Elderly illiterate population, 65+ years, both sexes in South Africa

South Africa: Elderly illiterate population, 65+ years, both sexes was 1.35 million number in 2017. ▲ Rising

Latest (2017)
1.35 million number
Change on year
up 76.0%
World rank
14th
of 82 countries
All-time high
1.35 million number
in 2017
All-time low
473,263 number
in 1980
Years of data
10
1980–2017

Elderly illiterate population, 65+ years, both sexes in South Africa, 1980–2017

0500.0k1.0M1.5M1980199820171980: 473.3k number1996: 932.6k number2007: 997.7k number2009: 758.4k number2010: 788.5k number2011: 796.1k number2012: 778.5k number2014: 774.9k number2015: 766.4k number2017: 1.3M number

Source: UNESCO Institute for Statistics. Measured in number.

Analysis

In 2017, elderly illiterate population, 65+ years, both sexes in South Africa stood at 1.35 million number. That is the highest value across all 10 years on record.

Compared with earlier readings it is up 76.0% on the previous year and up 35.2% over ten years.

Over the whole period, elderly illiterate population, 65+ years, both sexes in South Africa peaked at 1.35 million number in 2017 and was at its lowest, 473,263 number, in 1980.

That places South Africa 14th out of 82 countries with data for 2017, putting it in the top quarter.

The long-run direction has been consistently rising across the 10 years of available data.

Elderly illiterate population, 65+ years, both sexes in South Africa, year by year

Annual values for Elderly illiterate population, 65+ years, both sexes (number) in South Africa, 1980 to 2017.
Year number Change
1980 473,263 number
1996 932,637 number +97.1%
2007 997,674 number +7.0%
2009 758,406 number -24.0%
2010 788,460 number +4.0%
2011 796,138 number +1.0%
2012 778,512 number -2.2%
2014 774,875 number -0.5%
2015 766,412 number -1.1%
2017 1.35 million number +76.0%

Averages by decade

DecadeAverage LowestHighest Years
1980s 473,263 number 473,263 number 473,263 number 1
1990s 932,637 number 932,637 number 932,637 number 1
2000s 878,040 number 758,406 number 997,674 number 2
2010s 875,518 number 766,412 number 1.35 million number 6

Countries ranked near South Africa

  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. 15 Türkiye 1.33 million number compare
  5. 16 Nepal 1.23 million number compare
  6. 17 Viet Nam 984,040 number compare

See the full ranking of 120 places →

More reference data data for South Africa

All data for South Africa →

Frequently asked questions

What is elderly illiterate population, 65+ years, both sexes in South Africa?
Elderly illiterate population, 65+ years, both sexes in South Africa was 1.35 million number in 2017, according to UNESCO Institute for Statistics.
What is the highest elderly illiterate population, 65+ years, both sexes recorded in South Africa?
The highest recorded value was 1.35 million number in 2017.
What is the lowest elderly illiterate population, 65+ years, both sexes recorded in South Africa?
The lowest recorded value was 473,263 number in 1980.
How does South Africa rank for elderly illiterate population, 65+ years, both sexes?
South Africa ranks 14th out of 82 countries with data for 2017.
Is elderly illiterate population, 65+ years, both sexes rising or falling in South Africa?
Over the last ten years it is up 35.2%. The long-run trend across the full record is rising.
Where does this South Africa 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 South Africa. Statizoid, drawing on UNESCO Institute for Statistics. Retrieved 26 August 2026, from https://reference.statizoid.com/stat/elderly-illiterate-population-65-years-both-sexes-number/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.