Elderly literacy rate, population 65+ years, urban, female in Iran

Iran: Elderly literacy rate, population 65+ years, urban, female was 33.5% in 2016. ▲ Rising

Latest (2016)
33.5%
Change on year
up 9.0%
World rank
32nd
of 38 countries
All-time high
33.5%
in 2016
All-time low
7.0%
in 1976
Years of data
10
1976–2016

Elderly literacy rate, population 65+ years, urban, female in Iran, 1976–2016

1020301976199620161976: 7 %1991: 19 %1996: 16.6 %2005: 21.3 %2006: 23 %2008: 24 %2012: 28 %2013: 30.9 %2014: 30.7 %2016: 33.5 %

Source: UNESCO Institute for Statistics. Measured in %.

Analysis

The most recent figure for elderly literacy rate, population 65+ years, urban, female in Iran is 33.5%, measured in 2016. That is the highest value across all 10 years on record.

That represents a change of up 9.0% on the previous year and up 45.6% over ten years.

Over the whole period, elderly literacy rate, population 65+ years, urban, female in Iran peaked at 33.5% in 2016 and was at its lowest, 7.0%, in 1976.

Iran ranks 32nd of 38 countries on this measure, 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, urban, female in Iran, year by year

Annual values for Elderly literacy rate, population 65+ years, urban, female (%) in Iran, 1976 to 2016.
Year % Change
1976 7.0%
1991 19.0% +172.8%
1996 16.6% -13.0%
2005 21.3% +28.6%
2006 23.0% +8.1%
2008 24.0% +4.5%
2012 28.0% +16.6%
2013 30.9% +10.2%
2014 30.7% -0.5%
2016 33.5% +9.0%

Averages by decade

DecadeAverage LowestHighest Years
1970s 7.0% 7.0% 7.0% 1
1990s 17.8% 16.6% 19.0% 2
2000s 22.8% 21.3% 24.0% 3
2010s 30.8% 28.0% 33.5% 4

Countries ranked near Iran

  1. 29 Kuwait 51.6% compare
  2. 30 Egypt 38.5% compare
  3. 31 Bangladesh 37.8% compare
  4. 33 Uganda 30.4% compare
  5. 34 Pakistan 27.4% compare
  6. 35 Morocco 26.7% compare

See the full ranking of 38 places →

More reference data data for Iran

All data for Iran →

Frequently asked questions

What is elderly literacy rate, population 65+ years, urban, female in Iran?
Elderly literacy rate, population 65+ years, urban, female in Iran was 33.5% in 2016, according to UNESCO Institute for Statistics.
What is the highest elderly literacy rate, population 65+ years, urban, female recorded in Iran?
The highest recorded value was 33.5% in 2016.
What is the lowest elderly literacy rate, population 65+ years, urban, female recorded in Iran?
The lowest recorded value was 7.0% in 1976.
How does Iran rank for elderly literacy rate, population 65+ years, urban, female?
Iran ranks 32nd out of 38 countries with data for 2016.
Is elderly literacy rate, population 65+ years, urban, female rising or falling in Iran?
Over the last ten years it is up 45.6%. 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, urban, female (%). Statizoid updates them automatically from the source API.

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Elderly literacy rate, population 65+ years, urban, female 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-urban-female-percent/iran-islamic-rep/

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About this data

Indicator
Elderly literacy rate, population 65+ years, urban, female (%)
Unit
%
Source
UNESCO Institute for Statistics
Licence
CC BY 4.0 (World Bank Open Data)
Coverage
38 places, 360 data points, 1976–2019
Last refreshed

Percentage of females 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 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/