Elderly literacy rate, population 65+ years, both sexes in IDA only

IDA only: Elderly literacy rate, population 65+ years, both sexes was 37.2% in 2019. ▲ Rising

Latest (2019)
37.2%
Change on year
up 1.2%
Rank
29th
of 38 groups
All-time high
37.2%
in 2019
All-time low
22.7%
in 1982
Years of data
39
1981–2019

Elderly literacy rate, population 65+ years, both sexes in IDA only, 1981–2019

0102030401981200020191981: 22.8 %1982: 22.7 %1983: 22.8 %1984: 22.9 %1985: 23.1 %1986: 23.1 %1987: 23.3 %1988: 23.9 %1989: 24 %1990: 24.1 %1991: 24.7 %1992: 24.5 %1993: 24.8 %1994: 25.2 %1995: 25.9 %1996: 26.1 %1997: 26.6 %1998: 28.3 %1999: 28.7 %2000: 29.2 %2001: 29.6 %2002: 29.5 %2003: 29.5 %2004: 29.7 %2005: 30.1 %2006: 30.7 %2007: 31 %2008: 33.1 %2009: 33.5 %2010: 33.6 %2011: 31.6 %2012: 30.9 %2013: 31.7 %2014: 32.8 %2015: 33.1 %2016: 35.5 %2017: 36 %2018: 36.7 %2019: 37.2 %

Source: UNESCO Institute for Statistics. Measured in %.

Analysis

IDA only recorded 37.2% for elderly literacy rate, population 65+ years, both sexes in 2019. That is the highest value across all 39 years on record.

That represents a change of up 1.2% on the previous year and up 11.0% over ten years.

Over the whole period, elderly literacy rate, population 65+ years, both sexes in IDA only peaked at 37.2% in 2019 and was at its lowest, 22.7%, in 1982.

IDA only ranks 29th of 38 groups on this measure, in the bottom quarter.

The long-run direction has been consistently rising across the 39 years of available data.

Elderly literacy rate, population 65+ years, both sexes in IDA only, year by year

Annual values for Elderly literacy rate, population 65+ years, both sexes (%) in IDA only, 1981 to 2019.
Year % Change
1981 22.8%
1982 22.7% -0.6%
1983 22.8% +0.8%
1984 22.9% +0.3%
1985 23.1% +0.7%
1986 23.1% +0.4%
1987 23.3% +0.5%
1988 23.9% +2.7%
1989 24.0% +0.6%
1990 24.1% +0.1%
1991 24.7% +2.5%
1992 24.5% -0.6%
1993 24.8% +1.0%
1994 25.2% +1.7%
1995 25.9% +2.8%
1996 26.1% +0.8%
1997 26.6% +1.7%
1998 28.3% +6.5%
1999 28.7% +1.3%
2000 29.2% +2.0%
2001 29.6% +1.3%
2002 29.5% -0.5%
2003 29.5% +0.1%
2004 29.7% +0.8%
2005 30.1% +1.3%
2006 30.7% +1.8%
2007 31.0% +1.2%
2008 33.1% +6.6%
2009 33.5% +1.2%
2010 33.6% +0.5%
2011 31.6% -6.0%
2012 30.9% -2.3%
2013 31.7% +2.6%
2014 32.8% +3.6%
2015 33.1% +0.7%
2016 35.5% +7.3%
2017 36.0% +1.5%
2018 36.7% +1.9%
2019 37.2% +1.2%

Averages by decade

DecadeAverage LowestHighest Years
1980s 23.2% 22.7% 24.0% 9
1990s 25.9% 24.1% 28.7% 10
2000s 30.6% 29.2% 33.5% 10
2010s 33.9% 30.9% 37.2% 10

Countries ranked near IDA only

  1. 26 Macau, China 81.2% compare
  2. 27 Suriname 81.0% compare
  3. 28 Mexico 80.7% compare
  4. 29 Türkiye 80.4% compare
  5. 30 Dominican Republic 79.8% compare
  6. 31 Sri Lanka 79.1% compare
  7. 32 Peru 79.0% compare

See the full ranking of 122 places →

More reference data data for IDA only

All data for IDA only →

Frequently asked questions

What is elderly literacy rate, population 65+ years, both sexes in IDA only?
Elderly literacy rate, population 65+ years, both sexes in IDA only was 37.2% in 2019, according to UNESCO Institute for Statistics.
What is the highest elderly literacy rate, population 65+ years, both sexes recorded in IDA only?
The highest recorded value was 37.2% in 2019.
What is the lowest elderly literacy rate, population 65+ years, both sexes recorded in IDA only?
The lowest recorded value was 22.7% in 1982.
How does IDA only rank for elderly literacy rate, population 65+ years, both sexes?
IDA only ranks 29th out of 38 groups with data for 2019.
Is elderly literacy rate, population 65+ years, both sexes rising or falling in IDA only?
Over the last ten years it is up 11.0%. The long-run trend across the full record is rising.
Where does this IDA only 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 IDA only. Statizoid, drawing on UNESCO Institute for Statistics. Retrieved 25 August 2026, from https://reference.statizoid.com/stat/elderly-literacy-rate-population-65-years-both-sexes-percent/ida-only/

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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.