Elderly literacy rate, population 65+ years, both sexes in Sub-Saharan Africa (IDA & IBRD countries)
Sub-Saharan Africa (IDA & IBRD countries): Elderly literacy rate, population 65+ years, both sexes was 36.2% in 2019. ▲ Rising
Elderly literacy rate, population 65+ years, both sexes in Sub-Saharan Africa (IDA & IBRD countries), 1984–2019
Source: UNESCO Institute for Statistics. Measured in %.
Analysis
The most recent figure for elderly literacy rate, population 65+ years, both sexes in Sub-Saharan Africa (IDA & IBRD countries) is 36.2%, measured in 2019. That is the highest value across all 36 years on record.
That represents a change of up 2.0% on the previous year and up 12.4% over ten years.
Over the whole period, elderly literacy rate, population 65+ years, both sexes in Sub-Saharan Africa (IDA & IBRD countries) peaked at 36.2% in 2019 and was at its lowest, 22.2%, in 1984.
That places Sub-Saharan Africa (IDA & IBRD countries) 32nd 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 (IDA & IBRD countries), year by year
| Year | % | Change |
|---|---|---|
| 1984 | 22.2% | — |
| 1985 | 22.3% | +0.4% |
| 1986 | 22.3% | +0.2% |
| 1987 | 22.5% | +0.7% |
| 1988 | 22.8% | +1.2% |
| 1989 | 22.8% | -0.0% |
| 1990 | 22.8% | +0.2% |
| 1991 | 22.3% | -2.3% |
| 1992 | 22.3% | +0.1% |
| 1993 | 22.7% | +1.5% |
| 1994 | 22.8% | +0.6% |
| 1995 | 23.3% | +2.2% |
| 1996 | 23.6% | +1.4% |
| 1997 | 24.3% | +2.8% |
| 1998 | 25.2% | +3.6% |
| 1999 | 25.8% | +2.5% |
| 2000 | 25.4% | -1.6% |
| 2001 | 25.7% | +1.3% |
| 2002 | 25.7% | -0.1% |
| 2003 | 26.2% | +2.0% |
| 2004 | 26.4% | +0.7% |
| 2005 | 27.1% | +2.7% |
| 2006 | 31.8% | +17.2% |
| 2007 | 29.2% | -8.1% |
| 2008 | 30.9% | +5.9% |
| 2009 | 32.2% | +4.3% |
| 2010 | 32.4% | +0.6% |
| 2011 | 32.5% | +0.1% |
| 2012 | 32.7% | +0.8% |
| 2013 | 33.4% | +2.2% |
| 2014 | 34.2% | +2.3% |
| 2015 | 34.6% | +1.3% |
| 2016 | 35.6% | +2.7% |
| 2017 | 34.6% | -2.6% |
| 2018 | 35.5% | +2.5% |
| 2019 | 36.2% | +2.0% |
Averages by decade
| Decade | Average | Lowest | Highest | Years |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1980s | 22.5% | 22.2% | 22.8% | 6 |
| 1990s | 23.5% | 22.3% | 25.8% | 10 |
| 2000s | 28.1% | 25.4% | 32.2% | 10 |
| 2010s | 34.2% | 32.4% | 36.2% | 10 |
Countries ranked near Sub-Saharan Africa (IDA & IBRD countries)
More reference data data for Sub-Saharan Africa (IDA & IBRD countries)
- School age population, one year before than official primary entry 32.03 million number (2019)
- School age population, one year before than official primary entry 15.81 million number (2019)
- School age population, one year before than official primary entry 16.22 million number (2019)
- School life expectancy, primary, both sexes 6.17 years (2019)
- School life expectancy, primary, male 6.33 years (2019)
- School life expectancy, primary, female 6.02 years (2019)
- Share of all students in secondary education enrolled in general 94.2% (2018)
- School life expectancy, pre-primary, both sexes 0.78 years (2019)
- Gross enrolment ratio for tertiary education, adjusted gender parity 0.767 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 (IDA & IBRD countries)?
- Elderly literacy rate, population 65+ years, both sexes in Sub-Saharan Africa (IDA & IBRD countries) was 36.2% 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 (IDA & IBRD countries)?
- The highest recorded value was 36.2% in 2019.
- What is the lowest elderly literacy rate, population 65+ years, both sexes recorded in Sub-Saharan Africa (IDA & IBRD countries)?
- The lowest recorded value was 22.2% in 1984.
- How does Sub-Saharan Africa (IDA & IBRD countries) rank for elderly literacy rate, population 65+ years, both sexes?
- Sub-Saharan Africa (IDA & IBRD countries) ranks 32nd out of 39 groups with data for 2019.
- Is elderly literacy rate, population 65+ years, both sexes rising or falling in Sub-Saharan Africa (IDA & IBRD countries)?
- Over the last ten years it is up 12.4%. The long-run trend across the full record is rising.
- Where does this Sub-Saharan Africa (IDA & IBRD countries) 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.
Download this data
CSV · JSON — 36 observations, free to reuse under CC BY 4.0 (World Bank Open Data).
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.