Elderly literacy rate, population 65+ years, both sexes in WB: Africa Western and Central
WB: Africa Western and Central: Elderly literacy rate, population 65+ years, both sexes was 32.8% in 2023. ▲ Rising
Elderly literacy rate, population 65+ years, both sexes in WB: Africa Western and Central, 1985–2023
Source: UNESCO Institute for Statistics. Measured in %.
Analysis
The most recent figure for elderly literacy rate, population 65+ years, both sexes in WB: Africa Western and Central is 32.8%, measured in 2023. That is the highest value across all 39 years on record.
That represents a change of up 0.7% on the previous year and up 33.1% over ten years.
Over the whole period, elderly literacy rate, population 65+ years, both sexes in WB: Africa Western and Central peaked at 32.8% in 2023 and was at its lowest, 14.4%, in 1985.
WB: Africa Western and Central ranks 191st of 201 groups on this measure, in the bottom quarter.
The long-run direction has been consistently rising across the 39 years of available data.
Elderly literacy rate, population 65+ years, both sexes in WB: Africa Western and Central, year by year
| Year | % | Change |
|---|---|---|
| 1985 | 14.4% | — |
| 1986 | 14.4% | +0.0% |
| 1987 | 14.6% | +1.5% |
| 1988 | 15.1% | +3.1% |
| 1989 | 15.3% | +1.5% |
| 1990 | 15.5% | +1.4% |
| 1991 | 15.8% | +1.7% |
| 1992 | 16.0% | +1.5% |
| 1993 | 16.3% | +1.6% |
| 1994 | 16.5% | +1.5% |
| 1995 | 16.9% | +2.4% |
| 1996 | 17.4% | +3.0% |
| 1997 | 18.1% | +3.8% |
| 1998 | 19.1% | +5.3% |
| 1999 | 19.6% | +2.5% |
| 2000 | 16.7% | -14.7% |
| 2001 | 17.2% | +2.9% |
| 2002 | 17.6% | +2.6% |
| 2003 | 18.0% | +1.9% |
| 2004 | 18.8% | +4.7% |
| 2005 | 18.8% | -0.2% |
| 2006 | 19.4% | +3.2% |
| 2007 | 19.6% | +1.1% |
| 2008 | 20.1% | +2.7% |
| 2009 | 21.4% | +6.5% |
| 2010 | 22.1% | +3.2% |
| 2011 | 23.1% | +4.4% |
| 2012 | 23.9% | +3.7% |
| 2013 | 24.6% | +2.9% |
| 2014 | 24.8% | +0.6% |
| 2015 | 25.6% | +3.1% |
| 2016 | 26.3% | +2.7% |
| 2017 | 27.4% | +4.5% |
| 2018 | 31.5% | +14.9% |
| 2019 | 31.7% | +0.7% |
| 2020 | 32.1% | +1.1% |
| 2021 | 32.3% | +0.7% |
| 2022 | 32.6% | +0.7% |
| 2023 | 32.8% | +0.7% |
Averages by decade
| Decade | Average | Lowest | Highest | Years |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1980s | 14.8% | 14.4% | 15.3% | 5 |
| 1990s | 17.1% | 15.5% | 19.6% | 10 |
| 2000s | 18.8% | 16.7% | 21.4% | 10 |
| 2010s | 26.1% | 22.1% | 31.7% | 10 |
| 2020s | 32.4% | 32.1% | 32.8% | 4 |
More education data for WB: Africa Western and Central
- Enrolment in tertiary education, all programmes, both sexes (number) 4.61 million (2021)
- Enrolment in tertiary education, all programmes, female (number) 7.4 % change on previous year (2021)
- Enrolment in tertiary education, all programmes, female (number) 1.89 million (2021)
- Teachers in primary education, both sexes (number), gaps filled 2.08 million (2024)
- Teachers in primary education, male (number), gaps filled 1.08 million (2024)
- Teachers in primary education, both sexes (number), annual growth rate 0.7294 % change on previous year (2024)
- Teachers in primary education, female (number), gaps filled 1.00 million (2024)
- Enrolment in tertiary education, all programmes, both sexes (number) 6.08 % change on previous year (2021)
- Enrolment in secondary education, female (number), annual growth rate 1.09 % change on previous year (2024)
- Enrolment in secondary education, male (number), gaps filled 18.05 million (2024)
Frequently asked questions
- What is elderly literacy rate, population 65+ years, both sexes in WB: Africa Western and Central?
- Elderly literacy rate, population 65+ years, both sexes in WB: Africa Western and Central was 32.8% in 2023, according to UNESCO Institute for Statistics.
- What is the highest elderly literacy rate, population 65+ years, both sexes recorded in WB: Africa Western and Central?
- The highest recorded value was 32.8% in 2023.
- What is the lowest elderly literacy rate, population 65+ years, both sexes recorded in WB: Africa Western and Central?
- The lowest recorded value was 14.4% in 1985.
- How does WB: Africa Western and Central rank for elderly literacy rate, population 65+ years, both sexes?
- WB: Africa Western and Central ranks 191st out of 201 groups with data for 2023.
- Is elderly literacy rate, population 65+ years, both sexes rising or falling in WB: Africa Western and Central?
- Over the last ten years it is up 33.1%. The long-run trend across the full record is rising.
- Where does this WB: Africa Western and Central 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