Elderly literacy rate, population 65+ years, both sexes in Sri Lanka

Sri Lanka: Elderly literacy rate, population 65+ years, both sexes was 79.1% in 2018. ▲ Rising

Latest (2018)
79.1%
Change on year
down 1.5%
World rank
31st
of 83 countries
All-time high
81.0%
in 2016
All-time low
69.9%
in 1981
Years of data
8
1981–2018

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

0204060801981199920181981: 69.9 %2001: 76.9 %2006: 73.5 %2008: 74.1 %2010: 76.7 %2016: 81 %2017: 80.3 %2018: 79.1 %

Source: UNESCO Institute for Statistics. Measured in %.

Analysis

In 2018, elderly literacy rate, population 65+ years, both sexes in Sri Lanka stood at 79.1%.

That represents a change of down 1.5% on the previous year and up 6.7% over ten years.

Over the whole period, elderly literacy rate, population 65+ years, both sexes in Sri Lanka peaked at 81.0% in 2016 and was at its lowest, 69.9%, in 1981.

That places Sri Lanka 31st out of 83 countries with data for 2018, putting it in the middle of the range.

Elderly literacy rate, population 65+ years, both sexes in Sri Lanka, year by year

Annual values for Elderly literacy rate, population 65+ years, both sexes (%) in Sri Lanka, 1981 to 2018.
Year % Change
1981 69.9%
2001 76.9% +10.0%
2006 73.5% -4.5%
2008 74.1% +0.9%
2010 76.7% +3.4%
2016 81.0% +5.6%
2017 80.3% -0.8%
2018 79.1% -1.5%

Averages by decade

DecadeAverage LowestHighest Years
1980s 69.9% 69.9% 69.9% 1
2000s 74.8% 73.5% 76.9% 3
2010s 79.3% 76.7% 81.0% 4

Countries ranked near Sri Lanka

  1. 28 Mexico 80.7% compare
  2. 29 Turkey 80.4% compare
  3. 30 Dominican Republic 79.8% compare
  4. 32 Peru 79.0% compare
  5. 33 Seychelles 79.0% compare
  6. 34 Thailand 78.7% compare

See the full ranking of 122 places →

More reference data data for Sri Lanka

All data for Sri Lanka →

Frequently asked questions

What is elderly literacy rate, population 65+ years, both sexes in Sri Lanka?
Elderly literacy rate, population 65+ years, both sexes in Sri Lanka was 79.1% in 2018, according to UNESCO Institute for Statistics.
What is the highest elderly literacy rate, population 65+ years, both sexes recorded in Sri Lanka?
The highest recorded value was 81.0% in 2016.
What is the lowest elderly literacy rate, population 65+ years, both sexes recorded in Sri Lanka?
The lowest recorded value was 69.9% in 1981.
How does Sri Lanka rank for elderly literacy rate, population 65+ years, both sexes?
Sri Lanka ranks 31st out of 83 countries with data for 2018.
Is elderly literacy rate, population 65+ years, both sexes rising or falling in Sri Lanka?
Over the last ten years it is up 6.7%. The long-run trend across the full record is rising.
Where does this Sri Lanka 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 Sri Lanka. Statizoid, drawing on UNESCO Institute for Statistics. Retrieved 27 August 2026, from https://reference.statizoid.com/stat/elderly-literacy-rate-population-65-years-both-sexes-percent/sri-lanka/

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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.