Elderly literacy rate, population 65+ years, male in Least developed countries

Least developed countries: Elderly literacy rate, population 65+ years, male was 49.5% in 2019. ▲ Rising

Latest (2019)
49.5%
Change on year
up 0.7%
Rank
29th
of 37 groups
All-time high
49.5%
in 2019
All-time low
31.1%
in 1980
Years of data
40
1980–2019

Elderly literacy rate, population 65+ years, male in Least developed countries, 1980–2019

010203040501980199920191980: 31.1 %1981: 31.2 %1982: 31.4 %1983: 31.6 %1984: 31.9 %1985: 32.1 %1986: 32.3 %1987: 32.5 %1988: 33.4 %1989: 33.7 %1990: 33.8 %1991: 34.1 %1992: 34.3 %1993: 34.7 %1994: 34.8 %1995: 35.7 %1996: 36 %1997: 36.7 %1998: 38.8 %1999: 39.3 %2000: 39.7 %2001: 40.1 %2002: 40.1 %2003: 40.6 %2004: 41.1 %2005: 41.4 %2006: 41.3 %2007: 42.5 %2008: 43.8 %2009: 44.1 %2010: 43.9 %2011: 42.8 %2012: 41.9 %2013: 42.8 %2014: 43.7 %2015: 44.4 %2016: 47.8 %2017: 48.1 %2018: 49.2 %2019: 49.5 %

Source: UNESCO Institute for Statistics. Measured in %.

Analysis

Least developed countries recorded 49.5% for elderly literacy rate, population 65+ years, male in 2019. That is the highest value across all 40 years on record.

The figure is up 0.7% on the previous year and up 12.4% over ten years.

Over the whole period, elderly literacy rate, population 65+ years, male in Least developed countries peaked at 49.5% in 2019 and was at its lowest, 31.1%, in 1980.

That places Least developed countries 29th out of 37 groups with data for 2019, putting it in the bottom quarter.

The long-run direction has been consistently rising across the 40 years of available data.

Elderly literacy rate, population 65+ years, male in Least developed countries, year by year

Annual values for Elderly literacy rate, population 65+ years, male (%) in Least developed countries, 1980 to 2019.
Year % Change
1980 31.1%
1981 31.2% +0.3%
1982 31.4% +0.6%
1983 31.6% +0.6%
1984 31.9% +1.0%
1985 32.1% +0.8%
1986 32.3% +0.4%
1987 32.5% +0.6%
1988 33.4% +2.7%
1989 33.7% +1.1%
1990 33.8% +0.1%
1991 34.1% +0.9%
1992 34.3% +0.7%
1993 34.7% +1.0%
1994 34.8% +0.4%
1995 35.7% +2.5%
1996 36.0% +0.9%
1997 36.7% +1.8%
1998 38.8% +5.8%
1999 39.3% +1.4%
2000 39.7% +1.0%
2001 40.1% +0.8%
2002 40.1% -0.0%
2003 40.6% +1.4%
2004 41.1% +1.1%
2005 41.4% +0.8%
2006 41.3% -0.3%
2007 42.5% +3.0%
2008 43.8% +3.1%
2009 44.1% +0.6%
2010 43.9% -0.3%
2011 42.8% -2.5%
2012 41.9% -2.2%
2013 42.8% +2.1%
2014 43.7% +2.2%
2015 44.4% +1.5%
2016 47.8% +7.6%
2017 48.1% +0.6%
2018 49.2% +2.3%
2019 49.5% +0.7%

Averages by decade

DecadeAverage LowestHighest Years
1980s 32.1% 31.1% 33.7% 10
1990s 35.8% 33.8% 39.3% 10
2000s 41.5% 39.7% 44.1% 10
2010s 45.4% 41.9% 49.5% 10

Countries ranked near Least developed countries

  1. 26 Brunei Darussalam 90.3% compare
  2. 27 Venezuela, Bolivarian Republic of 89.8% compare
  3. 28 Kuwait 88.8% compare
  4. 29 Malta 86.4% compare
  5. 30 Suriname 86.2% compare
  6. 31 Malaysia 85.7% compare
  7. 32 Thailand 85.4% compare

See the full ranking of 121 places →

More reference data data for Least developed countries

All data for Least developed countries →

Frequently asked questions

What is elderly literacy rate, population 65+ years, male in Least developed countries?
Elderly literacy rate, population 65+ years, male in Least developed countries was 49.5% in 2019, according to UNESCO Institute for Statistics.
What is the highest elderly literacy rate, population 65+ years, male recorded in Least developed countries?
The highest recorded value was 49.5% in 2019.
What is the lowest elderly literacy rate, population 65+ years, male recorded in Least developed countries?
The lowest recorded value was 31.1% in 1980.
How does Least developed countries rank for elderly literacy rate, population 65+ years, male?
Least developed countries ranks 29th out of 37 groups with data for 2019.
Is elderly literacy rate, population 65+ years, male rising or falling in Least developed countries?
Over the last ten years it is up 12.4%. The long-run trend across the full record is rising.
Where does this Least developed countries data come from?
The figures come from UNESCO Institute for Statistics, published as part of Elderly literacy rate, population 65+ years, male (%). Statizoid updates them automatically from the source API.

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Elderly literacy rate, population 65+ years, male in Least developed countries. Statizoid, drawing on UNESCO Institute for Statistics. Retrieved 22 August 2026, from https://reference.statizoid.com/stat/elderly-literacy-rate-population-65-years-male-percent/least-developed-countries-un-classification/

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About this data

Indicator
Elderly literacy rate, population 65+ years, male (%)
Unit
%
Source
UNESCO Institute for Statistics
Licence
CC BY 4.0 (World Bank Open Data)
Coverage
121 places, 2,187 data points, 1970–2019
Last refreshed

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