Elderly literacy rate, population 65+ years, both sexes in Low & middle income

Low & middle income: Elderly literacy rate, population 65+ years, both sexes was 70.8% in 2019. ▲ Rising

Latest (2019)
70.8%
Change on year
up 1.4%
Rank
18th
of 38 groups
All-time high
70.8%
in 2019
All-time low
38.0%
in 1985
Years of data
45
1975–2019

Elderly literacy rate, population 65+ years, both sexes in Low & middle income, 1975–2019

0204060801975199720191975: 38.6 %1976: 38.7 %1977: 38.7 %1978: 38.7 %1979: 38.5 %1980: 38.3 %1981: 38.5 %1982: 38.7 %1983: 38.1 %1984: 38 %1985: 38 %1986: 38.1 %1987: 38.9 %1988: 43.9 %1989: 44.1 %1990: 40.2 %1991: 44.7 %1992: 44.9 %1993: 45.3 %1994: 45.6 %1995: 45.8 %1996: 46.1 %1997: 53.2 %1998: 54.9 %1999: 54.8 %2000: 55 %2001: 55 %2002: 55.1 %2003: 55.8 %2004: 55.8 %2005: 55.6 %2006: 57.4 %2007: 60.1 %2008: 60.5 %2009: 61.8 %2010: 63.3 %2011: 64 %2012: 64.7 %2013: 65.1 %2014: 66.2 %2015: 66.9 %2016: 68 %2017: 68.8 %2018: 69.8 %2019: 70.8 %

Source: UNESCO Institute for Statistics. Measured in %.

Analysis

The most recent figure for elderly literacy rate, population 65+ years, both sexes in Low & middle income is 70.8%, measured in 2019. That is the highest value across all 45 years on record.

That represents a change of up 1.4% on the previous year and up 14.6% over ten years.

Over the whole period, elderly literacy rate, population 65+ years, both sexes in Low & middle income peaked at 70.8% in 2019 and was at its lowest, 38.0%, in 1985.

That places Low & middle income 18th out of 38 groups with data for 2019, putting it in the middle of the range.

The long-run direction has been consistently rising across the 45 years of available data.

Elderly literacy rate, population 65+ years, both sexes in Low & middle income, year by year

Annual values for Elderly literacy rate, population 65+ years, both sexes (%) in Low & middle income, 1975 to 2019.
Year % Change
1975 38.6%
1976 38.7% +0.0%
1977 38.7% +0.0%
1978 38.7% +0.2%
1979 38.5% -0.6%
1980 38.3% -0.7%
1981 38.5% +0.6%
1982 38.7% +0.5%
1983 38.1% -1.3%
1984 38.0% -0.3%
1985 38.0% -0.0%
1986 38.1% +0.2%
1987 38.9% +2.2%
1988 43.9% +12.7%
1989 44.1% +0.6%
1990 40.2% -8.9%
1991 44.7% +11.2%
1992 44.9% +0.5%
1993 45.3% +0.9%
1994 45.6% +0.5%
1995 45.8% +0.5%
1996 46.1% +0.7%
1997 53.2% +15.4%
1998 54.9% +3.3%
1999 54.8% -0.2%
2000 55.0% +0.4%
2001 55.0% -0.1%
2002 55.1% +0.2%
2003 55.8% +1.2%
2004 55.8% +0.1%
2005 55.6% -0.4%
2006 57.4% +3.4%
2007 60.1% +4.6%
2008 60.5% +0.6%
2009 61.8% +2.1%
2010 63.3% +2.4%
2011 64.0% +1.2%
2012 64.7% +1.1%
2013 65.1% +0.6%
2014 66.2% +1.8%
2015 66.9% +1.1%
2016 68.0% +1.6%
2017 68.8% +1.2%
2018 69.8% +1.4%
2019 70.8% +1.4%

Averages by decade

DecadeAverage LowestHighest Years
1970s 38.6% 38.5% 38.7% 5
1980s 39.5% 38.0% 44.1% 10
1990s 47.6% 40.2% 54.9% 10
2000s 57.2% 55.0% 61.8% 10
2010s 66.8% 63.3% 70.8% 10

Countries ranked near Low & middle income

  1. 15 Jordan 90.7% compare
  2. 16 Chile 90.4% compare
  3. 17 Maldives 90.2% compare
  4. 18 Portugal 88.3% compare
  5. 19 Malta 88.2% compare
  6. 20 Venezuela, Bolivarian Republic of 88.1% compare
  7. 21 Singapore 86.4% compare

See the full ranking of 122 places →

More reference data data for Low & middle income

All data for Low & middle income →

Frequently asked questions

What is elderly literacy rate, population 65+ years, both sexes in Low & middle income?
Elderly literacy rate, population 65+ years, both sexes in Low & middle income was 70.8% in 2019, according to UNESCO Institute for Statistics.
What is the highest elderly literacy rate, population 65+ years, both sexes recorded in Low & middle income?
The highest recorded value was 70.8% in 2019.
What is the lowest elderly literacy rate, population 65+ years, both sexes recorded in Low & middle income?
The lowest recorded value was 38.0% in 1985.
How does Low & middle income rank for elderly literacy rate, population 65+ years, both sexes?
Low & middle income ranks 18th out of 38 groups with data for 2019.
Is elderly literacy rate, population 65+ years, both sexes rising or falling in Low & middle income?
Over the last ten years it is up 14.6%. The long-run trend across the full record is rising.
Where does this Low & middle 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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Elderly literacy rate, population 65+ years, both sexes in Low & middle income. Statizoid, drawing on UNESCO Institute for Statistics. Retrieved 02 September 2026, from https://reference.statizoid.com/stat/elderly-literacy-rate-population-65-years-both-sexes-percent/low-and-middle-income/

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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.