Elderly literacy rate, population 65+ years, both sexes in Nepal

Nepal: Elderly literacy rate, population 65+ years, both sexes was 23.6% in 2018. ▲ Rising

Latest (2018)
23.6%
World rank
77th
of 83 countries
All-time high
23.6%
in 2018
All-time low
10.5%
in 1981
Years of data
5
1981–2018

Elderly literacy rate, population 65+ years, both sexes in Nepal, 1981–2018

05101520251981199920181981: 10.5 %1991: 14.3 %2001: 16 %2011: 20.8 %2018: 23.6 %

Source: UNESCO Institute for Statistics. Measured in %.

Analysis

In 2018, elderly literacy rate, population 65+ years, both sexes in Nepal stood at 23.6%. That is the highest value across all 5 years on record.

Compared with earlier readings it is up 13.7% over ten years.

Over the whole period, elderly literacy rate, population 65+ years, both sexes in Nepal peaked at 23.6% in 2018 and was at its lowest, 10.5%, in 1981.

That places Nepal 77th out of 83 countries with data for 2018, putting it in the bottom quarter.

Averages by decade

DecadeAverage LowestHighest Years
1980s 10.5% 10.5% 10.5% 1
1990s 14.3% 14.3% 14.3% 1
2000s 16.0% 16.0% 16.0% 1
2010s 22.2% 20.8% 23.6% 2

Countries ranked near Nepal

  1. 74 Nigeria 28.3% compare
  2. 75 Senegal 27.7% compare
  3. 76 Pakistan 27.1% compare
  4. 78 Côte d'Ivoire 22.4% compare
  5. 79 Togo 20.4% compare
  6. 80 Mali 19.1% compare

See the full ranking of 122 places →

More reference data data for Nepal

All data for Nepal →

Frequently asked questions

What is elderly literacy rate, population 65+ years, both sexes in Nepal?
Elderly literacy rate, population 65+ years, both sexes in Nepal was 23.6% in 2018, according to UNESCO Institute for Statistics.
What is the highest elderly literacy rate, population 65+ years, both sexes recorded in Nepal?
The highest recorded value was 23.6% in 2018.
What is the lowest elderly literacy rate, population 65+ years, both sexes recorded in Nepal?
The lowest recorded value was 10.5% in 1981.
How does Nepal rank for elderly literacy rate, population 65+ years, both sexes?
Nepal ranks 77th out of 83 countries with data for 2018.
Is elderly literacy rate, population 65+ years, both sexes rising or falling in Nepal?
Over the last ten years it is up 13.7%. The long-run trend across the full record is rising.
Where does this Nepal 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 Nepal. Statizoid, drawing on UNESCO Institute for Statistics. Retrieved 21 August 2026, from https://reference.statizoid.com/stat/elderly-literacy-rate-population-65-years-both-sexes-percent/nepal/

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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.