Bangladesh vs India: Literacy rates of older vs. younger population
Bangladesh
45.5%
in 2022
India
46.1%
in 2024
Bangladesh rank
63rd
India rank
62nd
Literacy rates of older vs. younger population over time
- Bangladesh
- India
How they compare
India currently reports 46.1% against 45.5% in Bangladesh, a difference of 0.6%.
The two have swapped places 1 time across 10 shared years of data; in 1981 it was India ahead.
Bangladesh ranks 63rd and India ranks 62nd of 85 countries.
India has averaged higher in every one of the 5 decades both report.
Head to head by decade
| Decade | Bangladesh | India | Difference | Ahead |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1980s | 19.0% | 21.4% | 2.4% | India |
| 1990s | 22.3% | 27.3% | 5.0% | India |
| 2000s | 28.6% | 35.6% | 7.0% | India |
| 2010s | 34.2% | 41.1% | 6.8% | India |
| 2020s | 41.6% | 44.2% | 2.6% | India |
Averages of every year both report within each decade.
Frequently asked questions
- Which has higher literacy rates of older vs. younger population, Bangladesh or India?
- India, at 46.1% against 45.5% in Bangladesh as of 2024.
- What is the difference in literacy rates of older vs. younger population between Bangladesh and India?
- 0.6%, with India ahead.
- How many years of comparable data are there for Bangladesh and India?
- 10 years are reported by both, from 1981 to 2022.
- How do Bangladesh and India rank globally for literacy rates of older vs. younger population?
- Bangladesh ranks 63rd and India ranks 62nd of 85 countries.
- Where does this data come from?
- UNESCO Institute for Statistics (2026) – with minor processing by Our World in Data, published as Literacy rates of older vs. younger population. Statizoid refreshes it automatically from the source and publishes the full history for both places.
Individual pages
About this data
Share of the population aged 65 years and older who can read and write.