Literacy rates of older vs. younger population in Brazil
Brazil: Literacy rates of older vs. younger population was 83.2% in 2024. ▲ Rising
Literacy rates of older vs. younger population in Brazil, 1980–2024
Source: UNESCO Institute for Statistics (2026) – with minor processing by Our World in Data. Measured in %.
Analysis
The most recent figure for literacy rates of older vs. younger population in Brazil is 83.2%, measured in 2024. That is the highest value across all 26 years on record.
The figure is up 0.6% on the previous year and up 13.1% over ten years.
Over the whole period, literacy rates of older vs. younger population in Brazil peaked at 83.2% in 2024 and was at its lowest, 46.2%, in 1980.
Brazil ranks 29th of 85 countries on this measure, in the middle of the range.
The long-run direction has been consistently rising across the 26 years of available data.
Literacy rates of older vs. younger population in Brazil, year by year
| Year | % | Change |
|---|---|---|
| 1980 | 46.2% | — |
| 2000 | 62.0% | +34.2% |
| 2001 | 63.4% | +2.2% |
| 2002 | 64.7% | +2.1% |
| 2003 | 64.8% | +0.2% |
| 2004 | 65.8% | +1.5% |
| 2005 | 66.3% | +0.8% |
| 2006 | 68.1% | +2.7% |
| 2007 | 69.0% | +1.3% |
| 2008 | 69.1% | +0.3% |
| 2009 | 69.2% | +0.1% |
| 2010 | 70.6% | +2.1% |
| 2011 | 72.0% | +1.9% |
| 2012 | 72.8% | +1.2% |
| 2013 | 72.3% | -0.7% |
| 2014 | 73.5% | +1.7% |
| 2015 | 74.3% | +1.0% |
| 2016 | 76.6% | +3.1% |
| 2017 | 77.8% | +1.6% |
| 2018 | 78.5% | +1.0% |
| 2019 | 79.1% | +0.7% |
| 2020 | 81.4% | +2.9% |
| 2021 | 82.7% | +1.6% |
| 2022 | 82.2% | -0.6% |
| 2023 | 82.7% | +0.6% |
| 2024 | 83.2% | +0.6% |
Averages by decade
| Decade | Average | Lowest | Highest | Years |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1980s | 46.2% | 46.2% | 46.2% | 1 |
| 2000s | 66.2% | 62.0% | 69.2% | 10 |
| 2010s | 74.8% | 70.6% | 79.1% | 10 |
| 2020s | 82.4% | 81.4% | 83.2% | 5 |
Countries ranked near Brazil
More education data for Brazil
- Enrolment in tertiary education, all programmes, both sexes (number) 2.48 % change on previous year (2024)
- Teachers in primary education, female (number), gaps filled 620,653 (2024)
- Teachers in primary education, male (number), gaps filled 76,095 (2024)
- Enrolment in tertiary education, all programmes, female (number) 6.27 million (2024)
- Enrolment in tertiary education, all programmes, female (number) 3.1 % change on previous year (2024)
- Enrolment in tertiary education, all programmes, male (number), gaps 4.29 million (2024)
- Enrolment in tertiary education, all programmes, male (number) 1.59 % change on previous year (2024)
- Theoretical duration of primary education (years), annual growth rate 0 % change on previous year (2025)
- Theoretical duration of pre-primary education (years), annual growth 0 % change on previous year (2025)
- Start of the academic school year (pre-primary to post-secondary non) 0.0494 % change on previous year (2025)
Frequently asked questions
- What is literacy rates of older vs. younger population in Brazil?
- Literacy rates of older vs. younger population in Brazil was 83.2% in 2024, according to UNESCO Institute for Statistics (2026) – with minor processing by Our World in Data.
- What is the highest literacy rates of older vs. younger population recorded in Brazil?
- The highest recorded value was 83.2% in 2024.
- What is the lowest literacy rates of older vs. younger population recorded in Brazil?
- The lowest recorded value was 46.2% in 1980.
- How does Brazil rank for literacy rates of older vs. younger population?
- Brazil ranks 29th out of 85 countries with data for 2024.
- Is literacy rates of older vs. younger population rising or falling in Brazil?
- Over the last ten years it is up 13.1%. The long-run trend across the full record is rising.
- Where does this Brazil data come from?
- The figures come from UNESCO Institute for Statistics (2026) – with minor processing by Our World in Data, published as part of Literacy rates of older vs. younger population. Statizoid updates them automatically from the source API.
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About this data
Share of the population aged 65 years and older who can read and write.