Elderly literacy rate, population 65+ years, both sexes in Latin America & Caribbean (excluding high income)
Latin America & Caribbean (excluding high income): Elderly literacy rate, population 65+ years, both sexes was 81.4% in 2019. ▲ Rising
Elderly literacy rate, population 65+ years, both sexes in Latin America & Caribbean (excluding high income), 1974–2019
Source: UNESCO Institute for Statistics. Measured in %.
Analysis
In 2019, elderly literacy rate, population 65+ years, both sexes in Latin America & Caribbean (excluding high income) stood at 81.4%. That is the highest value across all 46 years on record.
The figure is up 0.9% on the previous year and up 10.0% over ten years.
Over the whole period, elderly literacy rate, population 65+ years, both sexes in Latin America & Caribbean (excluding high income) peaked at 81.4% in 2019 and was at its lowest, 59.9%, in 1974.
Latin America & Caribbean (excluding high income) ranks 13th of 39 groups on this measure, in the middle of the range.
The long-run direction has been consistently rising across the 46 years of available data.
Elderly literacy rate, population 65+ years, both sexes in Latin America & Caribbean (excluding high income), year by year
| Year | % | Change |
|---|---|---|
| 1974 | 59.9% | — |
| 1975 | 60.0% | +0.0% |
| 1976 | 60.0% | -0.0% |
| 1977 | 60.0% | +0.0% |
| 1978 | 60.0% | +0.0% |
| 1979 | 60.0% | +0.0% |
| 1980 | 60.1% | +0.2% |
| 1981 | 60.5% | +0.7% |
| 1982 | 61.0% | +0.9% |
| 1983 | 61.6% | +0.8% |
| 1984 | 62.1% | +0.8% |
| 1985 | 62.5% | +0.8% |
| 1986 | 62.9% | +0.6% |
| 1987 | 63.3% | +0.5% |
| 1988 | 64.4% | +1.8% |
| 1989 | 64.7% | +0.6% |
| 1990 | 64.8% | +0.1% |
| 1991 | 65.1% | +0.5% |
| 1992 | 65.6% | +0.7% |
| 1993 | 66.1% | +0.8% |
| 1994 | 66.7% | +0.9% |
| 1995 | 67.3% | +0.9% |
| 1996 | 67.5% | +0.3% |
| 1997 | 68.1% | +0.9% |
| 1998 | 69.3% | +1.8% |
| 1999 | 69.6% | +0.4% |
| 2000 | 69.8% | +0.3% |
| 2001 | 69.6% | -0.3% |
| 2002 | 68.9% | -1.0% |
| 2003 | 69.6% | +1.0% |
| 2004 | 70.2% | +0.9% |
| 2005 | 71.4% | +1.6% |
| 2006 | 72.2% | +1.2% |
| 2007 | 72.8% | +0.8% |
| 2008 | 73.2% | +0.6% |
| 2009 | 74.0% | +1.1% |
| 2010 | 74.1% | +0.1% |
| 2011 | 75.1% | +1.4% |
| 2012 | 76.6% | +1.9% |
| 2013 | 76.8% | +0.3% |
| 2014 | 77.7% | +1.2% |
| 2015 | 78.0% | +0.4% |
| 2016 | 79.5% | +1.9% |
| 2017 | 80.0% | +0.7% |
| 2018 | 80.6% | +0.8% |
| 2019 | 81.4% | +0.9% |
Averages by decade
| Decade | Average | Lowest | Highest | Years |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1970s | 60.0% | 59.9% | 60.0% | 6 |
| 1980s | 62.3% | 60.1% | 64.7% | 10 |
| 1990s | 67.0% | 64.8% | 69.6% | 10 |
| 2000s | 71.2% | 68.9% | 74.0% | 10 |
| 2010s | 78.0% | 74.1% | 81.4% | 10 |
Countries ranked near Latin America & Caribbean (excluding high income)
More reference data data for Latin America & Caribbean (excluding high income)
- Exchange rate, new LCU per USD extended backward, period average 466.52 (2026)
- CPI Price, nominal 227.47 (2026)
- CPI Price, nominal, seas. adj. 223.29 (2026)
- School age population, one year before than official primary entry 5.10 million number (2019)
- School life expectancy, primary, both sexes 6.17 years (2019)
- School age population, one year before than official primary entry 4.89 million number (2019)
- School age population, one year before than official primary entry 9.99 million number (2019)
- School life expectancy, primary, female 6.12 years (2019)
- School life expectancy, primary, male 6.21 years (2019)
- Share of all students in secondary education enrolled in general 87.4% (2019)
All data for Latin America & Caribbean (excluding high income) →
Frequently asked questions
- What is elderly literacy rate, population 65+ years, both sexes in Latin America & Caribbean (excluding high income)?
- Elderly literacy rate, population 65+ years, both sexes in Latin America & Caribbean (excluding high income) was 81.4% in 2019, according to UNESCO Institute for Statistics.
- What is the highest elderly literacy rate, population 65+ years, both sexes recorded in Latin America & Caribbean (excluding high income)?
- The highest recorded value was 81.4% in 2019.
- What is the lowest elderly literacy rate, population 65+ years, both sexes recorded in Latin America & Caribbean (excluding high income)?
- The lowest recorded value was 59.9% in 1974.
- How does Latin America & Caribbean (excluding high income) rank for elderly literacy rate, population 65+ years, both sexes?
- Latin America & Caribbean (excluding high income) ranks 13th out of 39 groups with data for 2019.
- Is elderly literacy rate, population 65+ years, both sexes rising or falling in Latin America & Caribbean (excluding high income)?
- Over the last ten years it is up 10.0%. The long-run trend across the full record is rising.
- Where does this Latin America & Caribbean (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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About this data
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.