 1984
All-time low
1.16 million number
in 2016
Years of data
36
1984–2019

Elderly illiterate population, 65+ years, both sexes in Europe & Central Asia (excluding high income), 1984–2019

1.0M2.0M3.0M4.0M5.0M1984200120191984: 5.4M number1985: 5.3M number1986: 5.2M number1987: 5.1M number1988: 5.0M number1989: 4.9M number1990: 4.8M number1991: 4.8M number1992: 4.7M number1993: 4.6M number1994: 4.6M number1995: 4.5M number1996: 4.2M number1997: 4.2M number1998: 3.5M number1999: 3.5M number2000: 3.3M number2001: 3.4M number2002: 3.4M number2003: 3.4M number2004: 3.4M number2005: 3.2M number2006: 3.2M number2007: 3.1M number2008: 2.9M number2009: 2.5M number2010: 2.4M number2011: 2.0M number2012: 1.9M number2013: 1.9M number2014: 1.8M number2015: 1.8M number2016: 1.2M number2017: 1.7M number2018: 1.7M number2019: 1.6M number

Source: UNESCO Institute for Statistics. Measured in number.

Analysis

In 2019, elderly illiterate population, 65+ years, both sexes in Europe & Central Asia (excluding high income) stood at 1.61 million number.

Compared with earlier readings it is down 2.6% on the previous year and down 35.5% over ten years.

Over the whole period, elderly illiterate population, 65+ years, both sexes in Europe & Central Asia (excluding high income) peaked at 5.44 million number in 1984 and was at its lowest, 1.16 million number, in 2016.

Europe & Central Asia (excluding high income) ranks 33rd of 38 groups on this measure, in the bottom quarter.

The long-run direction has been consistently falling across the 36 years of available data.

Elderly illiterate population, 65+ years, both sexes in Europe & Central Asia (excluding high income), year by year

Annual values for Elderly illiterate population, 65+ years, both sexes (number) in Europe & Central Asia (excluding high income), 1984 to 2019.
Year number Change
1984 5.44 million number
1985 5.33 million number -2.1%
1986 5.22 million number -1.9%
1987 5.13 million number -1.9%
1988 5.03 million number -1.9%
1989 4.94 million number -1.8%
1990 4.85 million number -1.9%
1991 4.79 million number -1.2%
1992 4.71 million number -1.6%
1993 4.63 million number -1.6%
1994 4.56 million number -1.7%
1995 4.47 million number -1.9%
1996 4.24 million number -5.0%
1997 4.18 million number -1.4%
1998 3.53 million number -15.5%
1999 3.53 million number -0.0%
2000 3.31 million number -6.1%
2001 3.36 million number +1.4%
2002 3.40 million number +1.1%
2003 3.37 million number -0.7%
2004 3.36 million number -0.2%
2005 3.16 million number -6.1%
2006 3.25 million number +2.7%
2007 3.14 million number -3.2%
2008 2.91 million number -7.3%
2009 2.50 million number -14.1%
2010 2.37 million number -5.3%
2011 2.05 million number -13.6%
2012 1.88 million number -8.2%
2013 1.86 million number -1.0%
2014 1.82 million number -2.2%
2015 1.78 million number -2.1%
2016 1.16 million number -34.7%
2017 1.70 million number +46.4%
2018 1.65 million number -2.7%
2019 1.61 million number -2.6%

Averages by decade

DecadeAverage LowestHighest Years
1980s 5.18 million number 4.94 million number 5.44 million number 6
1990s 4.35 million number 3.53 million number 4.85 million number 10
2000s 3.18 million number 2.50 million number 3.40 million number 10
2010s 1.79 million number 1.16 million number 2.37 million number 10

Countries ranked near Europe & Central Asia (excluding high income)

  1. 30 Mali 403,449 number compare
  2. 31 Saudi Arabia 397,215 number compare
  3. 32 Senegal 361,417 number compare
  4. 33 Guatemala 354,530 number compare
  5. 34 Benin 342,958 number compare
  6. 35 Ecuador 312,616 number compare
  7. 36 Cambodia 300,815 number compare

See the full ranking of 120 places →

More reference data data for Europe & Central Asia (excluding high income)

All data for Europe & Central Asia (excluding high income) →

Frequently asked questions

What is elderly illiterate population, 65+ years, both sexes in Europe & Central Asia (excluding high income)?
Elderly illiterate population, 65+ years, both sexes in Europe & Central Asia (excluding high income) was 1.61 million number in 2019, according to UNESCO Institute for Statistics.
What is the highest elderly illiterate population, 65+ years, both sexes recorded in Europe & Central Asia (excluding high income)?
The highest recorded value was 5.44 million number in 1984.
What is the lowest elderly illiterate population, 65+ years, both sexes recorded in Europe & Central Asia (excluding high income)?
The lowest recorded value was 1.16 million number in 2016.
How does Europe & Central Asia (excluding high income) rank for elderly illiterate population, 65+ years, both sexes?
Europe & Central Asia (excluding high income) ranks 33rd out of 38 groups with data for 2019.
Is elderly illiterate population, 65+ years, both sexes rising or falling in Europe & Central Asia (excluding high income)?
Over the last ten years it is down 35.5%. The long-run trend across the full record is falling.
Where does this Europe & Central Asia (excluding high income) 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 Europe & Central Asia (excluding high income). Statizoid, drawing on UNESCO Institute for Statistics. Retrieved 09 September 2026, from https://reference.statizoid.com/stat/elderly-illiterate-population-65-years-both-sexes-number/europe-and-central-asia-excluding-high-income/

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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.