Literacy rates of older vs. younger population in Malaysia
Malaysia: Literacy rates of older vs. younger population was 81.7% in 2022. ▲ Rising
Literacy rates of older vs. younger population in Malaysia, 1980–2022
Source: UNESCO Institute for Statistics (2026) – with minor processing by Our World in Data. Measured in %.
Analysis
Malaysia recorded 81.7% for literacy rates of older vs. younger population in 2022. That is the highest value across all 9 years on record.
That represents a change of up 5.8% on the previous year and up 39.7% over ten years.
Over the whole period, literacy rates of older vs. younger population in Malaysia peaked at 81.7% in 2022 and was at its lowest, 23.1%, in 1980.
That places Malaysia 32nd out of 85 countries with data for 2022, putting it in the middle of the range.
Literacy rates of older vs. younger population in Malaysia, year by year
| Year | % | Change |
|---|---|---|
| 1980 | 23.1% | — |
| 1991 | 32.9% | +42.3% |
| 2000 | 44.3% | +34.8% |
| 2010 | 58.5% | +31.9% |
| 2016 | 73.2% | +25.1% |
| 2017 | 74.8% | +2.2% |
| 2018 | 75.5% | +0.9% |
| 2019 | 77.2% | +2.4% |
| 2022 | 81.7% | +5.8% |
Averages by decade
| Decade | Average | Lowest | Highest | Years |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1980s | 23.1% | 23.1% | 23.1% | 1 |
| 1990s | 32.9% | 32.9% | 32.9% | 1 |
| 2000s | 44.3% | 44.3% | 44.3% | 1 |
| 2010s | 71.8% | 58.5% | 77.2% | 5 |
| 2020s | 81.7% | 81.7% | 81.7% | 1 |
Countries ranked near Malaysia
More education data for Malaysia
- 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)
- Theoretical duration of lower secondary education (years), annual 0 % change on previous year (2025)
- Theoretical duration of upper secondary education (years), annual 0 % change on previous year (2025)
- Theoretical duration of secondary education (years), annual growth 0 % change on previous year (2025)
- Start of the academic school year (tertiary education), gaps filled 2,024 tertiary education (2024)
- Start of the academic school year (tertiary education), annual growth 0.0494 % change on previous year (2024)
- Primary education, teachers, gaps filled 273,792 (2024)
- Duration of pre primary education, annual growth rate 0 % change on previous year (2025)
- Duration of pre-primary education 2 years (2025)
Frequently asked questions
- What is literacy rates of older vs. younger population in Malaysia?
- Literacy rates of older vs. younger population in Malaysia was 81.7% in 2022, 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 Malaysia?
- The highest recorded value was 81.7% in 2022.
- What is the lowest literacy rates of older vs. younger population recorded in Malaysia?
- The lowest recorded value was 23.1% in 1980.
- How does Malaysia rank for literacy rates of older vs. younger population?
- Malaysia ranks 32nd out of 85 countries with data for 2022.
- Is literacy rates of older vs. younger population rising or falling in Malaysia?
- Over the last ten years it is up 39.7%. The long-run trend across the full record is rising.
- Where does this Malaysia 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.