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

Iran: Elderly literacy rate, population 65+ years, urban, male was 61.5% in 2016. ▲ Rising

Latest (2016)
61.5%
Change on year
up 4.7%
World rank
32nd
of 38 countries
All-time high
61.5%
in 2016
All-time low
29.3%
in 1976
Years of data
10
1976–2016

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

02040601976199620161976: 29.3 %1991: 43.6 %1996: 41.9 %2005: 50.1 %2006: 50.4 %2008: 51.9 %2012: 56.3 %2013: 59.1 %2014: 58.8 %2016: 61.5 %

Source: UNESCO Institute for Statistics. Measured in %.

Analysis

In 2016, elderly literacy rate, population 65+ years, urban, male in Iran stood at 61.5%. That is the highest value across all 10 years on record.

That represents a change of up 4.7% on the previous year and up 22.1% over ten years.

Over the whole period, elderly literacy rate, population 65+ years, urban, male in Iran peaked at 61.5% in 2016 and was at its lowest, 29.3%, in 1976.

That places Iran 32nd out of 38 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, urban, male in Iran, year by year

Annual values for Elderly literacy rate, population 65+ years, urban, male (%) in Iran, 1976 to 2016.
Year % Change
1976 29.3%
1991 43.6% +48.6%
1996 41.9% -3.8%
2005 50.1% +19.5%
2006 50.4% +0.5%
2008 51.9% +3.0%
2012 56.3% +8.5%
2013 59.1% +4.9%
2014 58.8% -0.5%
2016 61.5% +4.7%

Averages by decade

DecadeAverage LowestHighest Years
1970s 29.3% 29.3% 29.3% 1
1990s 42.8% 41.9% 43.6% 2
2000s 50.8% 50.1% 51.9% 3
2010s 58.9% 56.3% 61.5% 4

Countries ranked near Iran

  1. 29 South Africa 77.7% compare
  2. 30 Uganda 68.2% compare
  3. 31 Bangladesh 66.5% compare
  4. 33 Egypt 61.0% compare
  5. 34 Morocco 60.4% compare
  6. 35 Senegal 58.7% 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, male in Iran?
Elderly literacy rate, population 65+ years, urban, male in Iran was 61.5% in 2016, according to UNESCO Institute for Statistics.
What is the highest elderly literacy rate, population 65+ years, urban, male recorded in Iran?
The highest recorded value was 61.5% in 2016.
What is the lowest elderly literacy rate, population 65+ years, urban, male recorded in Iran?
The lowest recorded value was 29.3% in 1976.
How does Iran rank for elderly literacy rate, population 65+ years, urban, male?
Iran ranks 32nd out of 38 countries with data for 2016.
Is elderly literacy rate, population 65+ years, urban, male rising or falling in Iran?
Over the last ten years it is up 22.1%. 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, male (%). Statizoid updates them automatically from the source API.

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Elderly literacy rate, population 65+ years, urban, male in Iran. Statizoid, drawing on UNESCO Institute for Statistics. Retrieved 30 August 2026, from https://reference.statizoid.com/stat/elderly-literacy-rate-population-65-years-urban-male-percent/iran-islamic-rep/

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About this data

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