Literacy rates of older vs. younger population in Guatemala
Guatemala: Literacy rates of older vs. younger population was 53.1% in 2024. ▲ Rising
Literacy rates of older vs. younger population in Guatemala, 1994–2024
Source: UNESCO Institute for Statistics (2026) – with minor processing by Our World in Data. Measured in %.
Analysis
Guatemala recorded 53.1% for literacy rates of older vs. younger population in 2024.
Compared with earlier readings it is down 20.2% on the previous year and up 4.8% over ten years.
Over the whole period, literacy rates of older vs. younger population in Guatemala peaked at 66.6% in 2023 and was at its lowest, 39.2%, in 2015.
Guatemala ranks 54th of 85 countries on this measure, in the middle of the range.
The long-run direction has been consistently rising across the 12 years of available data.
Literacy rates of older vs. younger population in Guatemala, year by year
| Year | % | Change |
|---|---|---|
| 1994 | 41.6% | — |
| 2000 | 39.5% | -5.2% |
| 2002 | 40.6% | +2.8% |
| 2006 | 42.8% | +5.4% |
| 2012 | 41.7% | -2.5% |
| 2013 | 45.4% | +8.8% |
| 2014 | 50.7% | +11.7% |
| 2015 | 39.2% | -22.7% |
| 2018 | 49.1% | +25.2% |
| 2022 | 58.0% | +18.1% |
| 2023 | 66.6% | +14.8% |
| 2024 | 53.1% | -20.2% |
Averages by decade
| Decade | Average | Lowest | Highest | Years |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1990s | 41.6% | 41.6% | 41.6% | 1 |
| 2000s | 41.0% | 39.5% | 42.8% | 3 |
| 2010s | 45.2% | 39.2% | 50.7% | 5 |
| 2020s | 59.2% | 53.1% | 66.6% | 3 |
Countries ranked near Guatemala
More education data for Guatemala
- Enrolment in tertiary education, all programmes, both sexes (number) 22.73 % change on previous year (2015)
- Teachers in primary education, female (number), gaps filled 82,077 (2024)
- Teachers in primary education, male (number), gaps filled 40,285 (2024)
- Enrolment in tertiary education, all programmes, female (number) 279,477 (2023)
- Enrolment in tertiary education, all programmes, female (number) 25.62 % change on previous year (2015)
- Enrolment in tertiary education, all programmes, male (number), gaps 225,289 (2023)
- Enrolment in tertiary education, all programmes, male (number) 19.56 % change on previous year (2015)
- 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 Guatemala?
- Literacy rates of older vs. younger population in Guatemala was 53.1% 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 Guatemala?
- The highest recorded value was 66.6% in 2023.
- What is the lowest literacy rates of older vs. younger population recorded in Guatemala?
- The lowest recorded value was 39.2% in 2015.
- How does Guatemala rank for literacy rates of older vs. younger population?
- Guatemala ranks 54th out of 85 countries with data for 2024.
- Is literacy rates of older vs. younger population rising or falling in Guatemala?
- Over the last ten years it is up 4.8%. The long-run trend across the full record is rising.
- Where does this Guatemala 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.