Elderly illiterate population, 65+ years, male in Sub-Saharan Africa (excluding high income)

Sub-Saharan Africa (excluding high income): Elderly illiterate population, 65+ years, male was 7.39 million number in 2019. ▲ Rising

Latest (2019)
7.39 million number
Change on year
up 1.9%
Rank
19th
of 37 groups
All-time high
7.39 million number
in 2019
All-time low
4.02 million number
in 1984
Years of data
36
1984–2019

Elderly illiterate population, 65+ years, male in Sub-Saharan Africa (excluding high income), 1984–2019

02.0M4.0M6.0M8.0M1984200120191984: 4.0M number1985: 4.1M number1986: 4.2M number1987: 4.4M number1988: 4.5M number1989: 4.6M number1990: 4.7M number1991: 4.9M number1992: 5.0M number1993: 5.1M number1994: 5.2M number1995: 5.3M number1996: 5.4M number1997: 5.4M number1998: 5.5M number1999: 5.5M number2000: 5.7M number2001: 5.7M number2002: 5.8M number2003: 5.9M number2004: 5.8M number2005: 5.8M number2006: 5.7M number2007: 6.1M number2008: 6.1M number2009: 6.0M number2010: 6.1M number2011: 6.3M number2012: 6.4M number2013: 6.5M number2014: 6.6M number2015: 6.7M number2016: 6.8M number2017: 7.1M number2018: 7.3M number2019: 7.4M number

Source: UNESCO Institute for Statistics. Measured in number.

Analysis

Sub-Saharan Africa (excluding high income) recorded 7.39 million number for elderly illiterate population, 65+ years, male in 2019. That is the highest value across all 36 years on record.

Compared with earlier readings it is up 1.9% on the previous year and up 22.9% over ten years.

Over the whole period, elderly illiterate population, 65+ years, male in Sub-Saharan Africa (excluding high income) peaked at 7.39 million number in 2019 and was at its lowest, 4.02 million number, in 1984.

That places Sub-Saharan Africa (excluding high income) 19th out of 37 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, male in Sub-Saharan Africa (excluding high income), year by year

Annual values for Elderly illiterate population, 65+ years, male (number) in Sub-Saharan Africa (excluding high income), 1984 to 2019.
Year number Change
1984 4.02 million number
1985 4.10 million number +2.2%
1986 4.24 million number +3.3%
1987 4.36 million number +2.8%
1988 4.47 million number +2.5%
1989 4.57 million number +2.3%
1990 4.69 million number +2.5%
1991 4.91 million number +4.7%
1992 5.00 million number +1.9%
1993 5.09 million number +1.9%
1994 5.22 million number +2.5%
1995 5.29 million number +1.4%
1996 5.39 million number +1.9%
1997 5.45 million number +1.0%
1998 5.46 million number +0.2%
1999 5.49 million number +0.5%
2000 5.66 million number +3.2%
2001 5.73 million number +1.1%
2002 5.81 million number +1.5%
2003 5.87 million number +1.0%
2004 5.81 million number -1.1%
2005 5.81 million number +0.1%
2006 5.65 million number -2.8%
2007 6.09 million number +7.8%
2008 6.06 million number -0.5%
2009 6.02 million number -0.7%
2010 6.15 million number +2.2%
2011 6.26 million number +1.8%
2012 6.44 million number +2.9%
2013 6.48 million number +0.6%
2014 6.58 million number +1.5%
2015 6.72 million number +2.3%
2016 6.81 million number +1.3%
2017 7.15 million number +5.0%
2018 7.26 million number +1.5%
2019 7.39 million number +1.9%

Averages by decade

DecadeAverage LowestHighest Years
1980s 4.29 million number 4.02 million number 4.57 million number 6
1990s 5.20 million number 4.69 million number 5.49 million number 10
2000s 5.85 million number 5.65 million number 6.09 million number 10
2010s 6.72 million number 6.15 million number 7.39 million number 10

Countries ranked near Sub-Saharan Africa (excluding high income)

  1. 16 Colombia 309,448 number compare
  2. 17 Côte d'Ivoire 261,729 number compare
  3. 18 Tanzania, United Republic of 222,565 number compare
  4. 19 Türkiye 194,627 number compare
  5. 20 Tunisia 166,978 number compare
  6. 21 Mozambique 156,553 number compare
  7. 22 Mali 154,113 number compare

See the full ranking of 121 places →

More reference data data for Sub-Saharan Africa (excluding high income)

All data for Sub-Saharan Africa (excluding high income) →

Frequently asked questions

What is elderly illiterate population, 65+ years, male in Sub-Saharan Africa (excluding high income)?
Elderly illiterate population, 65+ years, male in Sub-Saharan Africa (excluding high income) was 7.39 million number in 2019, according to UNESCO Institute for Statistics.
What is the highest elderly illiterate population, 65+ years, male recorded in Sub-Saharan Africa (excluding high income)?
The highest recorded value was 7.39 million number in 2019.
What is the lowest elderly illiterate population, 65+ years, male recorded in Sub-Saharan Africa (excluding high income)?
The lowest recorded value was 4.02 million number in 1984.
How does Sub-Saharan Africa (excluding high income) rank for elderly illiterate population, 65+ years, male?
Sub-Saharan Africa (excluding high income) ranks 19th out of 37 groups with data for 2019.
Is elderly illiterate population, 65+ years, male rising or falling in Sub-Saharan Africa (excluding high income)?
Over the last ten years it is up 22.9%. The long-run trend across the full record is rising.
Where does this Sub-Saharan Africa (excluding high income) data come from?
The figures come from UNESCO Institute for Statistics, published as part of Elderly illiterate population, 65+ years, male (number). Statizoid updates them automatically from the source API.

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Elderly illiterate population, 65+ years, male in Sub-Saharan Africa (excluding high income). Statizoid, drawing on UNESCO Institute for Statistics. Retrieved 02 September 2026, from https://reference.statizoid.com/stat/elderly-illiterate-population-65-years-male-number/sub-saharan-africa-excluding-high-income/

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About this data

Indicator
Elderly illiterate population, 65+ years, male (number)
Unit
number
Source
UNESCO Institute for Statistics
Licence
CC BY 4.0 (World Bank Open Data)
Coverage
121 places, 2,212 data points, 1970–2019
Last refreshed

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