Literacy rates of older vs. younger population in Mozambique

Mozambique: Literacy rates of older vs. younger population was 30.8% in 2022. ▲ Rising

Latest (2022)
30.8%
Change on year
up 5.3%
World rank
71st
of 85 countries
All-time high
31.1%
in 2017
All-time low
7.4%
in 1980
Years of data
8
1980–2022

Literacy rates of older vs. younger population in Mozambique, 1980–2022

510152025301980200120221980: 7.4 %1997: 14.6 %2003: 18.8 %2009: 21.1 %2015: 26 %2017: 31.1 %2020: 29.3 %2022: 30.8 %

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 Mozambique is 30.8%, measured in 2022.

That represents a change of up 5.3% on the previous year and up 45.7% over ten years.

Over the whole period, literacy rates of older vs. younger population in Mozambique peaked at 31.1% in 2017 and was at its lowest, 7.4%, in 1980.

That places Mozambique 71st out of 85 countries with data for 2022, putting it in the bottom quarter.

Literacy rates of older vs. younger population in Mozambique, year by year

Annual values for Literacy rates of older vs. younger population in Mozambique, 1980 to 2022.
Year % Change
1980 7.4%
1997 14.6% +96.4%
2003 18.8% +28.7%
2009 21.1% +12.4%
2015 26.0% +23.0%
2017 31.1% +19.6%
2020 29.3% -5.9%
2022 30.8% +5.3%

Averages by decade

DecadeAverage LowestHighest Years
1980s 7.4% 7.4% 7.4% 1
1990s 14.6% 14.6% 14.6% 1
2000s 20.0% 18.8% 21.1% 2
2010s 28.6% 26.0% 31.1% 2
2020s 30.0% 29.3% 30.8% 2

Countries ranked near Mozambique

  1. 68 Togo 35.8% compare
  2. 69 Burundi 34.6% compare
  3. 70 Cambodia 32.1% compare
  4. 72 Pakistan 29.6% compare
  5. 73 Senegal 27.2% compare
  6. 74 Benin 25.1% compare

See the full ranking of 85 places →

More education data for Mozambique

All data for Mozambique →

Frequently asked questions

What is literacy rates of older vs. younger population in Mozambique?
Literacy rates of older vs. younger population in Mozambique was 30.8% 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 Mozambique?
The highest recorded value was 31.1% in 2017.
What is the lowest literacy rates of older vs. younger population recorded in Mozambique?
The lowest recorded value was 7.4% in 1980.
How does Mozambique rank for literacy rates of older vs. younger population?
Mozambique ranks 71st out of 85 countries with data for 2022.
Is literacy rates of older vs. younger population rising or falling in Mozambique?
Over the last ten years it is up 45.7%. The long-run trend across the full record is rising.
Where does this Mozambique 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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Literacy rates of older vs. younger population in Mozambique. Statizoid, drawing on UNESCO Institute for Statistics (2026) – with minor processing by Our World in Data. Retrieved 30 August 2026, from https://education.statizoid.com/stat/literacy-rates-of-younger-vs-older-population/mozambique/

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About this data

Indicator
Literacy rates of older vs. younger population
Unit
%
Source
UNESCO Institute for Statistics (2026) – with minor processing by Our World in Data
Licence
CC BY 4.0 (Our World in Data)
Coverage
85 places, 969 data points, 1975–2024
Last refreshed

Share of the population aged 65 years and older who can read and write.