Elderly literacy rate, population 65+ years, rural, male in Iran

Iran: Elderly literacy rate, population 65+ years, rural, male was 23.7% in 2016. ▲ Rising

Latest (2016)
23.7%
Change on year
up 9.8%
World rank
33rd
of 35 countries
All-time high
23.7%
in 2016
All-time low
7.1%
in 1976
Years of data
10
1976–2016

Elderly literacy rate, population 65+ years, rural, male in Iran, 1976–2016

5101520251976199620161976: 7.1 %1991: 15.8 %1996: 15.1 %2005: 19.9 %2006: 18.8 %2008: 20 %2012: 21.4 %2013: 20.4 %2014: 21.6 %2016: 23.7 %

Source: UNESCO Institute for Statistics. Measured in %.

Analysis

The most recent figure for elderly literacy rate, population 65+ years, rural, male in Iran is 23.7%, measured in 2016. That is the highest value across all 10 years on record.

That represents a change of up 9.8% on the previous year and up 25.7% over ten years.

Over the whole period, elderly literacy rate, population 65+ years, rural, male in Iran peaked at 23.7% in 2016 and was at its lowest, 7.1%, in 1976.

That places Iran 33rd out of 35 countries with data for 2016, putting it in the bottom quarter.

The long-run direction has been consistently rising across the 10 years of available data.

Elderly literacy rate, population 65+ years, rural, male in Iran, year by year

Annual values for Elderly literacy rate, population 65+ years, rural, male (%) in Iran, 1976 to 2016.
Year % Change
1976 7.1%
1991 15.8% +123.1%
1996 15.1% -4.4%
2005 19.9% +32.1%
2006 18.8% -5.4%
2008 20.0% +6.0%
2012 21.4% +7.0%
2013 20.4% -4.5%
2014 21.6% +5.6%
2016 23.7% +9.8%

Averages by decade

DecadeAverage LowestHighest Years
1970s 7.1% 7.1% 7.1% 1
1990s 15.4% 15.1% 15.8% 2
2000s 19.6% 18.8% 20.0% 3
2010s 21.8% 20.4% 23.7% 4

Countries ranked near Iran

  1. 30 Pakistan 30.8% compare
  2. 31 Egypt 27.5% compare
  3. 32 South Africa 26.1% compare
  4. 34 Mali 20.2% compare
  5. 35 Burkina Faso 8.6% compare

See the full ranking of 35 places →

More reference data data for Iran

All data for Iran →

Frequently asked questions

What is elderly literacy rate, population 65+ years, rural, male in Iran?
Elderly literacy rate, population 65+ years, rural, male in Iran was 23.7% in 2016, according to UNESCO Institute for Statistics.
What is the highest elderly literacy rate, population 65+ years, rural, male recorded in Iran?
The highest recorded value was 23.7% in 2016.
What is the lowest elderly literacy rate, population 65+ years, rural, male recorded in Iran?
The lowest recorded value was 7.1% in 1976.
How does Iran rank for elderly literacy rate, population 65+ years, rural, male?
Iran ranks 33rd out of 35 countries with data for 2016.
Is elderly literacy rate, population 65+ years, rural, male rising or falling in Iran?
Over the last ten years it is up 25.7%. The long-run trend across the full record is rising.
Where does this Iran data come from?
The figures come from UNESCO Institute for Statistics, published as part of Elderly literacy rate, population 65+ years, rural, male (%). Statizoid updates them automatically from the source API.

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Elderly literacy rate, population 65+ years, rural, male in Iran. Statizoid, drawing on UNESCO Institute for Statistics. Retrieved 28 August 2026, from https://reference.statizoid.com/stat/elderly-literacy-rate-population-65-years-rural-male-percent/iran-islamic-rep/

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About this data

Indicator
Elderly literacy rate, population 65+ years, rural, male (%)
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 males 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 male 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/