Elderly literacy rate, population 65+ years, both sexes in Latin America & the Caribbean (IDA & IBRD countries)
Latin America & the Caribbean (IDA & IBRD countries): 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 & the Caribbean (IDA & IBRD countries), 1974–2019
Source: UNESCO Institute for Statistics. Measured in %.
Analysis
In 2019, elderly literacy rate, population 65+ years, both sexes in Latin America & the Caribbean (IDA & IBRD countries) 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 9.9% over ten years.
Over the whole period, elderly literacy rate, population 65+ years, both sexes in Latin America & the Caribbean (IDA & IBRD countries) peaked at 81.4% in 2019 and was at its lowest, 59.2%, in 1979.
Latin America & the Caribbean (IDA & IBRD countries) ranks 12th 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 & the Caribbean (IDA & IBRD countries), year by year
| Year | % | Change |
|---|---|---|
| 1974 | 59.2% | — |
| 1975 | 59.2% | -0.0% |
| 1976 | 59.2% | -0.0% |
| 1977 | 59.2% | -0.0% |
| 1978 | 59.2% | +0.0% |
| 1979 | 59.2% | -0.0% |
| 1980 | 59.3% | +0.2% |
| 1981 | 59.7% | +0.7% |
| 1982 | 60.2% | +0.9% |
| 1983 | 60.8% | +0.9% |
| 1984 | 61.3% | +0.8% |
| 1985 | 61.8% | +0.8% |
| 1986 | 62.2% | +0.7% |
| 1987 | 62.6% | +0.6% |
| 1988 | 63.7% | +1.8% |
| 1989 | 64.2% | +0.8% |
| 1990 | 64.3% | +0.2% |
| 1991 | 64.7% | +0.6% |
| 1992 | 65.2% | +0.8% |
| 1993 | 65.8% | +0.9% |
| 1994 | 66.4% | +0.9% |
| 1995 | 67.0% | +0.9% |
| 1996 | 67.3% | +0.4% |
| 1997 | 67.9% | +1.0% |
| 1998 | 69.1% | +1.8% |
| 1999 | 69.5% | +0.5% |
| 2000 | 69.7% | +0.4% |
| 2001 | 69.6% | -0.3% |
| 2002 | 68.9% | -0.9% |
| 2003 | 69.6% | +1.0% |
| 2004 | 70.2% | +0.9% |
| 2005 | 71.3% | +1.6% |
| 2006 | 72.2% | +1.3% |
| 2007 | 73.1% | +1.2% |
| 2008 | 73.3% | +0.2% |
| 2009 | 74.1% | +1.1% |
| 2010 | 74.1% | +0.0% |
| 2011 | 75.2% | +1.4% |
| 2012 | 76.6% | +1.9% |
| 2013 | 76.8% | +0.2% |
| 2014 | 77.7% | +1.2% |
| 2015 | 78.1% | +0.4% |
| 2016 | 79.5% | +1.9% |
| 2017 | 80.0% | +0.7% |
| 2018 | 80.7% | +0.8% |
| 2019 | 81.4% | +0.9% |
Averages by decade
| Decade | Average | Lowest | Highest | Years |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1970s | 59.2% | 59.2% | 59.2% | 6 |
| 1980s | 61.6% | 59.3% | 64.2% | 10 |
| 1990s | 66.7% | 64.3% | 69.5% | 10 |
| 2000s | 71.2% | 68.9% | 74.1% | 10 |
| 2010s | 78.0% | 74.1% | 81.4% | 10 |
Countries ranked near Latin America & the Caribbean (IDA & IBRD countries)
More reference data data for Latin America & the Caribbean (IDA & IBRD countries)
- School age population, one year before than official primary entry 5.02 million number (2019)
- School age population, one year before than official primary entry 10.27 million number (2019)
- School age population, one year before than official primary entry 5.24 million number (2019)
- School life expectancy, primary, both sexes 6.17 years (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 87.5% (2019)
- School life expectancy, pre-primary, both sexes 2.08 years (2019)
- Gross enrolment ratio for tertiary education, adjusted gender parity 1.23 GPIA (2019)
- Teachers in primary education, male 667,681 number (2019)
All data for Latin America & the Caribbean (IDA & IBRD countries) →
Frequently asked questions
- What is elderly literacy rate, population 65+ years, both sexes in Latin America & the Caribbean (IDA & IBRD countries)?
- Elderly literacy rate, population 65+ years, both sexes in Latin America & the Caribbean (IDA & IBRD countries) 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 & the Caribbean (IDA & IBRD countries)?
- 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 & the Caribbean (IDA & IBRD countries)?
- The lowest recorded value was 59.2% in 1979.
- How does Latin America & the Caribbean (IDA & IBRD countries) rank for elderly literacy rate, population 65+ years, both sexes?
- Latin America & the Caribbean (IDA & IBRD countries) ranks 12th out of 39 groups with data for 2019.
- Is elderly literacy rate, population 65+ years, both sexes rising or falling in Latin America & the Caribbean (IDA & IBRD countries)?
- Over the last ten years it is up 9.9%. The long-run trend across the full record is rising.
- Where does this Latin America & the Caribbean (IDA & IBRD countries) 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.