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

Upper middle income: Elderly literacy rate, population 65+ years, both sexes was 84.6% in 2019. ▲ Rising

Latest (2019)
84.6%
Change on year
up 1.1%
Rank
9th
of 38 groups
All-time high
84.6%
in 2019
All-time low
42.0%
in 1985
Years of data
44
1976–2019

Elderly literacy rate, population 65+ years, both sexes in Upper middle income, 1976–2019

0204060801976199720191976: 43 %1977: 43 %1978: 43 %1979: 42.8 %1980: 42.1 %1981: 42.5 %1982: 42.9 %1983: 42.1 %1984: 42 %1985: 42 %1986: 42.1 %1987: 43 %1988: 50 %1989: 50.3 %1990: 43.7 %1991: 50.9 %1992: 51.3 %1993: 51.7 %1994: 52 %1995: 52.3 %1996: 52.6 %1997: 64.2 %1998: 64.7 %1999: 64.7 %2000: 64.8 %2001: 64.8 %2002: 64.8 %2003: 65.2 %2004: 65.4 %2005: 65.8 %2006: 67.9 %2007: 73 %2008: 73.3 %2009: 75 %2010: 75.7 %2011: 77 %2012: 78.2 %2013: 78.6 %2014: 79.9 %2015: 80.7 %2016: 82 %2017: 82.5 %2018: 83.7 %2019: 84.6 %

Source: UNESCO Institute for Statistics. Measured in %.

Analysis

Upper middle income recorded 84.6% for elderly literacy rate, population 65+ years, both sexes in 2019. That is the highest value across all 44 years on record.

The figure is up 1.1% on the previous year and up 12.8% over ten years.

Over the whole period, elderly literacy rate, population 65+ years, both sexes in Upper middle income peaked at 84.6% in 2019 and was at its lowest, 42.0%, in 1985.

Upper middle income ranks 9th of 38 groups on this measure, in the top quarter.

The long-run direction has been consistently rising across the 44 years of available data.

Elderly literacy rate, population 65+ years, both sexes in Upper middle income, year by year

Annual values for Elderly literacy rate, population 65+ years, both sexes (%) in Upper middle income, 1976 to 2019.
Year % Change
1976 43.0%
1977 43.0% -0.1%
1978 43.0% +0.0%
1979 42.8% -0.5%
1980 42.1% -1.6%
1981 42.5% +0.9%
1982 42.9% +0.9%
1983 42.1% -1.7%
1984 42.0% -0.2%
1985 42.0% -0.0%
1986 42.1% +0.2%
1987 43.0% +2.0%
1988 50.0% +16.3%
1989 50.3% +0.5%
1990 43.7% -13.1%
1991 50.9% +16.4%
1992 51.3% +0.8%
1993 51.7% +0.8%
1994 52.0% +0.7%
1995 52.3% +0.4%
1996 52.6% +0.6%
1997 64.2% +22.0%
1998 64.7% +0.8%
1999 64.7% -0.0%
2000 64.8% +0.3%
2001 64.8% -0.1%
2002 64.8% +0.1%
2003 65.2% +0.6%
2004 65.4% +0.3%
2005 65.8% +0.6%
2006 67.9% +3.2%
2007 73.0% +7.5%
2008 73.3% +0.3%
2009 75.0% +2.4%
2010 75.7% +1.0%
2011 77.0% +1.7%
2012 78.2% +1.5%
2013 78.6% +0.5%
2014 79.9% +1.6%
2015 80.7% +1.0%
2016 82.0% +1.6%
2017 82.5% +0.7%
2018 83.7% +1.4%
2019 84.6% +1.1%

Averages by decade

DecadeAverage LowestHighest Years
1970s 42.9% 42.8% 43.0% 4
1980s 43.9% 42.0% 50.3% 10
1990s 54.8% 43.7% 64.7% 10
2000s 68.0% 64.8% 75.0% 10
2010s 80.3% 75.7% 84.6% 10

Countries ranked near Upper middle income

  1. 6 Uruguay 97.8% compare
  2. 7 Argentina 97.6% compare
  3. 8 Moldova 97.1% compare
  4. 9 Montenegro 96.9% compare
  5. 10 Grenada 96.2% compare
  6. 11 Spain 95.2% compare
  7. 12 Greece 95.2% compare

See the full ranking of 122 places →

More reference data data for Upper middle income

All data for Upper middle income →

Frequently asked questions

What is elderly literacy rate, population 65+ years, both sexes in Upper middle income?
Elderly literacy rate, population 65+ years, both sexes in Upper middle income was 84.6% in 2019, according to UNESCO Institute for Statistics.
What is the highest elderly literacy rate, population 65+ years, both sexes recorded in Upper middle income?
The highest recorded value was 84.6% in 2019.
What is the lowest elderly literacy rate, population 65+ years, both sexes recorded in Upper middle income?
The lowest recorded value was 42.0% in 1985.
How does Upper middle income rank for elderly literacy rate, population 65+ years, both sexes?
Upper middle income ranks 9th out of 38 groups with data for 2019.
Is elderly literacy rate, population 65+ years, both sexes rising or falling in Upper middle income?
Over the last ten years it is up 12.8%. The long-run trend across the full record is rising.
Where does this Upper 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 Upper middle income. 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/upper-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.