Literacy rates of older vs. younger population in Indonesia
Indonesia: Literacy rates of older vs. younger population was 77.9% in 2020. ▲ Rising
Literacy rates of older vs. younger population in Indonesia, 1980–2020
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 Indonesia is 77.9%, measured in 2020. That is the highest value across all 13 years on record.
The figure is up 4.8% on the previous year and up 24.6% over ten years.
Over the whole period, literacy rates of older vs. younger population in Indonesia peaked at 77.9% in 2020 and was at its lowest, 29.6%, in 1980.
Indonesia ranks 40th of 85 countries on this measure, in the middle of the range.
The long-run direction has been consistently rising across the 13 years of available data.
Literacy rates of older vs. younger population in Indonesia, year by year
| Year | % | Change |
|---|---|---|
| 1980 | 29.6% | — |
| 1990 | 35.0% | +18.3% |
| 2004 | 53.2% | +51.9% |
| 2006 | 73.4% | +37.8% |
| 2008 | 57.9% | -21.0% |
| 2009 | 62.1% | +7.3% |
| 2010 | 62.5% | +0.6% |
| 2011 | 64.3% | +2.9% |
| 2014 | 71.8% | +11.6% |
| 2015 | 69.2% | -3.7% |
| 2016 | 70.1% | +1.3% |
| 2018 | 74.3% | +6.1% |
| 2020 | 77.9% | +4.8% |
Averages by decade
| Decade | Average | Lowest | Highest | Years |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1980s | 29.6% | 29.6% | 29.6% | 1 |
| 1990s | 35.0% | 35.0% | 35.0% | 1 |
| 2000s | 61.7% | 53.2% | 73.4% | 4 |
| 2010s | 68.7% | 62.5% | 74.3% | 6 |
| 2020s | 77.9% | 77.9% | 77.9% | 1 |
Countries ranked near Indonesia
More education data for Indonesia
- Enrolment in tertiary education, all programmes, both sexes (number) 5.71 % change on previous year (2023)
- Teachers in primary education, female (number), gaps filled 1.09 million (2025)
- Teachers in primary education, male (number), gaps filled 417,192 (2025)
- Enrolment in tertiary education, all programmes, female (number) 5.34 million (2023)
- Enrolment in tertiary education, all programmes, female (number) 6.69 % change on previous year (2023)
- Enrolment in tertiary education, all programmes, male (number), gaps 4.51 million (2023)
- Enrolment in tertiary education, all programmes, male (number) 4.58 % change on previous year (2023)
- 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 Indonesia?
- Literacy rates of older vs. younger population in Indonesia was 77.9% 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 Indonesia?
- The highest recorded value was 77.9% in 2020.
- What is the lowest literacy rates of older vs. younger population recorded in Indonesia?
- The lowest recorded value was 29.6% in 1980.
- How does Indonesia rank for literacy rates of older vs. younger population?
- Indonesia ranks 40th out of 85 countries with data for 2020.
- Is literacy rates of older vs. younger population rising or falling in Indonesia?
- Over the last ten years it is up 24.6%. The long-run trend across the full record is rising.
- Where does this Indonesia 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.