Elderly literacy rate, population 65+ years, rural, female in Malaysia

Malaysia: Elderly literacy rate, population 65+ years, rural, female was 52.5% in 2018. ▲ Rising

Latest (2018)
52.5%
Change on year
up 3.3%
World rank
18th
of 35 countries
All-time high
52.5%
in 2018
All-time low
9.9%
in 1991
Years of data
6
1991–2018

Elderly literacy rate, population 65+ years, rural, female in Malaysia, 1991–2018

10203040501991200420181991: 9.9 %2000: 19.4 %2010: 31.7 %2016: 52.1 %2017: 50.9 %2018: 52.5 %

Source: UNESCO Institute for Statistics. Measured in %.

Analysis

The most recent figure for elderly literacy rate, population 65+ years, rural, female in Malaysia is 52.5%, measured in 2018. That is the highest value across all 6 years on record.

That represents a change of up 3.3% on the previous year and up 65.8% over ten years.

Over the whole period, elderly literacy rate, population 65+ years, rural, female in Malaysia peaked at 52.5% in 2018 and was at its lowest, 9.9%, in 1991.

That places Malaysia 18th out of 35 countries with data for 2018, putting it in the middle of the range.

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

Annual values for Elderly literacy rate, population 65+ years, rural, female (%) in Malaysia, 1991 to 2018.
Year % Change
1991 9.9%
2000 19.4% +95.7%
2010 31.7% +63.5%
2016 52.1% +64.6%
2017 50.9% -2.5%
2018 52.5% +3.3%

Averages by decade

DecadeAverage LowestHighest Years
1990s 9.9% 9.9% 9.9% 1
2000s 19.4% 19.4% 19.4% 1
2010s 46.8% 31.7% 52.5% 4

Countries ranked near Malaysia

  1. 15 Mexico 55.4% compare
  2. 16 Paraguay 54.9% compare
  3. 17 Brazil 53.8% compare
  4. 19 Palestine, State of 46.6% compare
  5. 20 Honduras 40.6% compare
  6. 21 El Salvador 40.0% compare

See the full ranking of 35 places →

More reference data data for Malaysia

All data for Malaysia →

Frequently asked questions

What is elderly literacy rate, population 65+ years, rural, female in Malaysia?
Elderly literacy rate, population 65+ years, rural, female in Malaysia was 52.5% in 2018, according to UNESCO Institute for Statistics.
What is the highest elderly literacy rate, population 65+ years, rural, female recorded in Malaysia?
The highest recorded value was 52.5% in 2018.
What is the lowest elderly literacy rate, population 65+ years, rural, female recorded in Malaysia?
The lowest recorded value was 9.9% in 1991.
How does Malaysia rank for elderly literacy rate, population 65+ years, rural, female?
Malaysia ranks 18th out of 35 countries with data for 2018.
Is elderly literacy rate, population 65+ years, rural, female rising or falling in Malaysia?
Over the last ten years it is up 65.8%. The long-run trend across the full record is rising.
Where does this Malaysia data come from?
The figures come from UNESCO Institute for Statistics, published as part of Elderly literacy rate, population 65+ years, rural, female (%). Statizoid updates them automatically from the source API.

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Elderly literacy rate, population 65+ years, rural, female in Malaysia. Statizoid, drawing on UNESCO Institute for Statistics. Retrieved 25 August 2026, from https://reference.statizoid.com/stat/elderly-literacy-rate-population-65-years-rural-female-percent/malaysia/

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About this data

Indicator
Elderly literacy rate, population 65+ years, rural, female (%)
Unit
%
Source
UNESCO Institute for Statistics
Licence
CC BY 4.0 (World Bank Open Data)
Coverage
35 places, 325 data points, 1976–2019
Last refreshed

Percentage of females age 65 and above in rural areas 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. For more information, consult the UNESCO Institute of Statistics website: http://www.uis.unesco.org/Education/