Literacy rates of older vs. younger population in Iran
Iran: Literacy rates of older vs. younger population was 49.8% in 2023. ▲ Rising
Literacy rates of older vs. younger population in Iran, 1976–2023
Source: UNESCO Institute for Statistics (2026) – with minor processing by Our World in Data. Measured in %.
Analysis
In 2023, literacy rates of older vs. younger population in Iran stood at 49.8%. That is the highest value across all 22 years on record.
The figure is up 3.5% on the previous year and up 45.4% over ten years.
Over the whole period, literacy rates of older vs. younger population in Iran peaked at 49.8% in 2023 and was at its lowest, 10.3%, in 1976.
That places Iran 58th out of 85 countries with data for 2023, putting it in the middle of the range.
The long-run direction has been consistently rising across the 22 years of available data.
Literacy rates of older vs. younger population in Iran, year by year
| Year | % | Change |
|---|---|---|
| 1976 | 10.3% | — |
| 1986 | 15.3% | +48.0% |
| 1991 | 22.5% | +47.2% |
| 1996 | 20.8% | -7.5% |
| 2005 | 26.7% | +28.3% |
| 2006 | 27.8% | +4.3% |
| 2008 | 28.9% | +4.0% |
| 2009 | 30.0% | +3.6% |
| 2010 | 31.3% | +4.5% |
| 2011 | 30.4% | -2.9% |
| 2012 | 32.6% | +7.3% |
| 2013 | 34.2% | +5.0% |
| 2014 | 34.3% | +0.1% |
| 2015 | 35.9% | +4.6% |
| 2016 | 36.8% | +2.5% |
| 2017 | 39.2% | +6.7% |
| 2018 | 40.6% | +3.5% |
| 2019 | 42.2% | +3.9% |
| 2020 | 45.1% | +6.9% |
| 2021 | 47.4% | +5.0% |
| 2022 | 48.1% | +1.6% |
| 2023 | 49.8% | +3.5% |
Averages by decade
| Decade | Average | Lowest | Highest | Years |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1970s | 10.3% | 10.3% | 10.3% | 1 |
| 1980s | 15.3% | 15.3% | 15.3% | 1 |
| 1990s | 21.6% | 20.8% | 22.5% | 2 |
| 2000s | 28.3% | 26.7% | 30.0% | 4 |
| 2010s | 35.8% | 30.4% | 42.2% | 10 |
| 2020s | 47.6% | 45.1% | 49.8% | 4 |
Countries ranked near Iran
More education data for Iran
- Enrolment in tertiary education, all programmes, both sexes (number) 8.84 % change on previous year (2022)
- Teachers in primary education, female (number), gaps filled 285,113 (2023)
- Teachers in primary education, male (number), gaps filled 87,283 (2023)
- Enrolment in tertiary education, all programmes, female (number) 1.64 million (2022)
- Enrolment in tertiary education, all programmes, female (number) 8.42 % change on previous year (2022)
- Enrolment in tertiary education, all programmes, male (number), gaps 1.70 million (2022)
- Enrolment in tertiary education, all programmes, male (number) 9.25 % change on previous year (2022)
- 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 Iran?
- Literacy rates of older vs. younger population in Iran was 49.8% in 2023, 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 Iran?
- The highest recorded value was 49.8% in 2023.
- What is the lowest literacy rates of older vs. younger population recorded in Iran?
- The lowest recorded value was 10.3% in 1976.
- How does Iran rank for literacy rates of older vs. younger population?
- Iran ranks 58th out of 85 countries with data for 2023.
- Is literacy rates of older vs. younger population rising or falling in Iran?
- Over the last ten years it is up 45.4%. The long-run trend across the full record is rising.
- Where does this Iran 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.