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

Lower middle income: Elderly literacy rate, population 65+ years, both sexes was 50.8% in 2019. ▲ Rising

Latest (2019)
50.8%
Change on year
up 1.7%
Rank
22nd
of 38 groups
All-time high
50.8%
in 2019
All-time low
33.0%
in 1985
Years of data
45
1975–2019

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

02040601975199720191975: 33.5 %1976: 33.6 %1977: 33.6 %1978: 33.7 %1979: 33.4 %1980: 33.7 %1981: 33.6 %1982: 33.5 %1983: 33.2 %1984: 33.1 %1985: 33 %1986: 33 %1987: 33.9 %1988: 35.9 %1989: 36.1 %1990: 36.2 %1991: 36.6 %1992: 36.4 %1993: 36.9 %1994: 36.9 %1995: 37 %1996: 37.3 %1997: 37.4 %1998: 41.6 %1999: 41.2 %2000: 41.3 %2001: 41.3 %2002: 41.6 %2003: 42.8 %2004: 42.7 %2005: 41.3 %2006: 43 %2007: 41.8 %2008: 42.6 %2009: 43.2 %2010: 46.3 %2011: 46.3 %2012: 46.3 %2013: 46.6 %2014: 47.5 %2015: 47.9 %2016: 48.5 %2017: 49.5 %2018: 50 %2019: 50.8 %

Source: UNESCO Institute for Statistics. Measured in %.

Analysis

Lower middle income recorded 50.8% for elderly literacy rate, population 65+ years, both sexes in 2019. That is the highest value across all 45 years on record.

Compared with earlier readings it is up 1.7% on the previous year and up 17.6% over ten years.

Over the whole period, elderly literacy rate, population 65+ years, both sexes in Lower middle income peaked at 50.8% in 2019 and was at its lowest, 33.0%, in 1985.

Lower middle income ranks 22nd of 38 groups on this measure, 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 Lower middle income, year by year

Annual values for Elderly literacy rate, population 65+ years, both sexes (%) in Lower middle income, 1975 to 2019.
Year % Change
1975 33.5%
1976 33.6% +0.4%
1977 33.6% +0.1%
1978 33.7% +0.3%
1979 33.4% -1.1%
1980 33.7% +1.1%
1981 33.6% -0.3%
1982 33.5% -0.6%
1983 33.2% -0.7%
1984 33.1% -0.5%
1985 33.0% -0.3%
1986 33.0% +0.1%
1987 33.9% +2.7%
1988 35.9% +5.8%
1989 36.1% +0.7%
1990 36.2% +0.3%
1991 36.6% +1.1%
1992 36.4% -0.5%
1993 36.9% +1.2%
1994 36.9% -0.0%
1995 37.0% +0.3%
1996 37.3% +0.8%
1997 37.4% +0.3%
1998 41.6% +11.2%
1999 41.2% -1.0%
2000 41.3% +0.4%
2001 41.3% -0.1%
2002 41.6% +0.7%
2003 42.8% +2.9%
2004 42.7% -0.4%
2005 41.3% -3.3%
2006 43.0% +4.2%
2007 41.8% -2.8%
2008 42.6% +1.9%
2009 43.2% +1.6%
2010 46.3% +7.0%
2011 46.3% +0.1%
2012 46.3% -0.1%
2013 46.6% +0.6%
2014 47.5% +2.0%
2015 47.9% +0.8%
2016 48.5% +1.4%
2017 49.5% +2.0%
2018 50.0% +1.0%
2019 50.8% +1.7%

Averages by decade

DecadeAverage LowestHighest Years
1970s 33.5% 33.4% 33.7% 5
1980s 33.9% 33.0% 36.1% 10
1990s 37.7% 36.2% 41.6% 10
2000s 42.2% 41.3% 43.2% 10
2010s 48.0% 46.3% 50.8% 10

Countries ranked near Lower middle income

  1. 19 Malta 88.2% compare
  2. 20 Venezuela, Bolivarian Republic of 88.1% compare
  3. 21 Singapore 86.4% compare
  4. 22 Viet Nam 85.8% compare
  5. 23 China 85.0% compare
  6. 24 Panama 85.0% compare
  7. 25 Colombia 83.3% compare

See the full ranking of 122 places →

More reference data data for Lower middle income

All data for Lower middle income →

Frequently asked questions

What is elderly literacy rate, population 65+ years, both sexes in Lower middle income?
Elderly literacy rate, population 65+ years, both sexes in Lower middle income was 50.8% in 2019, according to UNESCO Institute for Statistics.
What is the highest elderly literacy rate, population 65+ years, both sexes recorded in Lower middle income?
The highest recorded value was 50.8% in 2019.
What is the lowest elderly literacy rate, population 65+ years, both sexes recorded in Lower middle income?
The lowest recorded value was 33.0% in 1985.
How does Lower middle income rank for elderly literacy rate, population 65+ years, both sexes?
Lower middle income ranks 22nd out of 38 groups with data for 2019.
Is elderly literacy rate, population 65+ years, both sexes rising or falling in Lower middle income?
Over the last ten years it is up 17.6%. The long-run trend across the full record is rising.
Where does this Lower 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 Lower middle income. Statizoid, drawing on UNESCO Institute for Statistics. Retrieved 30 August 2026, from https://reference.statizoid.com/stat/elderly-literacy-rate-population-65-years-both-sexes-percent/lower-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.