Elderly literacy rate, population 65+ years, both sexes in Late-demographic dividend

Late-demographic dividend: Elderly literacy rate, population 65+ years, both sexes was 86.6% in 2019. ▲ Rising

Latest (2019)
86.6%
Change on year
up 1.0%
Rank
5th
of 38 groups
All-time high
86.6%
in 2019
All-time low
44.0%
in 1985
Years of data
44
1976–2019

Elderly literacy rate, population 65+ years, both sexes in Late-demographic dividend, 1976–2019

0204060801976199720191976: 45.7 %1977: 45.6 %1978: 45.6 %1979: 45.3 %1980: 45.3 %1981: 45 %1982: 45.4 %1983: 44.4 %1984: 44.1 %1985: 44 %1986: 44.1 %1987: 44.2 %1988: 51.5 %1989: 51.8 %1990: 45.6 %1991: 52.5 %1992: 52.9 %1993: 53.3 %1994: 53.6 %1995: 53.9 %1996: 54.3 %1997: 66.9 %1998: 67.4 %1999: 67.3 %2000: 67.6 %2001: 67.4 %2002: 67.7 %2003: 68 %2004: 68 %2005: 68.2 %2006: 69.2 %2007: 75.2 %2008: 76.1 %2009: 77.6 %2010: 78.3 %2011: 79.7 %2012: 80.6 %2013: 80.9 %2014: 82 %2015: 82.9 %2016: 84 %2017: 84.8 %2018: 85.8 %2019: 86.6 %

Source: UNESCO Institute for Statistics. Measured in %.

Analysis

In 2019, elderly literacy rate, population 65+ years, both sexes in Late-demographic dividend stood at 86.6%. That is the highest value across all 44 years on record.

The figure is up 1.0% on the previous year and up 11.6% over ten years.

Over the whole period, elderly literacy rate, population 65+ years, both sexes in Late-demographic dividend peaked at 86.6% in 2019 and was at its lowest, 44.0%, in 1985.

That places Late-demographic dividend 5th out of 38 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 Late-demographic dividend, year by year

Annual values for Elderly literacy rate, population 65+ years, both sexes (%) in Late-demographic dividend, 1976 to 2019.
Year % Change
1976 45.7%
1977 45.6% -0.1%
1978 45.6% -0.0%
1979 45.3% -0.7%
1980 45.3% +0.1%
1981 45.0% -0.8%
1982 45.4% +0.9%
1983 44.4% -2.1%
1984 44.1% -0.7%
1985 44.0% -0.2%
1986 44.1% +0.2%
1987 44.2% +0.2%
1988 51.5% +16.6%
1989 51.8% +0.5%
1990 45.6% -12.0%
1991 52.5% +15.1%
1992 52.9% +0.8%
1993 53.3% +0.7%
1994 53.6% +0.6%
1995 53.9% +0.5%
1996 54.3% +0.8%
1997 66.9% +23.2%
1998 67.4% +0.7%
1999 67.3% -0.2%
2000 67.6% +0.6%
2001 67.4% -0.3%
2002 67.7% +0.4%
2003 68.0% +0.4%
2004 68.0% +0.1%
2005 68.2% +0.3%
2006 69.2% +1.4%
2007 75.2% +8.8%
2008 76.1% +1.2%
2009 77.6% +1.9%
2010 78.3% +0.9%
2011 79.7% +1.7%
2012 80.6% +1.2%
2013 80.9% +0.4%
2014 82.0% +1.3%
2015 82.9% +1.2%
2016 84.0% +1.2%
2017 84.8% +1.0%
2018 85.8% +1.1%
2019 86.6% +1.0%

Averages by decade

DecadeAverage LowestHighest Years
1970s 45.6% 45.3% 45.7% 4
1980s 46.0% 44.0% 51.8% 10
1990s 56.8% 45.6% 67.4% 10
2000s 70.5% 67.4% 77.6% 10
2010s 82.6% 78.3% 86.6% 10

Countries ranked near Late-demographic dividend

  1. 2 Kazakhstan 99.5% compare
  2. 3 Tonga 99.2% compare
  3. 4 Barbados 98.5% compare
  4. 5 Azerbaijan 98.5% compare
  5. 6 Uruguay 97.8% compare
  6. 7 Argentina 97.6% compare
  7. 8 Republic of Moldova 97.1% compare

See the full ranking of 122 places →

More reference data data for Late-demographic dividend

All data for Late-demographic dividend →

Frequently asked questions

What is elderly literacy rate, population 65+ years, both sexes in Late-demographic dividend?
Elderly literacy rate, population 65+ years, both sexes in Late-demographic dividend was 86.6% in 2019, according to UNESCO Institute for Statistics.
What is the highest elderly literacy rate, population 65+ years, both sexes recorded in Late-demographic dividend?
The highest recorded value was 86.6% in 2019.
What is the lowest elderly literacy rate, population 65+ years, both sexes recorded in Late-demographic dividend?
The lowest recorded value was 44.0% in 1985.
How does Late-demographic dividend rank for elderly literacy rate, population 65+ years, both sexes?
Late-demographic dividend ranks 5th out of 38 groups with data for 2019.
Is elderly literacy rate, population 65+ years, both sexes rising or falling in Late-demographic dividend?
Over the last ten years it is up 11.6%. The long-run trend across the full record is rising.
Where does this Late-demographic dividend 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 Late-demographic dividend. Statizoid, drawing on UNESCO Institute for Statistics. Retrieved 31 August 2026, from https://reference.statizoid.com/stat/elderly-literacy-rate-population-65-years-both-sexes-percent/late-demographic-dividend/

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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.