Elderly literacy rate, population 65+ years, both sexes in UNICEF: Eastern and Southern Africa
UNICEF: Eastern and Southern Africa: Elderly literacy rate, population 65+ years, both sexes was 44.7% in 2024. ▲ Rising
Elderly literacy rate, population 65+ years, both sexes in UNICEF: Eastern and Southern Africa, 1983–2024
Source: UNESCO Institute for Statistics. Measured in %.
Analysis
The most recent figure for elderly literacy rate, population 65+ years, both sexes in UNICEF: Eastern and Southern Africa is 44.7%, measured in 2024.
The figure is up 1.6% on the previous year and up 9.5% over ten years.
Over the whole period, elderly literacy rate, population 65+ years, both sexes in UNICEF: Eastern and Southern Africa peaked at 45.7% in 2020 and was at its lowest, 27.1%, in 1991.
UNICEF: Eastern and Southern Africa ranks 131st of 201 groups on this measure, in the middle of the range.
The long-run direction has been consistently rising across the 42 years of available data.
Elderly literacy rate, population 65+ years, both sexes in UNICEF: Eastern and Southern Africa, year by year
| Year | % | Change |
|---|---|---|
| 1983 | 28.2% | — |
| 1984 | 28.3% | +0.5% |
| 1985 | 28.5% | +0.5% |
| 1986 | 28.6% | +0.5% |
| 1987 | 28.8% | +0.6% |
| 1988 | 28.9% | +0.6% |
| 1989 | 28.8% | -0.5% |
| 1990 | 29.0% | +0.7% |
| 1991 | 27.1% | -6.6% |
| 1992 | 27.3% | +0.8% |
| 1993 | 27.5% | +0.8% |
| 1994 | 27.7% | +0.5% |
| 1995 | 28.2% | +1.9% |
| 1996 | 28.6% | +1.4% |
| 1997 | 29.3% | +2.6% |
| 1998 | 30.4% | +3.5% |
| 1999 | 31.2% | +2.8% |
| 2000 | 31.6% | +1.2% |
| 2001 | 32.0% | +1.3% |
| 2002 | 31.7% | -0.8% |
| 2003 | 32.3% | +1.7% |
| 2004 | 32.3% | +0.1% |
| 2005 | 32.9% | +1.8% |
| 2006 | 33.3% | +1.2% |
| 2007 | 34.6% | +4.0% |
| 2008 | 37.7% | +8.8% |
| 2009 | 39.8% | +5.7% |
| 2010 | 39.2% | -1.5% |
| 2011 | 39.5% | +0.7% |
| 2012 | 39.3% | -0.6% |
| 2013 | 39.6% | +0.9% |
| 2014 | 40.8% | +2.9% |
| 2015 | 41.0% | +0.6% |
| 2016 | 42.1% | +2.5% |
| 2017 | 39.9% | -5.2% |
| 2018 | 40.8% | +2.2% |
| 2019 | 45.2% | +10.9% |
| 2020 | 45.7% | +1.0% |
| 2021 | 42.8% | -6.4% |
| 2022 | 43.4% | +1.4% |
| 2023 | 44.0% | +1.3% |
| 2024 | 44.7% | +1.6% |
Averages by decade
| Decade | Average | Lowest | Highest | Years |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1980s | 28.6% | 28.2% | 28.9% | 7 |
| 1990s | 28.6% | 27.1% | 31.2% | 10 |
| 2000s | 33.8% | 31.6% | 39.8% | 10 |
| 2010s | 40.7% | 39.2% | 45.2% | 10 |
| 2020s | 44.1% | 42.8% | 45.7% | 5 |
More education data for UNICEF: Eastern and Southern Africa
- Enrolment in primary education, female (number), gaps filled 49.26 million (2024)
- Teachers in primary education, both sexes (number), annual growth rate 1.01 % change on previous year (2024)
- Teachers in primary education, both sexes (number), gaps filled 2.50 million (2024)
- Enrolment in secondary education, both sexes (number), annual growth 2.77 % change on previous year (2022)
- Enrolment in secondary education, both sexes (number), gaps filled 36.30 million (2022)
- Enrolment in primary education, male (number), annual growth rate 1.22 % change on previous year (2024)
- Enrolment in primary education, male (number), gaps filled 50.69 million (2024)
- Enrolment in primary education, female (number), annual growth rate 1.32 % change on previous year (2024)
- Repeaters in primary education, all grades, both sexes (number), gaps 8.67 million (2024)
- Enrolment in pre-primary education, male (number), gaps filled 9.20 million (2024)
Frequently asked questions
- What is elderly literacy rate, population 65+ years, both sexes in UNICEF: Eastern and Southern Africa?
- Elderly literacy rate, population 65+ years, both sexes in UNICEF: Eastern and Southern Africa was 44.7% in 2024, according to UNESCO Institute for Statistics.
- What is the highest elderly literacy rate, population 65+ years, both sexes recorded in UNICEF: Eastern and Southern Africa?
- The highest recorded value was 45.7% in 2020.
- What is the lowest elderly literacy rate, population 65+ years, both sexes recorded in UNICEF: Eastern and Southern Africa?
- The lowest recorded value was 27.1% in 1991.
- How does UNICEF: Eastern and Southern Africa rank for elderly literacy rate, population 65+ years, both sexes?
- UNICEF: Eastern and Southern Africa ranks 131st out of 201 groups with data for 2024.
- Is elderly literacy rate, population 65+ years, both sexes rising or falling in UNICEF: Eastern and Southern Africa?
- Over the last ten years it is up 9.5%. The long-run trend across the full record is rising.
- Where does this UNICEF: Eastern and Southern Africa 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