Elderly literacy rate, population 65+ years, both sexes in Ethiopia

Ethiopia: Elderly literacy rate, population 65+ years, both sexes was 17.8% in 2022. ▲ Rising

Latest (2022)
17.8%
Change on year
down 23.1%
World rank
79th
of 85 countries
All-time high
23.2%
in 2021
All-time low
10.7%
in 1994
Years of data
7
1994–2022

Elderly literacy rate, population 65+ years, both sexes in Ethiopia, 1994–2022

05101520251994200820221994: 10.7 %2007: 13.6 %2013: 14.8 %2016: 19.5 %2019: 16.9 %2021: 23.2 %2022: 17.8 %

Source: UNESCO Institute for Statistics. Measured in %.

Analysis

Ethiopia recorded 17.8% for elderly literacy rate, population 65+ years, both sexes in 2022.

The figure is down 23.1% on the previous year and up 20.5% over ten years.

Over the whole period, elderly literacy rate, population 65+ years, both sexes in Ethiopia peaked at 23.2% in 2021 and was at its lowest, 10.7%, in 1994.

That places Ethiopia 79th out of 85 countries with data for 2022, putting it in the bottom quarter.

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

Annual values for Elderly literacy rate, population 65+ years, both sexes (%) in Ethiopia, 1994 to 2022.
Year % Change
1994 10.7%
2007 13.6% +27.6%
2013 14.8% +8.4%
2016 19.5% +31.8%
2019 16.9% -13.4%
2021 23.2% +37.2%
2022 17.8% -23.1%

Averages by decade

DecadeAverage LowestHighest Years
1990s 10.7% 10.7% 10.7% 1
2000s 13.6% 13.6% 13.6% 1
2010s 17.0% 14.8% 19.5% 3
2020s 20.5% 17.8% 23.2% 2

Countries ranked near Ethiopia

  1. 76 Guinea 23.0% compare
  2. 77 Côte d'Ivoire 22.5% compare
  3. 78 Nepal 21.1% compare
  4. 80 Niger 17.4% compare
  5. 81 Afghanistan 16.5% compare
  6. 82 Burkina Faso 16.1% compare

See the full ranking of 286 places →

More education data for Ethiopia

All data for Ethiopia →

Frequently asked questions

What is elderly literacy rate, population 65+ years, both sexes in Ethiopia?
Elderly literacy rate, population 65+ years, both sexes in Ethiopia was 17.8% in 2022, according to UNESCO Institute for Statistics.
What is the highest elderly literacy rate, population 65+ years, both sexes recorded in Ethiopia?
The highest recorded value was 23.2% in 2021.
What is the lowest elderly literacy rate, population 65+ years, both sexes recorded in Ethiopia?
The lowest recorded value was 10.7% in 1994.
How does Ethiopia rank for elderly literacy rate, population 65+ years, both sexes?
Ethiopia ranks 79th out of 85 countries with data for 2022.
Is elderly literacy rate, population 65+ years, both sexes rising or falling in Ethiopia?
Over the last ten years it is up 20.5%. The long-run trend across the full record is rising.
Where does this Ethiopia 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 Ethiopia. Statizoid, drawing on UNESCO Institute for Statistics. Retrieved 06 September 2026, from https://education.statizoid.com/stat/elderly-literacy-rate-population-65-years-both-sexes-percent-2/ethiopia/

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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