Elderly literacy rate, population 65+ years, both sexes in Sub-Saharan Africa (excluding high income)
Sub-Saharan Africa (excluding high income): Elderly literacy rate, population 65+ years, both sexes was 36.0% in 2019. ▲ Rising
Elderly literacy rate, population 65+ years, both sexes in Sub-Saharan Africa (excluding high income), 1984–2019
Source: UNESCO Institute for Statistics. Measured in %.
Analysis
Sub-Saharan Africa (excluding high income) recorded 36.0% for elderly literacy rate, population 65+ years, both sexes in 2019. That is the highest value across all 36 years on record.
Compared with earlier readings it is up 1.9% on the previous year and up 12.2% over ten years.
Over the whole period, elderly literacy rate, population 65+ years, both sexes in Sub-Saharan Africa (excluding high income) peaked at 36.0% in 2019 and was at its lowest, 22.1%, in 1984.
That places Sub-Saharan Africa (excluding high income) 35th out of 39 groups with data for 2019, putting it in the bottom quarter.
The long-run direction has been consistently rising across the 36 years of available data.
Elderly literacy rate, population 65+ years, both sexes in Sub-Saharan Africa (excluding high income), year by year
| Year | % | Change |
|---|---|---|
| 1984 | 22.1% | — |
| 1985 | 22.2% | +0.4% |
| 1986 | 22.2% | +0.2% |
| 1987 | 22.4% | +0.7% |
| 1988 | 22.7% | +1.2% |
| 1989 | 22.7% | -0.0% |
| 1990 | 22.7% | +0.2% |
| 1991 | 22.2% | -2.3% |
| 1992 | 22.2% | +0.1% |
| 1993 | 22.6% | +1.5% |
| 1994 | 22.7% | +0.6% |
| 1995 | 23.2% | +2.2% |
| 1996 | 23.5% | +1.3% |
| 1997 | 24.2% | +2.9% |
| 1998 | 25.1% | +3.6% |
| 1999 | 25.7% | +2.5% |
| 2000 | 25.3% | -1.6% |
| 2001 | 25.6% | +1.3% |
| 2002 | 25.6% | -0.1% |
| 2003 | 26.1% | +2.1% |
| 2004 | 26.3% | +0.7% |
| 2005 | 27.0% | +2.7% |
| 2006 | 31.7% | +17.3% |
| 2007 | 29.1% | -8.2% |
| 2008 | 30.8% | +5.9% |
| 2009 | 32.1% | +4.3% |
| 2010 | 32.3% | +0.6% |
| 2011 | 32.3% | +0.1% |
| 2012 | 32.6% | +0.7% |
| 2013 | 33.3% | +2.2% |
| 2014 | 34.0% | +2.3% |
| 2015 | 34.5% | +1.3% |
| 2016 | 35.4% | +2.7% |
| 2017 | 34.5% | -2.6% |
| 2018 | 35.3% | +2.5% |
| 2019 | 36.0% | +1.9% |
Averages by decade
| Decade | Average | Lowest | Highest | Years |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1980s | 22.4% | 22.1% | 22.7% | 6 |
| 1990s | 23.4% | 22.2% | 25.7% | 10 |
| 2000s | 27.9% | 25.3% | 32.1% | 10 |
| 2010s | 34.0% | 32.3% | 36.0% | 10 |
Countries ranked near Sub-Saharan Africa (excluding high income)
- 32 Peru 79.0% compare
- 33 Seychelles 79.0% compare
- 34 Thailand 78.7% compare
- 35 Brazil 78.5% compare
- 36 Brunei Darussalam 78.2% compare
- 37 Palestine, State of 77.5% compare
- 38 Malaysia 75.5% compare
More reference data data for Sub-Saharan Africa (excluding high income)
- School age population, one year before than official primary entry 15.80 million number (2019)
- School life expectancy, primary, both sexes 6.17 years (2019)
- School age population, one year before than official primary entry 16.21 million number (2019)
- School age population, one year before than official primary entry 32.02 million number (2019)
- School life expectancy, primary, female 6.02 years (2019)
- School life expectancy, primary, male 6.33 years (2019)
- Share of all students in secondary education enrolled in general 94.2% (2018)
- School life expectancy, pre-primary, both sexes 0.7795 years (2019)
- Gross enrolment ratio for tertiary education, adjusted gender parity 0.7648 GPIA (2018)
- Teachers in primary education, male 2.57 million number (2019)
Frequently asked questions
- What is elderly literacy rate, population 65+ years, both sexes in Sub-Saharan Africa (excluding high income)?
- Elderly literacy rate, population 65+ years, both sexes in Sub-Saharan Africa (excluding high income) was 36.0% in 2019, according to UNESCO Institute for Statistics.
- What is the highest elderly literacy rate, population 65+ years, both sexes recorded in Sub-Saharan Africa (excluding high income)?
- The highest recorded value was 36.0% in 2019.
- What is the lowest elderly literacy rate, population 65+ years, both sexes recorded in Sub-Saharan Africa (excluding high income)?
- The lowest recorded value was 22.1% in 1984.
- How does Sub-Saharan Africa (excluding high income) rank for elderly literacy rate, population 65+ years, both sexes?
- Sub-Saharan Africa (excluding high income) ranks 35th out of 39 groups with data for 2019.
- Is elderly literacy rate, population 65+ years, both sexes rising or falling in Sub-Saharan Africa (excluding high income)?
- Over the last ten years it is up 12.2%. The long-run trend across the full record is rising.
- Where does this Sub-Saharan Africa (excluding high 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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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.