Elderly literacy rate, population 65+ years, both sexes in Europe & Central Asia (excluding high income)

Europe & Central Asia (excluding high income): Elderly literacy rate, population 65+ years, both sexes was 96.7% in 2019. ▲ Rising

Latest (2019)
96.7%
Change on year
up 0.2%
Rank
1st
of 39 groups
All-time high
97.5%
in 2016
All-time low
80.9%
in 1983
Years of data
37
1983–2019

Elderly literacy rate, population 65+ years, both sexes in Europe & Central Asia (excluding high income), 1983–2019

0204060801001983200120191983: 80.9 %1984: 81.1 %1985: 81.6 %1986: 82.1 %1987: 82.6 %1988: 83.2 %1989: 83.9 %1990: 84.7 %1991: 85.3 %1992: 86.1 %1993: 86.8 %1994: 87.4 %1995: 87.9 %1996: 88.7 %1997: 88.9 %1998: 90.6 %1999: 90.7 %2000: 91.4 %2001: 91.4 %2002: 91.5 %2003: 91.8 %2004: 92 %2005: 92.5 %2006: 92.4 %2007: 92.6 %2008: 93 %2009: 94 %2010: 94.3 %2011: 95.1 %2012: 95.5 %2013: 95.6 %2014: 95.8 %2015: 95.9 %2016: 97.5 %2017: 96.3 %2018: 96.5 %2019: 96.7 %

Source: UNESCO Institute for Statistics. Measured in %.

Analysis

The most recent figure for elderly literacy rate, population 65+ years, both sexes in Europe & Central Asia (excluding high income) is 96.7%, measured in 2019.

The figure is up 0.2% on the previous year and up 2.9% over ten years.

Over the whole period, elderly literacy rate, population 65+ years, both sexes in Europe & Central Asia (excluding high income) peaked at 97.5% in 2016 and was at its lowest, 80.9%, in 1983.

That places Europe & Central Asia (excluding high income) 1st out of 39 groups with data for 2019, putting it in the top 10%.

The long-run direction has been consistently rising across the 37 years of available data.

Elderly literacy rate, population 65+ years, both sexes in Europe & Central Asia (excluding high income), year by year

Annual values for Elderly literacy rate, population 65+ years, both sexes (%) in Europe & Central Asia (excluding high income), 1983 to 2019.
Year % Change
1983 80.9%
1984 81.1% +0.3%
1985 81.6% +0.6%
1986 82.1% +0.6%
1987 82.6% +0.7%
1988 83.2% +0.7%
1989 83.9% +0.8%
1990 84.7% +0.9%
1991 85.3% +0.7%
1992 86.1% +0.9%
1993 86.8% +0.8%
1994 87.4% +0.7%
1995 87.9% +0.5%
1996 88.7% +0.9%
1997 88.9% +0.3%
1998 90.6% +1.9%
1999 90.7% +0.0%
2000 91.4% +0.8%
2001 91.4% +0.0%
2002 91.5% +0.2%
2003 91.8% +0.3%
2004 92.0% +0.2%
2005 92.5% +0.6%
2006 92.4% -0.2%
2007 92.6% +0.2%
2008 93.0% +0.5%
2009 94.0% +1.0%
2010 94.3% +0.3%
2011 95.1% +0.8%
2012 95.5% +0.5%
2013 95.6% +0.1%
2014 95.8% +0.2%
2015 95.9% +0.2%
2016 97.5% +1.6%
2017 96.3% -1.2%
2018 96.5% +0.2%
2019 96.7% +0.2%

Averages by decade

DecadeAverage LowestHighest Years
1980s 82.2% 80.9% 83.9% 7
1990s 87.7% 84.7% 90.7% 10
2000s 92.3% 91.4% 94.0% 10
2010s 95.9% 94.3% 97.5% 10

Countries ranked near Europe & Central Asia (excluding high income)

  1. 1 Uzbekistan 99.9% compare
  2. 2 Kazakhstan 99.5% compare
  3. 3 Tonga 99.2% compare
  4. 4 Barbados 98.5% compare

See the full ranking of 122 places →

More reference data data for Europe & Central Asia (excluding high income)

All data for Europe & Central Asia (excluding high income) →

Frequently asked questions

What is elderly literacy rate, population 65+ years, both sexes in Europe & Central Asia (excluding high income)?
Elderly literacy rate, population 65+ years, both sexes in Europe & Central Asia (excluding high income) was 96.7% in 2019, according to UNESCO Institute for Statistics.
What is the highest elderly literacy rate, population 65+ years, both sexes recorded in Europe & Central Asia (excluding high income)?
The highest recorded value was 97.5% in 2016.
What is the lowest elderly literacy rate, population 65+ years, both sexes recorded in Europe & Central Asia (excluding high income)?
The lowest recorded value was 80.9% in 1983.
How does Europe & Central Asia (excluding high income) rank for elderly literacy rate, population 65+ years, both sexes?
Europe & Central Asia (excluding high income) ranks 1st out of 39 groups with data for 2019.
Is elderly literacy rate, population 65+ years, both sexes rising or falling in Europe & Central Asia (excluding high income)?
Over the last ten years it is up 2.9%. The long-run trend across the full record is rising.
Where does this Europe & Central Asia (excluding high income) 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 Europe & Central Asia (excluding high income). Statizoid, drawing on UNESCO Institute for Statistics. Retrieved 14 September 2026, from https://reference.statizoid.com/stat/elderly-literacy-rate-population-65-years-both-sexes-percent/europe-and-central-asia-excluding-high-income/

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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.