Elderly literacy rate, population 65+ years, female in Portugal

Portugal: Elderly literacy rate, population 65+ years, female was 85.1% in 2018. ▲ Rising

Latest (2018)
85.1%
World rank
21st
of 82 countries
All-time high
85.1%
in 2018
All-time low
39.7%
in 1981
Years of data
5
1981–2018

Elderly literacy rate, population 65+ years, female in Portugal, 1981–2018

0204060801981199920181981: 39.7 %1991: 54.2 %2001: 59.2 %2011: 75.5 %2018: 85.1 %

Source: UNESCO Institute for Statistics. Measured in %.

Analysis

Portugal recorded 85.1% for elderly literacy rate, population 65+ years, female in 2018. That is the highest value across all 5 years on record.

Compared with earlier readings it is up 12.7% over ten years.

Over the whole period, elderly literacy rate, population 65+ years, female in Portugal peaked at 85.1% in 2018 and was at its lowest, 39.7%, in 1981.

Portugal ranks 21st of 82 countries on this measure, in the top quarter.

Elderly literacy rate, population 65+ years, female in Portugal, year by year

Annual values for Elderly literacy rate, population 65+ years, female (%) in Portugal, 1981 to 2018.
Year % Change
1981 39.7%
1991 54.2% +36.7%
2001 59.2% +9.3%
2011 75.5% +27.4%
2018 85.1% +12.7%

Averages by decade

DecadeAverage LowestHighest Years
1980s 39.7% 39.7% 39.7% 1
1990s 54.2% 54.2% 54.2% 1
2000s 59.2% 59.2% 59.2% 1
2010s 80.3% 75.5% 85.1% 2

Countries ranked near Portugal

  1. 18 Maldives 89.1% compare
  2. 19 Venezuela, Bolivarian Republic of 86.7% compare
  3. 20 Jordan 85.6% compare
  4. 22 Panama 84.9% compare
  5. 23 Colombia 83.2% compare
  6. 24 Seychelles 81.0% compare

See the full ranking of 121 places →

More reference data data for Portugal

All data for Portugal →

Frequently asked questions

What is elderly literacy rate, population 65+ years, female in Portugal?
Elderly literacy rate, population 65+ years, female in Portugal was 85.1% in 2018, according to UNESCO Institute for Statistics.
What is the highest elderly literacy rate, population 65+ years, female recorded in Portugal?
The highest recorded value was 85.1% in 2018.
What is the lowest elderly literacy rate, population 65+ years, female recorded in Portugal?
The lowest recorded value was 39.7% in 1981.
How does Portugal rank for elderly literacy rate, population 65+ years, female?
Portugal ranks 21st out of 82 countries with data for 2018.
Is elderly literacy rate, population 65+ years, female rising or falling in Portugal?
Over the last ten years it is up 12.7%. The long-run trend across the full record is rising.
Where does this Portugal data come from?
The figures come from UNESCO Institute for Statistics, published as part of Elderly literacy rate, population 65+ years, female (%). Statizoid updates them automatically from the source API.

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Elderly literacy rate, population 65+ years, female in Portugal. Statizoid, drawing on UNESCO Institute for Statistics. Retrieved 23 August 2026, from https://reference.statizoid.com/stat/elderly-literacy-rate-population-65-years-female-percent/portugal/

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About this data

Indicator
Elderly literacy rate, population 65+ years, female (%)
Unit
%
Source
UNESCO Institute for Statistics
Licence
CC BY 4.0 (World Bank Open Data)
Coverage
121 places, 2,197 data points, 1970–2019
Last refreshed

Percentage of females 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 female literates aged 65 years and over by the corresponding age group population and multiplying the result by 100.