Elderly literacy rate, population 65+ years, both sexes in ECA: All Countries (unsdcode:98100)

ECA: All Countries (unsdcode:98100): Elderly literacy rate, population 65+ years, both sexes was 40.4% in 2024. ▲ Rising

Latest (2024)
40.4%
Change on year
up 1.6%
Rank
166th
of 201 groups
All-time high
40.4%
in 2024
All-time low
20.5%
in 1981
Years of data
44
1981–2024

Elderly literacy rate, population 65+ years, both sexes in ECA: All Countries (unsdcode:98100), 1981–2024

0102030401981200220241981: 20.5 %1982: 20.6 %1983: 20.5 %1984: 20.6 %1985: 20.7 %1986: 20.8 %1987: 21 %1988: 21.3 %1989: 21.4 %1990: 21.6 %1991: 20.9 %1992: 21.1 %1993: 21.2 %1994: 21.3 %1995: 21.8 %1996: 22.1 %1997: 22.8 %1998: 23.7 %1999: 24.3 %2000: 23.7 %2001: 24.2 %2002: 24.4 %2003: 27 %2004: 27.4 %2005: 27.6 %2006: 26.6 %2007: 27.3 %2008: 29 %2009: 31.4 %2010: 31.5 %2011: 32.4 %2012: 32.4 %2013: 33.8 %2014: 34.5 %2015: 34.9 %2016: 34.7 %2017: 34.5 %2018: 36.5 %2019: 38.6 %2020: 39.3 %2021: 38.5 %2022: 39.2 %2023: 39.8 %2024: 40.4 %

Source: UNESCO Institute for Statistics. Measured in %.

Analysis

The most recent figure for elderly literacy rate, population 65+ years, both sexes in ECA: All Countries (unsdcode:98100) is 40.4%, measured in 2024. That is the highest value across all 44 years on record.

That represents a change of up 1.6% on the previous year and up 17.0% over ten years.

Over the whole period, elderly literacy rate, population 65+ years, both sexes in ECA: All Countries (unsdcode:98100) peaked at 40.4% in 2024 and was at its lowest, 20.5%, in 1981.

ECA: All Countries (unsdcode:98100) ranks 166th of 201 groups on this measure, in the bottom quarter.

The long-run direction has been consistently rising across the 44 years of available data.

Elderly literacy rate, population 65+ years, both sexes in ECA: All Countries (unsdcode:98100), year by year

Annual values for Elderly literacy rate, population 65+ years, both sexes (%) in ECA: All Countries (unsdcode:98100), 1981 to 2024.
Year % Change
1981 20.5%
1982 20.6% +0.4%
1983 20.5% -0.2%
1984 20.6% +0.5%
1985 20.7% +0.4%
1986 20.8% +0.3%
1987 21.0% +1.0%
1988 21.3% +1.4%
1989 21.4% +0.4%
1990 21.6% +1.0%
1991 20.9% -3.2%
1992 21.1% +1.0%
1993 21.2% +0.3%
1994 21.3% +0.8%
1995 21.8% +2.0%
1996 22.1% +1.8%
1997 22.8% +2.9%
1998 23.7% +3.9%
1999 24.3% +2.7%
2000 23.7% -2.5%
2001 24.2% +2.2%
2002 24.4% +0.7%
2003 27.0% +10.7%
2004 27.4% +1.3%
2005 27.6% +0.8%
2006 26.6% -3.9%
2007 27.3% +2.8%
2008 29.0% +6.3%
2009 31.4% +8.3%
2010 31.5% +0.4%
2011 32.4% +2.7%
2012 32.4% +0.2%
2013 33.8% +4.3%
2014 34.5% +2.1%
2015 34.9% +1.1%
2016 34.7% -0.7%
2017 34.5% -0.3%
2018 36.5% +5.6%
2019 38.6% +6.0%
2020 39.3% +1.6%
2021 38.5% -2.0%
2022 39.2% +1.7%
2023 39.8% +1.6%
2024 40.4% +1.6%

Averages by decade

DecadeAverage LowestHighest Years
1980s 20.8% 20.5% 21.4% 9
1990s 22.1% 20.9% 24.3% 10
2000s 26.9% 23.7% 31.4% 10
2010s 34.4% 31.5% 38.6% 10
2020s 39.4% 38.5% 40.4% 5

More education data for ECA: All Countries (unsdcode:98100)

All data for ECA: All Countries (unsdcode:98100) →

Frequently asked questions

What is elderly literacy rate, population 65+ years, both sexes in ECA: All Countries (unsdcode:98100)?
Elderly literacy rate, population 65+ years, both sexes in ECA: All Countries (unsdcode:98100) was 40.4% in 2024, according to UNESCO Institute for Statistics.
What is the highest elderly literacy rate, population 65+ years, both sexes recorded in ECA: All Countries (unsdcode:98100)?
The highest recorded value was 40.4% in 2024.
What is the lowest elderly literacy rate, population 65+ years, both sexes recorded in ECA: All Countries (unsdcode:98100)?
The lowest recorded value was 20.5% in 1981.
How does ECA: All Countries (unsdcode:98100) rank for elderly literacy rate, population 65+ years, both sexes?
ECA: All Countries (unsdcode:98100) ranks 166th out of 201 groups with data for 2024.
Is elderly literacy rate, population 65+ years, both sexes rising or falling in ECA: All Countries (unsdcode:98100)?
Over the last ten years it is up 17.0%. The long-run trend across the full record is rising.
Where does this ECA: All Countries (unsdcode:98100) data come from?
The figures come from UNESCO Institute for Statistics, published as part of Elderly literacy rate, population 65+ years, both sexes (%). Statizoid updates them automatically from the source API.

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Elderly literacy rate, population 65+ years, both sexes in ECA: All Countries (unsdcode:98100). Statizoid, drawing on UNESCO Institute for Statistics. Retrieved 29 August 2026, from https://education.statizoid.com/stat/elderly-literacy-rate-population-65-years-both-sexes-percent-2/eca-all-countries-unsdcode-98100/

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About this data

Indicator
Elderly literacy rate, population 65+ years, both sexes (%)
Unit
%
Source
UNESCO Institute for Statistics
Licence
CC BY-SA 3.0 IGO (UNESCO Institute for Statistics)
Coverage
286 places, 9,550 data points, 1970–2024
Last refreshed

February 2026 Data Release