Elderly literacy rate, population 65+ years, both sexes in GPE: Sub-saharan Africa Wb Fy24, December 2024
GPE: Sub-saharan Africa Wb Fy24, December 2024: Elderly literacy rate, population 65+ years, both sexes was 38.5% in 2024. ▲ Rising
Elderly literacy rate, population 65+ years, both sexes in GPE: Sub-saharan Africa Wb Fy24, December 2024, 1985–2024
Source: UNESCO Institute for Statistics. Measured in %.
Analysis
In 2024, elderly literacy rate, population 65+ years, both sexes in GPE: Sub-saharan Africa Wb Fy24, December 2024 stood at 38.5%. That is the highest value across all 40 years on record.
Compared with earlier readings it is up 1.1% on the previous year and up 25.6% over ten years.
Over the whole period, elderly literacy rate, population 65+ years, both sexes in GPE: Sub-saharan Africa Wb Fy24, December 2024 peaked at 38.5% in 2024 and was at its lowest, 18.1%, in 1985.
GPE: Sub-saharan Africa Wb Fy24, December 2024 ranks 176th of 201 groups on this measure, in the bottom quarter.
The long-run direction has been consistently rising across the 40 years of available data.
Elderly literacy rate, population 65+ years, both sexes in GPE: Sub-saharan Africa Wb Fy24, December 2024, year by year
| Year | % | Change |
|---|---|---|
| 1985 | 18.1% | — |
| 1986 | 18.2% | +0.3% |
| 1987 | 18.3% | +0.9% |
| 1988 | 18.6% | +1.6% |
| 1989 | 18.6% | -0.1% |
| 1990 | 18.8% | +1.0% |
| 1991 | 19.1% | +1.6% |
| 1992 | 19.3% | +1.3% |
| 1993 | 19.6% | +1.2% |
| 1994 | 19.8% | +1.2% |
| 1995 | 20.3% | +2.3% |
| 1996 | 20.7% | +2.1% |
| 1997 | 21.4% | +3.3% |
| 1998 | 22.3% | +4.6% |
| 1999 | 23.0% | +3.1% |
| 2000 | 22.0% | -4.6% |
| 2001 | 22.5% | +2.1% |
| 2002 | 22.5% | +0.2% |
| 2003 | 22.9% | +2.0% |
| 2004 | 23.4% | +2.1% |
| 2005 | 23.7% | +1.2% |
| 2006 | 25.1% | +6.0% |
| 2007 | 25.9% | +3.1% |
| 2008 | 27.8% | +7.4% |
| 2009 | 28.5% | +2.6% |
| 2010 | 28.6% | +0.4% |
| 2011 | 29.0% | +1.1% |
| 2012 | 29.2% | +0.8% |
| 2013 | 29.9% | +2.3% |
| 2014 | 30.6% | +2.4% |
| 2015 | 30.8% | +0.7% |
| 2016 | 31.8% | +3.0% |
| 2017 | 33.2% | +4.6% |
| 2018 | 35.6% | +7.2% |
| 2019 | 36.1% | +1.3% |
| 2020 | 36.5% | +1.3% |
| 2021 | 37.1% | +1.5% |
| 2022 | 37.6% | +1.3% |
| 2023 | 38.0% | +1.2% |
| 2024 | 38.5% | +1.1% |
Averages by decade
| Decade | Average | Lowest | Highest | Years |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1980s | 18.4% | 18.1% | 18.6% | 5 |
| 1990s | 20.4% | 18.8% | 23.0% | 10 |
| 2000s | 24.4% | 22.0% | 28.5% | 10 |
| 2010s | 31.5% | 28.6% | 36.1% | 10 |
| 2020s | 37.5% | 36.5% | 38.5% | 5 |
More education data for GPE: Sub-saharan Africa Wb Fy24, December 2024
- Enrolment in pre-primary education, both sexes (number), annual 1.49 % change on previous year (2024)
- Enrolment in secondary education, both sexes (number), annual growth 1.34 % change on previous year (2024)
- Teachers in primary education, both sexes (number), gaps filled 4.79 million (2024)
- Teachers in primary education, both sexes (number), annual growth rate 0.8454 % change on previous year (2024)
- Enrolment in secondary education, female (number), gaps filled 35.82 million (2024)
- Enrolment in secondary education, female (number), annual growth rate 1.54 % change on previous year (2024)
- Enrolment in secondary education, male (number), gaps filled 39.26 million (2024)
- Enrolment in secondary education, male (number), annual growth rate 1.16 % change on previous year (2024)
- Enrolment in pre-primary education, both sexes (number), gaps filled 25.27 million (2024)
- Enrolment in tertiary education, all programmes, male (number), gaps 5.38 million (2021)
All data for GPE: Sub-saharan Africa Wb Fy24, December 2024 →
Frequently asked questions
- What is elderly literacy rate, population 65+ years, both sexes in GPE: Sub-saharan Africa Wb Fy24, December 2024?
- Elderly literacy rate, population 65+ years, both sexes in GPE: Sub-saharan Africa Wb Fy24, December 2024 was 38.5% in 2024, according to UNESCO Institute for Statistics.
- What is the highest elderly literacy rate, population 65+ years, both sexes recorded in GPE: Sub-saharan Africa Wb Fy24, December 2024?
- The highest recorded value was 38.5% in 2024.
- What is the lowest elderly literacy rate, population 65+ years, both sexes recorded in GPE: Sub-saharan Africa Wb Fy24, December 2024?
- The lowest recorded value was 18.1% in 1985.
- How does GPE: Sub-saharan Africa Wb Fy24, December 2024 rank for elderly literacy rate, population 65+ years, both sexes?
- GPE: Sub-saharan Africa Wb Fy24, December 2024 ranks 176th out of 201 groups with data for 2024.
- Is elderly literacy rate, population 65+ years, both sexes rising or falling in GPE: Sub-saharan Africa Wb Fy24, December 2024?
- Over the last ten years it is up 25.6%. The long-run trend across the full record is rising.
- Where does this GPE: Sub-saharan Africa Wb Fy24, December 2024 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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About this data
February 2026 Data Release