Elderly literacy rate, population 65+ years, both sexes in Early-demographic dividend

Early-demographic dividend: Elderly literacy rate, population 65+ years, both sexes was 54.8% in 2019. ▲ Rising

Latest (2019)
54.8%
Change on year
up 1.8%
Rank
21st
of 38 groups
All-time high
54.8%
in 2019
All-time low
30.1%
in 1980
Years of data
45
1975–2019

Elderly literacy rate, population 65+ years, both sexes in Early-demographic dividend, 1975–2019

02040601975199720191975: 31 %1976: 31.1 %1977: 31 %1978: 31.1 %1979: 30.9 %1980: 30.1 %1981: 31.2 %1982: 31.1 %1983: 31.3 %1984: 31.5 %1985: 31.6 %1986: 31.7 %1987: 33.8 %1988: 35.9 %1989: 36.2 %1990: 35 %1991: 36.7 %1992: 36.6 %1993: 37.1 %1994: 37.2 %1995: 37.4 %1996: 37.6 %1997: 38 %1998: 41.9 %1999: 41.8 %2000: 42 %2001: 42.2 %2002: 42.1 %2003: 43.3 %2004: 43.4 %2005: 42.5 %2006: 45.2 %2007: 44.6 %2008: 44.3 %2009: 45.7 %2010: 48.5 %2011: 48.9 %2012: 49.4 %2013: 50 %2014: 51.3 %2015: 51.6 %2016: 52.7 %2017: 53.1 %2018: 53.9 %2019: 54.8 %

Source: UNESCO Institute for Statistics. Measured in %.

Analysis

Early-demographic dividend recorded 54.8% for elderly literacy rate, population 65+ years, both sexes in 2019. That is the highest value across all 45 years on record.

The figure is up 1.8% on the previous year and up 19.9% over ten years.

Over the whole period, elderly literacy rate, population 65+ years, both sexes in Early-demographic dividend peaked at 54.8% in 2019 and was at its lowest, 30.1%, in 1980.

That places Early-demographic dividend 21st 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 45 years of available data.

Elderly literacy rate, population 65+ years, both sexes in Early-demographic dividend, year by year

Annual values for Elderly literacy rate, population 65+ years, both sexes (%) in Early-demographic dividend, 1975 to 2019.
Year % Change
1975 31.0%
1976 31.1% +0.2%
1977 31.0% -0.0%
1978 31.1% +0.2%
1979 30.9% -0.6%
1980 30.1% -2.6%
1981 31.2% +3.5%
1982 31.1% -0.1%
1983 31.3% +0.4%
1984 31.5% +0.6%
1985 31.6% +0.3%
1986 31.7% +0.4%
1987 33.8% +6.6%
1988 35.9% +6.1%
1989 36.2% +0.9%
1990 35.0% -3.2%
1991 36.7% +4.7%
1992 36.6% -0.1%
1993 37.1% +1.2%
1994 37.2% +0.3%
1995 37.4% +0.5%
1996 37.6% +0.7%
1997 38.0% +0.9%
1998 41.9% +10.3%
1999 41.8% -0.2%
2000 42.0% +0.4%
2001 42.2% +0.5%
2002 42.1% -0.1%
2003 43.3% +2.8%
2004 43.4% +0.2%
2005 42.5% -2.0%
2006 45.2% +6.4%
2007 44.6% -1.3%
2008 44.3% -0.7%
2009 45.7% +3.2%
2010 48.5% +6.2%
2011 48.9% +0.7%
2012 49.4% +1.1%
2013 50.0% +1.1%
2014 51.3% +2.6%
2015 51.6% +0.6%
2016 52.7% +2.1%
2017 53.1% +0.8%
2018 53.9% +1.4%
2019 54.8% +1.8%

Averages by decade

DecadeAverage LowestHighest Years
1970s 31.0% 30.9% 31.1% 5
1980s 32.4% 30.1% 36.2% 10
1990s 37.9% 35.0% 41.9% 10
2000s 43.5% 42.0% 45.7% 10
2010s 51.4% 48.5% 54.8% 10

Countries ranked near Early-demographic dividend

  1. 18 Portugal 88.3% compare
  2. 19 Malta 88.2% compare
  3. 20 Venezuela, Bolivarian Republic of 88.1% compare
  4. 21 Singapore 86.4% compare
  5. 22 Viet Nam 85.8% compare
  6. 23 China 85.0% compare
  7. 24 Panama 85.0% compare

See the full ranking of 122 places →

More reference data data for Early-demographic dividend

All data for Early-demographic dividend →

Frequently asked questions

What is elderly literacy rate, population 65+ years, both sexes in Early-demographic dividend?
Elderly literacy rate, population 65+ years, both sexes in Early-demographic dividend was 54.8% in 2019, according to UNESCO Institute for Statistics.
What is the highest elderly literacy rate, population 65+ years, both sexes recorded in Early-demographic dividend?
The highest recorded value was 54.8% in 2019.
What is the lowest elderly literacy rate, population 65+ years, both sexes recorded in Early-demographic dividend?
The lowest recorded value was 30.1% in 1980.
How does Early-demographic dividend rank for elderly literacy rate, population 65+ years, both sexes?
Early-demographic dividend ranks 21st out of 38 groups with data for 2019.
Is elderly literacy rate, population 65+ years, both sexes rising or falling in Early-demographic dividend?
Over the last ten years it is up 19.9%. The long-run trend across the full record is rising.
Where does this Early-demographic dividend data come from?
The figures come from UNESCO Institute for Statistics, published as part of Elderly literacy rate, population 65+ years, both sexes (%). Statizoid updates them automatically from the source API.

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Elderly literacy rate, population 65+ years, both sexes in Early-demographic dividend. Statizoid, drawing on UNESCO Institute for Statistics. Retrieved 31 August 2026, from https://reference.statizoid.com/stat/elderly-literacy-rate-population-65-years-both-sexes-percent/early-demographic-dividend/

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About this data

Indicator
Elderly literacy rate, population 65+ years, both sexes (%)
Unit
%
Source
UNESCO Institute for Statistics
Licence
CC BY 4.0 (World Bank Open Data)
Coverage
122 places, 2,190 data points, 1970–2019
Last refreshed

Percentage of the population age 65 and above who can, with understanding, read and write a short, simple statement on their everyday life. Generally, ‘literacy’ also encompasses ‘numeracy’, the ability to make simple arithmetic calculations. This indicator is calculated by dividing the number of literates aged 65 years and over by the corresponding age group population and multiplying the result by 100.