Elderly literacy rate, population 65+ years, rural, female in Sri Lanka

Sri Lanka: Elderly literacy rate, population 65+ years, rural, female was 72.4% in 2018. ▲ Rising

Latest (2018)
72.4%
Change on year
down 2.2%
World rank
7th
of 35 countries
All-time high
74.5%
in 2016
All-time low
50.0%
in 1981
Years of data
8
1981–2018

Elderly literacy rate, population 65+ years, rural, female in Sri Lanka, 1981–2018

0204060801981199920181981: 50 %2001: 66.5 %2006: 63 %2008: 64.9 %2010: 68.5 %2016: 74.5 %2017: 73.9 %2018: 72.4 %

Source: UNESCO Institute for Statistics. Measured in %.

Analysis

Sri Lanka recorded 72.4% for elderly literacy rate, population 65+ years, rural, female in 2018.

The figure is down 2.2% on the previous year and up 11.5% over ten years.

Over the whole period, elderly literacy rate, population 65+ years, rural, female in Sri Lanka peaked at 74.5% in 2016 and was at its lowest, 50.0%, in 1981.

That places Sri Lanka 7th out of 35 countries with data for 2018, putting it in the top quarter.

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

Annual values for Elderly literacy rate, population 65+ years, rural, female (%) in Sri Lanka, 1981 to 2018.
Year % Change
1981 50.0%
2001 66.5% +32.9%
2006 63.0% -5.3%
2008 64.9% +3.1%
2010 68.5% +5.5%
2016 74.5% +8.8%
2017 73.9% -0.8%
2018 72.4% -2.2%

Averages by decade

DecadeAverage LowestHighest Years
1980s 50.0% 50.0% 50.0% 1
2000s 64.8% 63.0% 66.5% 3
2010s 72.3% 68.5% 74.5% 4

Countries ranked near Sri Lanka

  1. 4 Spain 92.2% compare
  2. 5 Greece 81.5% compare
  3. 6 Chile 78.1% compare
  4. 8 Dominican Republic 71.5% compare
  5. 9 Thailand 68.7% compare
  6. 10 Colombia 66.6% compare

See the full ranking of 35 places →

More reference data data for Sri Lanka

All data for Sri Lanka →

Frequently asked questions

What is elderly literacy rate, population 65+ years, rural, female in Sri Lanka?
Elderly literacy rate, population 65+ years, rural, female in Sri Lanka was 72.4% in 2018, according to UNESCO Institute for Statistics.
What is the highest elderly literacy rate, population 65+ years, rural, female recorded in Sri Lanka?
The highest recorded value was 74.5% in 2016.
What is the lowest elderly literacy rate, population 65+ years, rural, female recorded in Sri Lanka?
The lowest recorded value was 50.0% in 1981.
How does Sri Lanka rank for elderly literacy rate, population 65+ years, rural, female?
Sri Lanka ranks 7th out of 35 countries with data for 2018.
Is elderly literacy rate, population 65+ years, rural, female rising or falling in Sri Lanka?
Over the last ten years it is up 11.5%. The long-run trend across the full record is rising.
Where does this Sri Lanka 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 Sri Lanka. Statizoid, drawing on UNESCO Institute for Statistics. Retrieved 28 August 2026, from https://reference.statizoid.com/stat/elderly-literacy-rate-population-65-years-rural-female-percent/sri-lanka/

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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/