Elderly literacy rate, population 65+ years, male in WB: Africa Western and Central

WB: Africa Western and Central: Elderly literacy rate, population 65+ years, male was 45.4% in 2023. ▲ Rising

Latest (2023)
45.4%
Change on year
up 0.6%
Rank
191st
of 200 groups
All-time high
45.4%
in 2023
All-time low
22.3%
in 1985
Years of data
39
1985–2023

Elderly literacy rate, population 65+ years, male in WB: Africa Western and Central, 1985–2023

010203040501985200420231985: 22.3 %1986: 22.3 %1987: 22.8 %1988: 23.6 %1989: 24 %1990: 24.4 %1991: 24.9 %1992: 25.3 %1993: 25.7 %1994: 26.1 %1995: 26.6 %1996: 27.4 %1997: 28.4 %1998: 30.1 %1999: 30.9 %2000: 27.5 %2001: 28.4 %2002: 29.1 %2003: 29.5 %2004: 30.8 %2005: 30.8 %2006: 31.6 %2007: 30.6 %2008: 31.2 %2009: 32.9 %2010: 33.5 %2011: 34.9 %2012: 35.9 %2013: 36.8 %2014: 37.1 %2015: 38.1 %2016: 38.8 %2017: 40.2 %2018: 44.4 %2019: 44.4 %2020: 44.6 %2021: 44.9 %2022: 45.1 %2023: 45.4 %

Source: UNESCO Institute for Statistics. Measured in %.

Analysis

WB: Africa Western and Central recorded 45.4% for elderly literacy rate, population 65+ years, male in 2023. That is the highest value across all 39 years on record.

That represents a change of up 0.6% on the previous year and up 23.2% over ten years.

Over the whole period, elderly literacy rate, population 65+ years, male in WB: Africa Western and Central peaked at 45.4% in 2023 and was at its lowest, 22.3%, in 1985.

WB: Africa Western and Central ranks 191st of 200 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, male in WB: Africa Western and Central, year by year

Annual values for Elderly literacy rate, population 65+ years, male (%) in WB: Africa Western and Central, 1985 to 2023.
Year % Change
1985 22.3%
1986 22.3% +0.0%
1987 22.8% +1.8%
1988 23.6% +3.5%
1989 24.0% +1.9%
1990 24.4% +1.9%
1991 24.9% +2.0%
1992 25.3% +1.6%
1993 25.7% +1.6%
1994 26.1% +1.6%
1995 26.6% +1.6%
1996 27.4% +2.9%
1997 28.4% +3.9%
1998 30.1% +5.7%
1999 30.9% +2.7%
2000 27.5% -10.8%
2001 28.4% +3.1%
2002 29.1% +2.5%
2003 29.5% +1.5%
2004 30.8% +4.4%
2005 30.8% +0.0%
2006 31.6% +2.4%
2007 30.6% -3.1%
2008 31.2% +2.0%
2009 32.9% +5.5%
2010 33.5% +1.9%
2011 34.9% +3.9%
2012 35.9% +3.1%
2013 36.8% +2.6%
2014 37.1% +0.7%
2015 38.1% +2.7%
2016 38.8% +1.9%
2017 40.2% +3.6%
2018 44.4% +10.4%
2019 44.4% -0.0%
2020 44.6% +0.5%
2021 44.9% +0.6%
2022 45.1% +0.6%
2023 45.4% +0.6%

Averages by decade

DecadeAverage LowestHighest Years
1980s 23.0% 22.3% 24.0% 5
1990s 27.0% 24.4% 30.9% 10
2000s 30.3% 27.5% 32.9% 10
2010s 38.4% 33.5% 44.4% 10
2020s 45.0% 44.6% 45.4% 4

More education data for WB: Africa Western and Central

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Frequently asked questions

What is elderly literacy rate, population 65+ years, male in WB: Africa Western and Central?
Elderly literacy rate, population 65+ years, male in WB: Africa Western and Central was 45.4% in 2023, according to UNESCO Institute for Statistics.
What is the highest elderly literacy rate, population 65+ years, male recorded in WB: Africa Western and Central?
The highest recorded value was 45.4% in 2023.
What is the lowest elderly literacy rate, population 65+ years, male recorded in WB: Africa Western and Central?
The lowest recorded value was 22.3% in 1985.
How does WB: Africa Western and Central rank for elderly literacy rate, population 65+ years, male?
WB: Africa Western and Central ranks 191st out of 200 groups with data for 2023.
Is elderly literacy rate, population 65+ years, male rising or falling in WB: Africa Western and Central?
Over the last ten years it is up 23.2%. 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, male (%). Statizoid updates them automatically from the source API.

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Elderly literacy rate, population 65+ years, male in WB: Africa Western and Central. Statizoid, drawing on UNESCO Institute for Statistics. Retrieved 13 September 2026, from https://education.statizoid.com/stat/elderly-literacy-rate-population-65-years-male-percent-2/wb-africa-western-and-central/

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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