Literacy rates of older vs. younger population in Burundi
Burundi: Literacy rates of older vs. younger population was 34.6% in 2020. ◆ Volatile
Literacy rates of older vs. younger population in Burundi, 1979–2020
Source: UNESCO Institute for Statistics (2026) – with minor processing by Our World in Data. Measured in %.
Analysis
In 2020, literacy rates of older vs. younger population in Burundi stood at 34.6%. That is the highest value across all 8 years on record.
That represents a change of up 12.3% on the previous year and up 76.7% over ten years.
Over the whole period, literacy rates of older vs. younger population in Burundi peaked at 34.6% in 2020 and was at its lowest, 2.2%, in 1979.
That places Burundi 69th out of 85 countries with data for 2020, putting it in the bottom quarter.
Literacy rates of older vs. younger population in Burundi, year by year
| Year | % | Change |
|---|---|---|
| 1979 | 2.2% | — |
| 1990 | 6.1% | +179.9% |
| 2000 | 18.6% | +204.2% |
| 2008 | 19.6% | +4.9% |
| 2014 | 22.2% | +13.4% |
| 2016 | 22.5% | +1.2% |
| 2017 | 30.8% | +37.1% |
| 2020 | 34.6% | +12.3% |
Averages by decade
| Decade | Average | Lowest | Highest | Years |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1970s | 2.2% | 2.2% | 2.2% | 1 |
| 1990s | 6.1% | 6.1% | 6.1% | 1 |
| 2000s | 19.1% | 18.6% | 19.6% | 2 |
| 2010s | 25.2% | 22.2% | 30.8% | 3 |
| 2020s | 34.6% | 34.6% | 34.6% | 1 |
Countries ranked near Burundi
More education data for Burundi
- Enrolment in tertiary education, all programmes, both sexes (number) 4.36 % change on previous year (2018)
- Teachers in primary education, female (number), gaps filled 23,880 (2025)
- Teachers in primary education, male (number), gaps filled 19,346 (2025)
- Enrolment in tertiary education, all programmes, female (number) 39,547 (2025)
- Enrolment in tertiary education, all programmes, female (number) 14.3 % change on previous year (2018)
- Enrolment in tertiary education, all programmes, male (number), gaps 43,648 (2025)
- Enrolment in tertiary education, all programmes, male (number) -0.9239 % change on previous year (2018)
- 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 Burundi?
- Literacy rates of older vs. younger population in Burundi was 34.6% in 2020, 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 Burundi?
- The highest recorded value was 34.6% in 2020.
- What is the lowest literacy rates of older vs. younger population recorded in Burundi?
- The lowest recorded value was 2.2% in 1979.
- How does Burundi rank for literacy rates of older vs. younger population?
- Burundi ranks 69th out of 85 countries with data for 2020.
- Is literacy rates of older vs. younger population rising or falling in Burundi?
- Over the last ten years it is up 76.7%. The long-run trend across the full record is volatile.
- Where does this Burundi 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.