Elderly illiterate population, 65+ years, female in Sub-Saharan Africa (IDA & IBRD countries)

Sub-Saharan Africa (IDA & IBRD countries): Elderly illiterate population, 65+ years, female was 13.80 million number in 2019. ▲ Rising

Latest (2019)
13.80 million number
Change on year
up 2.3%
Rank
17th
of 38 groups
All-time high
13.80 million number
in 2019
All-time low
6.07 million number
in 1984
Years of data
36
1984–2019

Elderly illiterate population, 65+ years, female in Sub-Saharan Africa (IDA & IBRD countries), 1984–2019

05.0M10.0M15.0M1984200120191984: 6.1M number1985: 6.2M number1986: 6.4M number1987: 6.6M number1988: 6.8M number1989: 7.0M number1990: 7.2M number1991: 7.5M number1992: 7.7M number1993: 7.9M number1994: 8.1M number1995: 8.3M number1996: 8.5M number1997: 8.7M number1998: 8.9M number1999: 9.1M number2000: 9.4M number2001: 9.6M number2002: 9.8M number2003: 10.0M number2004: 10.2M number2005: 10.4M number2006: 10.0M number2007: 10.6M number2008: 10.7M number2009: 10.7M number2010: 11.0M number2011: 11.3M number2012: 11.7M number2013: 11.9M number2014: 12.1M number2015: 12.4M number2016: 12.7M number2017: 13.3M number2018: 13.5M number2019: 13.8M number

Source: UNESCO Institute for Statistics. Measured in number.

Analysis

In 2019, elderly illiterate population, 65+ years, female in Sub-Saharan Africa (IDA & IBRD countries) stood at 13.80 million number. That is the highest value across all 36 years on record.

The figure is up 2.3% on the previous year and up 29.0% over ten years.

Over the whole period, elderly illiterate population, 65+ years, female in Sub-Saharan Africa (IDA & IBRD countries) peaked at 13.80 million number in 2019 and was at its lowest, 6.07 million number, in 1984.

That places Sub-Saharan Africa (IDA & IBRD countries) 17th out of 38 groups with data for 2019, putting it in the middle of the range.

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

Elderly illiterate population, 65+ years, female in Sub-Saharan Africa (IDA & IBRD countries), year by year

Annual values for Elderly illiterate population, 65+ years, female (number) in Sub-Saharan Africa (IDA & IBRD countries), 1984 to 2019.
Year number Change
1984 6.07 million number
1985 6.22 million number +2.5%
1986 6.41 million number +3.1%
1987 6.60 million number +3.0%
1988 6.79 million number +2.8%
1989 6.99 million number +2.9%
1990 7.18 million number +2.8%
1991 7.47 million number +4.1%
1992 7.69 million number +2.9%
1993 7.89 million number +2.6%
1994 8.10 million number +2.6%
1995 8.27 million number +2.2%
1996 8.50 million number +2.8%
1997 8.70 million number +2.4%
1998 8.87 million number +1.9%
1999 9.05 million number +2.0%
2000 9.35 million number +3.3%
2001 9.57 million number +2.4%
2002 9.82 million number +2.6%
2003 10.02 million number +2.1%
2004 10.23 million number +2.1%
2005 10.42 million number +1.8%
2006 10.03 million number -3.7%
2007 10.62 million number +5.9%
2008 10.66 million number +0.4%
2009 10.70 million number +0.4%
2010 10.97 million number +2.5%
2011 11.33 million number +3.3%
2012 11.68 million number +3.1%
2013 11.89 million number +1.7%
2014 12.11 million number +1.9%
2015 12.40 million number +2.4%
2016 12.66 million number +2.1%
2017 13.26 million number +4.8%
2018 13.50 million number +1.8%
2019 13.80 million number +2.3%

Averages by decade

DecadeAverage LowestHighest Years
1980s 6.51 million number 6.07 million number 6.99 million number 6
1990s 8.17 million number 7.18 million number 9.05 million number 10
2000s 10.14 million number 9.35 million number 10.70 million number 10
2010s 12.36 million number 10.97 million number 13.80 million number 10

Countries ranked near Sub-Saharan Africa (IDA & IBRD countries)

  1. 14 Morocco 1.09 million number compare
  2. 15 South Africa 874,905 number compare
  3. 16 Viet Nam 834,804 number compare
  4. 17 Nepal 799,830 number compare
  5. 18 Tanzania, United Republic of 538,081 number compare
  6. 19 Mozambique 435,883 number compare
  7. 20 Peru 425,601 number compare

See the full ranking of 121 places →

More reference data data for Sub-Saharan Africa (IDA & IBRD countries)

All data for Sub-Saharan Africa (IDA & IBRD countries) →

Frequently asked questions

What is elderly illiterate population, 65+ years, female in Sub-Saharan Africa (IDA & IBRD countries)?
Elderly illiterate population, 65+ years, female in Sub-Saharan Africa (IDA & IBRD countries) was 13.80 million number in 2019, according to UNESCO Institute for Statistics.
What is the highest elderly illiterate population, 65+ years, female recorded in Sub-Saharan Africa (IDA & IBRD countries)?
The highest recorded value was 13.80 million number in 2019.
What is the lowest elderly illiterate population, 65+ years, female recorded in Sub-Saharan Africa (IDA & IBRD countries)?
The lowest recorded value was 6.07 million number in 1984.
How does Sub-Saharan Africa (IDA & IBRD countries) rank for elderly illiterate population, 65+ years, female?
Sub-Saharan Africa (IDA & IBRD countries) ranks 17th out of 38 groups with data for 2019.
Is elderly illiterate population, 65+ years, female rising or falling in Sub-Saharan Africa (IDA & IBRD countries)?
Over the last ten years it is up 29.0%. The long-run trend across the full record is rising.
Where does this Sub-Saharan Africa (IDA & IBRD countries) data come from?
The figures come from UNESCO Institute for Statistics, published as part of Elderly illiterate population, 65+ years, female (number). Statizoid updates them automatically from the source API.

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Elderly illiterate population, 65+ years, female in Sub-Saharan Africa (IDA & IBRD countries). Statizoid, drawing on UNESCO Institute for Statistics. Retrieved 26 August 2026, from https://reference.statizoid.com/stat/elderly-illiterate-population-65-years-female-number/sub-saharan-africa-ida-and-ibrd-countries/

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About this data

Indicator
Elderly illiterate population, 65+ years, female (number)
Unit
number
Source
UNESCO Institute for Statistics
Licence
CC BY 4.0 (World Bank Open Data)
Coverage
121 places, 2,221 data points, 1970–2019
Last refreshed

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