Elderly literacy rate, population 65+ years, both sexes in East Asia & Pacific (IDA & IBRD countries)

East Asia & Pacific (IDA & IBRD countries): Elderly literacy rate, population 65+ years, both sexes was 84.7% in 2019. ▲ Rising

Latest (2019)
84.7%
Change on year
up 1.3%
Rank
8th
of 39 groups
All-time high
84.7%
in 2019
All-time low
26.6%
in 1980
Years of data
44
1976–2019

Elderly literacy rate, population 65+ years, both sexes in East Asia & Pacific (IDA & IBRD countries), 1976–2019

204060801976199720191976: 27 %1977: 27 %1978: 27.2 %1979: 26.9 %1980: 26.6 %1981: 27.6 %1982: 28.6 %1983: 27.9 %1984: 28.1 %1985: 28.2 %1986: 28.4 %1987: 30 %1988: 39.8 %1989: 40 %1990: 30 %1991: 40.2 %1992: 40.4 %1993: 40.9 %1994: 41 %1995: 41.3 %1996: 41.7 %1997: 58.7 %1998: 58.9 %1999: 58.5 %2000: 58.9 %2001: 58.7 %2002: 59 %2003: 59.5 %2004: 59.5 %2005: 59.8 %2006: 62.9 %2007: 70.5 %2008: 70.7 %2009: 73 %2010: 74 %2011: 75.1 %2012: 76.4 %2013: 77 %2014: 78.7 %2015: 79.8 %2016: 81 %2017: 82.2 %2018: 83.6 %2019: 84.7 %

Source: UNESCO Institute for Statistics. Measured in %.

Analysis

East Asia & Pacific (IDA & IBRD countries) recorded 84.7% for elderly literacy rate, population 65+ years, both sexes in 2019. That is the highest value across all 44 years on record.

That represents a change of up 1.3% on the previous year and up 16.0% over ten years.

Over the whole period, elderly literacy rate, population 65+ years, both sexes in East Asia & Pacific (IDA & IBRD countries) peaked at 84.7% in 2019 and was at its lowest, 26.6%, in 1980.

East Asia & Pacific (IDA & IBRD countries) ranks 8th of 39 groups on this measure, in the top quarter.

The long-run direction has been consistently rising across the 44 years of available data.

Elderly literacy rate, population 65+ years, both sexes in East Asia & Pacific (IDA & IBRD countries), year by year

Annual values for Elderly literacy rate, population 65+ years, both sexes (%) in East Asia & Pacific (IDA & IBRD countries), 1976 to 2019.
Year % Change
1976 27.0%
1977 27.0% +0.1%
1978 27.2% +0.4%
1979 26.9% -0.9%
1980 26.6% -1.2%
1981 27.6% +3.7%
1982 28.6% +3.8%
1983 27.9% -2.3%
1984 28.1% +0.5%
1985 28.2% +0.6%
1986 28.4% +0.6%
1987 30.0% +5.5%
1988 39.8% +32.9%
1989 40.0% +0.4%
1990 30.0% -25.0%
1991 40.2% +34.1%
1992 40.4% +0.3%
1993 40.9% +1.2%
1994 41.0% +0.4%
1995 41.3% +0.6%
1996 41.7% +1.2%
1997 58.7% +40.7%
1998 58.9% +0.2%
1999 58.5% -0.6%
2000 58.9% +0.6%
2001 58.7% -0.3%
2002 59.0% +0.5%
2003 59.5% +0.9%
2004 59.5% -0.0%
2005 59.8% +0.5%
2006 62.9% +5.3%
2007 70.5% +12.0%
2008 70.7% +0.4%
2009 73.0% +3.3%
2010 74.0% +1.4%
2011 75.1% +1.5%
2012 76.4% +1.7%
2013 77.0% +0.8%
2014 78.7% +2.2%
2015 79.8% +1.4%
2016 81.0% +1.5%
2017 82.2% +1.5%
2018 83.6% +1.7%
2019 84.7% +1.3%

Averages by decade

DecadeAverage LowestHighest Years
1970s 27.0% 26.9% 27.2% 4
1980s 30.5% 26.6% 40.0% 10
1990s 45.2% 30.0% 58.9% 10
2000s 63.2% 58.7% 73.0% 10
2010s 79.2% 74.0% 84.7% 10

Countries ranked near East Asia & Pacific (IDA & IBRD countries)

  1. 5 Azerbaijan 98.5% compare
  2. 6 Uruguay 97.8% compare
  3. 7 Argentina 97.6% compare
  4. 8 Republic of Moldova 97.1% compare
  5. 9 Montenegro 96.9% compare
  6. 10 Grenada 96.2% compare
  7. 11 Spain 95.2% compare

See the full ranking of 122 places →

More reference data data for East Asia & Pacific (IDA & IBRD countries)

All data for East Asia & Pacific (IDA & IBRD countries) →

Frequently asked questions

What is elderly literacy rate, population 65+ years, both sexes in East Asia & Pacific (IDA & IBRD countries)?
Elderly literacy rate, population 65+ years, both sexes in East Asia & Pacific (IDA & IBRD countries) was 84.7% in 2019, according to UNESCO Institute for Statistics.
What is the highest elderly literacy rate, population 65+ years, both sexes recorded in East Asia & Pacific (IDA & IBRD countries)?
The highest recorded value was 84.7% in 2019.
What is the lowest elderly literacy rate, population 65+ years, both sexes recorded in East Asia & Pacific (IDA & IBRD countries)?
The lowest recorded value was 26.6% in 1980.
How does East Asia & Pacific (IDA & IBRD countries) rank for elderly literacy rate, population 65+ years, both sexes?
East Asia & Pacific (IDA & IBRD countries) ranks 8th out of 39 groups with data for 2019.
Is elderly literacy rate, population 65+ years, both sexes rising or falling in East Asia & Pacific (IDA & IBRD countries)?
Over the last ten years it is up 16.0%. The long-run trend across the full record is rising.
Where does this East Asia & Pacific (IDA & IBRD countries) 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 East Asia & Pacific (IDA & IBRD countries). Statizoid, drawing on UNESCO Institute for Statistics. Retrieved 11 September 2026, from https://reference.statizoid.com/stat/elderly-literacy-rate-population-65-years-both-sexes-percent/east-asia-and-pacific-ida-and-ibrd-countries/

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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.