Elderly literacy rate, population 65+ years, both sexes in MDG: Southern Asia
MDG: Southern Asia: Elderly literacy rate, population 65+ years, both sexes was 43.9% in 2024. ▲ Rising
Elderly literacy rate, population 65+ years, both sexes in MDG: Southern Asia, 1975–2024
Source: UNESCO Institute for Statistics. Measured in %.
Analysis
MDG: Southern Asia recorded 43.9% for elderly literacy rate, population 65+ years, both sexes in 2024. That is the highest value across all 50 years on record.
Compared with earlier readings it is up 1.1% on the previous year and up 12.8% over ten years.
Over the whole period, elderly literacy rate, population 65+ years, both sexes in MDG: Southern Asia peaked at 43.9% in 2024 and was at its lowest, 20.7%, in 1986.
That places MDG: Southern Asia 132nd out of 201 groups with data for 2024, putting it in the middle of the range.
The long-run direction has been consistently rising across the 50 years of available data.
Elderly literacy rate, population 65+ years, both sexes in MDG: Southern Asia, year by year
| Year | % | Change |
|---|---|---|
| 1975 | 20.8% | — |
| 1976 | 20.8% | +0.0% |
| 1977 | 20.8% | +0.0% |
| 1978 | 20.8% | -0.0% |
| 1979 | 20.8% | -0.1% |
| 1980 | 20.8% | -0.0% |
| 1981 | 20.7% | -0.1% |
| 1982 | 20.7% | -0.0% |
| 1983 | 20.8% | +0.3% |
| 1984 | 20.8% | -0.1% |
| 1985 | 20.7% | -0.1% |
| 1986 | 20.7% | -0.1% |
| 1987 | 21.5% | +4.0% |
| 1988 | 24.8% | +15.0% |
| 1989 | 25.1% | +1.3% |
| 1990 | 25.5% | +1.6% |
| 1991 | 25.6% | +0.6% |
| 1992 | 25.6% | +0.0% |
| 1993 | 25.6% | -0.2% |
| 1994 | 25.5% | -0.4% |
| 1995 | 25.4% | -0.2% |
| 1996 | 25.6% | +0.5% |
| 1997 | 25.9% | +1.5% |
| 1998 | 32.3% | +24.5% |
| 1999 | 32.5% | +0.7% |
| 2000 | 32.7% | +0.6% |
| 2001 | 33.0% | +0.8% |
| 2002 | 33.1% | +0.4% |
| 2003 | 33.3% | +0.6% |
| 2004 | 33.3% | +0.1% |
| 2005 | 32.1% | -3.7% |
| 2006 | 31.9% | -0.6% |
| 2007 | 32.2% | +1.1% |
| 2008 | 32.4% | +0.7% |
| 2009 | 32.8% | +1.0% |
| 2010 | 37.8% | +15.3% |
| 2011 | 38.0% | +0.7% |
| 2012 | 37.8% | -0.6% |
| 2013 | 38.4% | +1.5% |
| 2014 | 38.9% | +1.5% |
| 2015 | 39.8% | +2.3% |
| 2016 | 41.1% | +3.3% |
| 2017 | 41.8% | +1.6% |
| 2018 | 43.0% | +2.9% |
| 2019 | 40.8% | -5.2% |
| 2020 | 41.3% | +1.3% |
| 2021 | 42.0% | +1.6% |
| 2022 | 42.9% | +2.2% |
| 2023 | 43.4% | +1.2% |
| 2024 | 43.9% | +1.1% |
Averages by decade
| Decade | Average | Lowest | Highest | Years |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1970s | 20.8% | 20.8% | 20.8% | 5 |
| 1980s | 21.7% | 20.7% | 25.1% | 10 |
| 1990s | 27.0% | 25.4% | 32.5% | 10 |
| 2000s | 32.7% | 31.9% | 33.3% | 10 |
| 2010s | 39.7% | 37.8% | 43.0% | 10 |
| 2020s | 42.7% | 41.3% | 43.9% | 5 |
More education data for MDG: Southern Asia
- Enrolment in pre-primary education, both sexes (number), annual 7.57 % change on previous year (2024)
- Enrolment in secondary education, both sexes (number), annual growth -0.56 % change on previous year (2024)
- Teachers in primary education, both sexes (number), gaps filled 6.70 million (2024)
- Teachers in primary education, both sexes (number), annual growth rate 2.81 % change on previous year (2024)
- Enrolment in secondary education, female (number), gaps filled 88.16 million (2024)
- Enrolment in secondary education, female (number), annual growth rate 0.205 % change on previous year (2024)
- Enrolment in secondary education, male (number), gaps filled 94.56 million (2024)
- Enrolment in secondary education, male (number), annual growth rate -1.26 % change on previous year (2024)
- Enrolment in pre-primary education, both sexes (number), gaps filled 54.48 million (2024)
- Enrolment in tertiary education, all programmes, male (number), gaps 28.18 million (2024)
Frequently asked questions
- What is elderly literacy rate, population 65+ years, both sexes in MDG: Southern Asia?
- Elderly literacy rate, population 65+ years, both sexes in MDG: Southern Asia was 43.9% in 2024, according to UNESCO Institute for Statistics.
- What is the highest elderly literacy rate, population 65+ years, both sexes recorded in MDG: Southern Asia?
- The highest recorded value was 43.9% in 2024.
- What is the lowest elderly literacy rate, population 65+ years, both sexes recorded in MDG: Southern Asia?
- The lowest recorded value was 20.7% in 1986.
- How does MDG: Southern Asia rank for elderly literacy rate, population 65+ years, both sexes?
- MDG: Southern Asia ranks 132nd out of 201 groups with data for 2024.
- Is elderly literacy rate, population 65+ years, both sexes rising or falling in MDG: Southern Asia?
- Over the last ten years it is up 12.8%. The long-run trend across the full record is rising.
- Where does this MDG: Southern Asia 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