Elderly literacy rate, population 65+ years, male in China

China: Elderly literacy rate, population 65+ years, male was 93.7% in 2020. ▲ Rising

Latest (2020)
93.7%
World rank
22nd
of 87 countries
All-time high
93.7%
in 2020
All-time low
43.5%
in 1982
Years of data
5
1982–2020

Elderly literacy rate, population 65+ years, male in China, 1982–2020

0204060801001982200120201982: 43.5 %1990: 45.1 %2000: 76 %2010: 86.1 %2020: 93.7 %

Source: UNESCO Institute for Statistics. Measured in %.

Analysis

China recorded 93.7% for elderly literacy rate, population 65+ years, male in 2020. That is the highest value across all 5 years on record.

That represents a change of up 8.9% over ten years.

Over the whole period, elderly literacy rate, population 65+ years, male in China peaked at 93.7% in 2020 and was at its lowest, 43.5%, in 1982.

China ranks 22nd of 87 countries on this measure, in the top quarter.

Elderly literacy rate, population 65+ years, male in China, year by year

Annual values for Elderly literacy rate, population 65+ years, male (%) in China, 1982 to 2020.
Year % Change
1982 43.5%
1990 45.1% +3.6%
2000 76.0% +68.5%
2010 86.1% +13.2%
2020 93.7% +8.9%

Averages by decade

DecadeAverage LowestHighest Years
1980s 43.5% 43.5% 43.5% 1
1990s 45.1% 45.1% 45.1% 1
2000s 76.0% 76.0% 76.0% 1
2010s 86.1% 86.1% 86.1% 1
2020s 93.7% 93.7% 93.7% 1

Countries ranked near China

  1. 19 Vietnam 94.9% compare
  2. 20 Bahrain 94.4% compare
  3. 21 United Arab Emirates 94.0% compare
  4. 23 Bolivia 93.3% compare
  5. 24 Chile 92.4% compare
  6. 25 Saudi Arabia 91.9% compare

See the full ranking of 287 places →

More education data for China

All data for China →

Frequently asked questions

What is elderly literacy rate, population 65+ years, male in China?
Elderly literacy rate, population 65+ years, male in China was 93.7% in 2020, according to UNESCO Institute for Statistics.
What is the highest elderly literacy rate, population 65+ years, male recorded in China?
The highest recorded value was 93.7% in 2020.
What is the lowest elderly literacy rate, population 65+ years, male recorded in China?
The lowest recorded value was 43.5% in 1982.
How does China rank for elderly literacy rate, population 65+ years, male?
China ranks 22nd out of 87 countries with data for 2020.
Is elderly literacy rate, population 65+ years, male rising or falling in China?
Over the last ten years it is up 8.9%. The long-run trend across the full record is rising.
Where does this China data come from?
The figures come from UNESCO Institute for Statistics, published as part of Elderly literacy rate, population 65+ years, male (%). Statizoid updates them automatically from the source API.

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Elderly literacy rate, population 65+ years, male in China. Statizoid, drawing on UNESCO Institute for Statistics. Retrieved 01 September 2026, from https://education.statizoid.com/stat/elderly-literacy-rate-population-65-years-male-percent-2/china/

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About this data

Indicator
Elderly literacy rate, population 65+ years, male (%)
Unit
%
Source
UNESCO Institute for Statistics
Licence
CC BY-SA 3.0 IGO (UNESCO Institute for Statistics)
Coverage
287 places, 9,575 data points, 1970–2024
Last refreshed

February 2026 Data Release