Elderly literacy rate, population 65+ years, both sexes in Iran, Islamic Republic of

Iran, Islamic Republic of: Elderly literacy rate, population 65+ years, both sexes was 36.8% in 2016. ▲ Rising

Latest (2016)
36.8%
Change on year
up 7.2%
World rank
65th
of 83 countries
All-time high
36.8%
in 2016
All-time low
10.3%
in 1976
Years of data
11
1976–2016

Elderly literacy rate, population 65+ years, both sexes in Iran, Islamic Republic of, 1976–2016

102030401976199620161976: 10.3 %1986: 15.3 %1991: 22.5 %1996: 20.8 %2005: 26.7 %2006: 27.8 %2008: 28.9 %2012: 32.6 %2013: 34.3 %2014: 34.3 %2016: 36.8 %

Source: UNESCO Institute for Statistics. Measured in %.

Analysis

In 2016, elderly literacy rate, population 65+ years, both sexes in Iran, Islamic Republic of stood at 36.8%. That is the highest value across all 11 years on record.

The figure is up 7.2% on the previous year and up 32.2% over ten years.

Over the whole period, elderly literacy rate, population 65+ years, both sexes in Iran, Islamic Republic of peaked at 36.8% in 2016 and was at its lowest, 10.3%, in 1976.

That places Iran, Islamic Republic of 65th out of 83 countries with data for 2016, putting it in the bottom quarter.

The long-run direction has been consistently rising across the 11 years of available data.

Elderly literacy rate, population 65+ years, both sexes in Iran, Islamic Republic of, year by year

Annual values for Elderly literacy rate, population 65+ years, both sexes (%) in Iran, Islamic Republic of, 1976 to 2016.
Year % Change
1976 10.3%
1986 15.3% +48.0%
1991 22.5% +47.2%
1996 20.8% -7.5%
2005 26.7% +28.3%
2006 27.8% +4.3%
2008 28.9% +4.0%
2012 32.6% +12.8%
2013 34.3% +5.0%
2014 34.3% +0.1%
2016 36.8% +7.2%

Averages by decade

DecadeAverage LowestHighest Years
1970s 10.3% 10.3% 10.3% 1
1980s 15.3% 15.3% 15.3% 1
1990s 21.6% 20.8% 22.5% 2
2000s 27.8% 26.7% 28.9% 3
2010s 34.5% 32.6% 36.8% 4

Countries ranked near Iran, Islamic Republic of

  1. 62 Cameroon 40.6% compare
  2. 63 Tunisia 39.8% compare
  3. 64 Bangladesh 39.4% compare
  4. 66 Malawi 35.1% compare
  5. 67 Morocco 34.1% compare
  6. 68 Algeria 33.5% compare

See the full ranking of 122 places →

More reference data data for Iran, Islamic Republic of

All data for Iran, Islamic Republic of →

Frequently asked questions

What is elderly literacy rate, population 65+ years, both sexes in Iran, Islamic Republic of?
Elderly literacy rate, population 65+ years, both sexes in Iran, Islamic Republic of was 36.8% in 2016, according to UNESCO Institute for Statistics.
What is the highest elderly literacy rate, population 65+ years, both sexes recorded in Iran, Islamic Republic of?
The highest recorded value was 36.8% in 2016.
What is the lowest elderly literacy rate, population 65+ years, both sexes recorded in Iran, Islamic Republic of?
The lowest recorded value was 10.3% in 1976.
How does Iran, Islamic Republic of rank for elderly literacy rate, population 65+ years, both sexes?
Iran, Islamic Republic of ranks 65th out of 83 countries with data for 2016.
Is elderly literacy rate, population 65+ years, both sexes rising or falling in Iran, Islamic Republic of?
Over the last ten years it is up 32.2%. The long-run trend across the full record is rising.
Where does this Iran, Islamic Republic of 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 Iran, Islamic Republic of. Statizoid, drawing on UNESCO Institute for Statistics. Retrieved 24 August 2026, from https://reference.statizoid.com/stat/elderly-literacy-rate-population-65-years-both-sexes-percent/iran-islamic-rep/

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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.