Elderly literacy rate, population 65+ years, both sexes in Heavily indebted poor countries (HIPC)

Heavily indebted poor countries (HIPC): Elderly literacy rate, population 65+ years, both sexes was 33.8% in 2019. ▲ Rising

Latest (2019)
33.8%
Change on year
up 2.5%
Rank
37th
of 38 groups
All-time high
33.8%
in 2019
All-time low
16.5%
in 1986
Years of data
34
1986–2019

Elderly literacy rate, population 65+ years, both sexes in Heavily indebted poor countries (HIPC), 1986–2019

01020301986200220191986: 16.5 %1987: 16.8 %1988: 17.1 %1989: 17.3 %1990: 17.3 %1991: 17.8 %1992: 17.9 %1993: 18.3 %1994: 18.4 %1995: 19 %1996: 19.3 %1997: 19.9 %1998: 21.4 %1999: 21.9 %2000: 23 %2001: 22.7 %2002: 22.5 %2003: 22.7 %2004: 23 %2005: 23.5 %2006: 24.7 %2007: 26.5 %2008: 28.4 %2009: 29 %2010: 29.8 %2011: 29.3 %2012: 29.4 %2013: 30 %2014: 30.5 %2015: 30.4 %2016: 31.3 %2017: 32.2 %2018: 33 %2019: 33.8 %

Source: UNESCO Institute for Statistics. Measured in %.

Analysis

Heavily indebted poor countries (HIPC) recorded 33.8% for elderly literacy rate, population 65+ years, both sexes in 2019. That is the highest value across all 34 years on record.

Compared with earlier readings it is up 2.5% on the previous year and up 16.6% over ten years.

Over the whole period, elderly literacy rate, population 65+ years, both sexes in Heavily indebted poor countries (HIPC) peaked at 33.8% in 2019 and was at its lowest, 16.5%, in 1986.

That places Heavily indebted poor countries (HIPC) 37th out of 38 groups with data for 2019, putting it in the bottom quarter.

The long-run direction has been consistently rising across the 34 years of available data.

Elderly literacy rate, population 65+ years, both sexes in Heavily indebted poor countries (HIPC), year by year

Annual values for Elderly literacy rate, population 65+ years, both sexes (%) in Heavily indebted poor countries (HIPC), 1986 to 2019.
Year % Change
1986 16.5%
1987 16.8% +1.8%
1988 17.1% +2.1%
1989 17.3% +1.0%
1990 17.3% -0.1%
1991 17.8% +3.4%
1992 17.9% +0.4%
1993 18.3% +2.4%
1994 18.4% +0.5%
1995 19.0% +3.1%
1996 19.3% +1.9%
1997 19.9% +3.2%
1998 21.4% +7.3%
1999 21.9% +2.5%
2000 23.0% +4.7%
2001 22.7% -1.2%
2002 22.5% -0.9%
2003 22.7% +1.0%
2004 23.0% +1.5%
2005 23.5% +2.0%
2006 24.7% +5.1%
2007 26.5% +7.3%
2008 28.4% +7.1%
2009 29.0% +2.1%
2010 29.8% +2.7%
2011 29.3% -1.4%
2012 29.4% +0.2%
2013 30.0% +2.0%
2014 30.5% +1.6%
2015 30.4% -0.3%
2016 31.3% +3.0%
2017 32.2% +3.1%
2018 33.0% +2.3%
2019 33.8% +2.5%

Averages by decade

DecadeAverage LowestHighest Years
1980s 16.9% 16.5% 17.3% 4
1990s 19.1% 17.3% 21.9% 10
2000s 24.6% 22.5% 29.0% 10
2010s 31.0% 29.3% 33.8% 10

Countries ranked near Heavily indebted poor countries (HIPC)

  1. 34 Thailand 78.7% compare
  2. 35 Brazil 78.5% compare
  3. 36 Brunei 78.2% compare
  4. 37 Palestine 77.5% compare
  5. 38 Malaysia 75.5% compare
  6. 39 Indonesia 74.3% compare
  7. 40 Ecuador 73.0% compare

See the full ranking of 122 places →

More reference data data for Heavily indebted poor countries (HIPC)

All data for Heavily indebted poor countries (HIPC) →

Frequently asked questions

What is elderly literacy rate, population 65+ years, both sexes in Heavily indebted poor countries (HIPC)?
Elderly literacy rate, population 65+ years, both sexes in Heavily indebted poor countries (HIPC) was 33.8% in 2019, according to UNESCO Institute for Statistics.
What is the highest elderly literacy rate, population 65+ years, both sexes recorded in Heavily indebted poor countries (HIPC)?
The highest recorded value was 33.8% in 2019.
What is the lowest elderly literacy rate, population 65+ years, both sexes recorded in Heavily indebted poor countries (HIPC)?
The lowest recorded value was 16.5% in 1986.
How does Heavily indebted poor countries (HIPC) rank for elderly literacy rate, population 65+ years, both sexes?
Heavily indebted poor countries (HIPC) ranks 37th out of 38 groups with data for 2019.
Is elderly literacy rate, population 65+ years, both sexes rising or falling in Heavily indebted poor countries (HIPC)?
Over the last ten years it is up 16.6%. The long-run trend across the full record is rising.
Where does this Heavily indebted poor countries (HIPC) 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 Heavily indebted poor countries (HIPC). Statizoid, drawing on UNESCO Institute for Statistics. Retrieved 01 September 2026, from https://reference.statizoid.com/stat/elderly-literacy-rate-population-65-years-both-sexes-percent/heavily-indebted-poor-countries-hipc/

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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.