Elderly literacy rate, population 65+ years, urban, both sexes in Malaysia

Malaysia: Elderly literacy rate, population 65+ years, urban, both sexes was 79.7% in 2018. ▲ Rising

Latest (2018)
79.7%
Change on year
up 0.7%
World rank
20th
of 40 countries
All-time high
79.7%
in 2018
All-time low
40.4%
in 1991
Years of data
6
1991–2018

Elderly literacy rate, population 65+ years, urban, both sexes in Malaysia, 1991–2018

0204060801991200420181991: 40.4 %2000: 53.6 %2010: 66.2 %2016: 77 %2017: 79.1 %2018: 79.7 %

Source: UNESCO Institute for Statistics. Measured in %.

Analysis

In 2018, elderly literacy rate, population 65+ years, urban, both sexes in Malaysia stood at 79.7%. That is the highest value across all 6 years on record.

Compared with earlier readings it is up 0.7% on the previous year and up 20.4% over ten years.

Over the whole period, elderly literacy rate, population 65+ years, urban, both sexes in Malaysia peaked at 79.7% in 2018 and was at its lowest, 40.4%, in 1991.

That places Malaysia 20th out of 40 countries with data for 2018, putting it in the middle of the range.

Elderly literacy rate, population 65+ years, urban, both sexes in Malaysia, year by year

Annual values for Elderly literacy rate, population 65+ years, urban, both sexes (%) in Malaysia, 1991 to 2018.
Year % Change
1991 40.4%
2000 53.6% +32.7%
2010 66.2% +23.6%
2016 77.0% +16.3%
2017 79.1% +2.7%
2018 79.7% +0.7%

Averages by decade

DecadeAverage LowestHighest Years
1990s 40.4% 40.4% 40.4% 1
2000s 53.6% 53.6% 53.6% 1
2010s 75.5% 66.2% 79.7% 4

Countries ranked near Malaysia

  1. 17 Dominican Republic 82.4% compare
  2. 18 Indonesia 81.6% compare
  3. 19 Bolivia 80.3% compare
  4. 21 Turkey 79.5% compare
  5. 22 Palestine 78.7% compare
  6. 23 Paraguay 78.3% compare

See the full ranking of 40 places →

More reference data data for Malaysia

All data for Malaysia →

Frequently asked questions

What is elderly literacy rate, population 65+ years, urban, both sexes in Malaysia?
Elderly literacy rate, population 65+ years, urban, both sexes in Malaysia was 79.7% in 2018, according to UNESCO Institute for Statistics.
What is the highest elderly literacy rate, population 65+ years, urban, both sexes recorded in Malaysia?
The highest recorded value was 79.7% in 2018.
What is the lowest elderly literacy rate, population 65+ years, urban, both sexes recorded in Malaysia?
The lowest recorded value was 40.4% in 1991.
How does Malaysia rank for elderly literacy rate, population 65+ years, urban, both sexes?
Malaysia ranks 20th out of 40 countries with data for 2018.
Is elderly literacy rate, population 65+ years, urban, both sexes rising or falling in Malaysia?
Over the last ten years it is up 20.4%. 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, urban, both sexes (%). Statizoid updates them automatically from the source API.

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Elderly literacy rate, population 65+ years, urban, both sexes in Malaysia. Statizoid, drawing on UNESCO Institute for Statistics. Retrieved 02 September 2026, from https://reference.statizoid.com/stat/elderly-literacy-rate-population-65-years-urban-both-sexes-percent/malaysia/

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About this data

Indicator
Elderly literacy rate, population 65+ years, urban, both sexes (%)
Unit
%
Source
UNESCO Institute for Statistics
Licence
CC BY 4.0 (World Bank Open Data)
Coverage
40 places, 370 data points, 1976–2019
Last refreshed

Percentage of the population age 65 and above in urban 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 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/