Elderly literacy rate, population 65+ years, both sexes in East Asia & Pacific
East Asia & Pacific: Elderly literacy rate, population 65+ years, both sexes was 83.9% in 2019. ▲ Rising
Elderly literacy rate, population 65+ years, both sexes in East Asia & Pacific, 1976–2019
Source: UNESCO Institute for Statistics. Measured in %.
Analysis
In 2019, elderly literacy rate, population 65+ years, both sexes in East Asia & Pacific stood at 83.9%. That is the highest value across all 44 years on record.
The figure is up 1.2% on the previous year and up 15.2% over ten years.
Over the whole period, elderly literacy rate, population 65+ years, both sexes in East Asia & Pacific peaked at 83.9% in 2019 and was at its lowest, 31.5%, in 1980.
That places East Asia & Pacific 10th out of 39 groups with data for 2019, putting it 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, year by year
| Year | % | Change |
|---|---|---|
| 1976 | 32.0% | — |
| 1977 | 32.0% | +0.1% |
| 1978 | 32.1% | +0.3% |
| 1979 | 31.8% | -0.9% |
| 1980 | 31.5% | -0.9% |
| 1981 | 32.5% | +3.2% |
| 1982 | 33.4% | +2.5% |
| 1983 | 32.9% | -1.5% |
| 1984 | 33.0% | +0.5% |
| 1985 | 33.2% | +0.6% |
| 1986 | 33.4% | +0.6% |
| 1987 | 35.0% | +4.9% |
| 1988 | 43.1% | +23.2% |
| 1989 | 43.4% | +0.5% |
| 1990 | 35.2% | -18.9% |
| 1991 | 43.7% | +24.4% |
| 1992 | 43.9% | +0.5% |
| 1993 | 44.5% | +1.4% |
| 1994 | 44.8% | +0.6% |
| 1995 | 45.2% | +0.8% |
| 1996 | 45.7% | +1.1% |
| 1997 | 59.5% | +30.3% |
| 1998 | 59.6% | +0.3% |
| 1999 | 59.4% | -0.4% |
| 2000 | 59.8% | +0.6% |
| 2001 | 59.6% | -0.2% |
| 2002 | 60.0% | +0.7% |
| 2003 | 60.7% | +1.2% |
| 2004 | 60.8% | +0.1% |
| 2005 | 61.2% | +0.7% |
| 2006 | 64.1% | +4.7% |
| 2007 | 70.3% | +9.7% |
| 2008 | 70.7% | +0.5% |
| 2009 | 72.8% | +3.1% |
| 2010 | 73.7% | +1.2% |
| 2011 | 74.5% | +1.0% |
| 2012 | 75.7% | +1.6% |
| 2013 | 76.2% | +0.6% |
| 2014 | 78.0% | +2.4% |
| 2015 | 79.2% | +1.5% |
| 2016 | 80.3% | +1.5% |
| 2017 | 81.6% | +1.5% |
| 2018 | 82.9% | +1.7% |
| 2019 | 83.9% | +1.2% |
Averages by decade
| Decade | Average | Lowest | Highest | Years |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1970s | 32.0% | 31.8% | 32.1% | 4 |
| 1980s | 35.1% | 31.5% | 43.4% | 10 |
| 1990s | 48.2% | 35.2% | 59.6% | 10 |
| 2000s | 64.0% | 59.6% | 72.8% | 10 |
| 2010s | 78.6% | 73.7% | 83.9% | 10 |
Countries ranked near East Asia & Pacific
- 7 Argentina 97.6% compare
- 8 Republic of Moldova 97.1% compare
- 9 Montenegro 96.9% compare
- 10 Grenada 96.2% compare
- 11 Spain 95.2% compare
- 12 Greece 95.2% compare
- 13 Philippines 94.3% compare
More reference data data for East Asia & Pacific
- School age population, one year before than official primary entry 31.45 million number (2019)
- School life expectancy, primary, both sexes 6.12 years (2019)
- School age population, one year before than official primary entry 14.94 million number (2019)
- School age population, one year before than official primary entry 16.52 million number (2019)
- School life expectancy, primary, male 6.13 years (2019)
- School life expectancy, primary, female 6.11 years (2019)
- Share of all students in secondary education enrolled in general 84.3% (2019)
- School life expectancy, pre-primary, both sexes 2.16 years (2019)
- Gross enrolment ratio for tertiary education, adjusted gender parity 1.15 GPIA (2019)
- Teachers in primary education, male 3.26 million number (2019)
Frequently asked questions
- What is elderly literacy rate, population 65+ years, both sexes in East Asia & Pacific?
- Elderly literacy rate, population 65+ years, both sexes in East Asia & Pacific was 83.9% 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?
- The highest recorded value was 83.9% in 2019.
- What is the lowest elderly literacy rate, population 65+ years, both sexes recorded in East Asia & Pacific?
- The lowest recorded value was 31.5% in 1980.
- How does East Asia & Pacific rank for elderly literacy rate, population 65+ years, both sexes?
- East Asia & Pacific ranks 10th out of 39 groups with data for 2019.
- Is elderly literacy rate, population 65+ years, both sexes rising or falling in East Asia & Pacific?
- Over the last ten years it is up 15.2%. The long-run trend across the full record is rising.
- Where does this East Asia & Pacific 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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About this data
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.