Elderly literacy rate, population 65+ years, male in Sub-Saharan Africa (IDA & IBRD countries)

Sub-Saharan Africa (IDA & IBRD countries): Elderly literacy rate, population 65+ years, male was 49.5% in 2019. ▲ Rising

Latest (2019)
49.5%
Change on year
up 1.2%
Rank
31st
of 38 groups
All-time high
49.5%
in 2019
All-time low
31.8%
in 1984
Years of data
36
1984–2019

Elderly literacy rate, population 65+ years, male in Sub-Saharan Africa (IDA & IBRD countries), 1984–2019

010203040501984200120191984: 31.8 %1985: 32 %1986: 32.1 %1987: 32.3 %1988: 32.7 %1989: 33 %1990: 33.1 %1991: 32.2 %1992: 32.9 %1993: 33.4 %1994: 33.4 %1995: 34.2 %1996: 34.7 %1997: 35.6 %1998: 36.9 %1999: 37.8 %2000: 36.8 %2001: 37.6 %2002: 37.9 %2003: 38.4 %2004: 40 %2005: 40.8 %2006: 44 %2007: 41.2 %2008: 43 %2009: 44.7 %2010: 44.7 %2011: 45.4 %2012: 45.5 %2013: 46.7 %2014: 47.4 %2015: 47.6 %2016: 48.8 %2017: 48 %2018: 48.9 %2019: 49.5 %

Source: UNESCO Institute for Statistics. Measured in %.

Analysis

In 2019, elderly literacy rate, population 65+ years, male in Sub-Saharan Africa (IDA & IBRD countries) stood at 49.5%. That is the highest value across all 36 years on record.

The figure is up 1.2% on the previous year and up 10.9% over ten years.

Over the whole period, elderly literacy rate, population 65+ years, male in Sub-Saharan Africa (IDA & IBRD countries) peaked at 49.5% in 2019 and was at its lowest, 31.8%, in 1984.

Sub-Saharan Africa (IDA & IBRD countries) ranks 31st of 38 groups on this measure, 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, male in Sub-Saharan Africa (IDA & IBRD countries), year by year

Annual values for Elderly literacy rate, population 65+ years, male (%) in Sub-Saharan Africa (IDA & IBRD countries), 1984 to 2019.
Year % Change
1984 31.8%
1985 32.0% +0.5%
1986 32.1% +0.2%
1987 32.3% +0.8%
1988 32.7% +1.0%
1989 33.0% +1.0%
1990 33.1% +0.4%
1991 32.2% -2.9%
1992 32.9% +2.2%
1993 33.4% +1.7%
1994 33.4% +0.1%
1995 34.2% +2.1%
1996 34.7% +1.5%
1997 35.6% +2.7%
1998 36.9% +3.5%
1999 37.8% +2.4%
2000 36.8% -2.5%
2001 37.6% +2.1%
2002 37.9% +0.8%
2003 38.4% +1.3%
2004 40.0% +4.1%
2005 40.8% +1.9%
2006 44.0% +8.0%
2007 41.2% -6.3%
2008 43.0% +4.2%
2009 44.7% +3.9%
2010 44.7% +0.0%
2011 45.4% +1.7%
2012 45.5% +0.1%
2013 46.7% +2.6%
2014 47.4% +1.5%
2015 47.6% +0.5%
2016 48.8% +2.4%
2017 48.0% -1.6%
2018 48.9% +1.9%
2019 49.5% +1.2%

Averages by decade

DecadeAverage LowestHighest Years
1980s 32.3% 31.8% 33.0% 6
1990s 34.4% 32.2% 37.8% 10
2000s 40.4% 36.8% 44.7% 10
2010s 47.3% 44.7% 49.5% 10

Countries ranked near Sub-Saharan Africa (IDA & IBRD countries)

  1. 28 Kuwait 88.8% compare
  2. 29 Malta 86.4% compare
  3. 30 Suriname 86.2% compare
  4. 31 Malaysia 85.7% compare
  5. 32 Thailand 85.4% compare
  6. 33 Bahrain 85.1% compare
  7. 34 Sri Lanka 85.1% compare

See the full ranking of 121 places →

More reference data data for Sub-Saharan Africa (IDA & IBRD countries)

All data for Sub-Saharan Africa (IDA & IBRD countries) →

Frequently asked questions

What is elderly literacy rate, population 65+ years, male in Sub-Saharan Africa (IDA & IBRD countries)?
Elderly literacy rate, population 65+ years, male in Sub-Saharan Africa (IDA & IBRD 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 Sub-Saharan Africa (IDA & IBRD countries)?
The highest recorded value was 49.5% in 2019.
What is the lowest elderly literacy rate, population 65+ years, male recorded in Sub-Saharan Africa (IDA & IBRD countries)?
The lowest recorded value was 31.8% in 1984.
How does Sub-Saharan Africa (IDA & IBRD countries) rank for elderly literacy rate, population 65+ years, male?
Sub-Saharan Africa (IDA & IBRD countries) ranks 31st out of 38 groups with data for 2019.
Is elderly literacy rate, population 65+ years, male rising or falling in Sub-Saharan Africa (IDA & IBRD countries)?
Over the last ten years it is up 10.9%. 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, male (%). Statizoid updates them automatically from the source API.

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Elderly literacy rate, population 65+ years, male in Sub-Saharan Africa (IDA & IBRD countries). Statizoid, drawing on UNESCO Institute for Statistics. Retrieved 05 September 2026, from https://reference.statizoid.com/stat/elderly-literacy-rate-population-65-years-male-percent/sub-saharan-africa-ida-and-ibrd-countries/

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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.