Literacy rates of older vs. younger population in South Africa
South Africa: Literacy rates of older vs. younger population was 61.9% in 2024. ▲ Rising
Literacy rates of older vs. younger population in South Africa, 1980–2024
Source: UNESCO Institute for Statistics (2026) – with minor processing by Our World in Data. Measured in %.
Analysis
South Africa recorded 61.9% for literacy rates of older vs. younger population in 2024.
Compared with earlier readings it is up 4.6% on the previous year and down 12.7% over ten years.
Over the whole period, literacy rates of older vs. younger population in South Africa peaked at 76.3% in 2019 and was at its lowest, 49.0%, in 1996.
South Africa ranks 48th 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 South Africa, year by year
| Year | % | Change |
|---|---|---|
| 1980 | 57.0% | — |
| 1996 | 49.0% | -13.9% |
| 2007 | 56.3% | +14.9% |
| 2009 | 67.9% | +20.5% |
| 2010 | 67.2% | -1.1% |
| 2011 | 67.7% | +0.8% |
| 2012 | 69.2% | +2.2% |
| 2014 | 70.9% | +2.5% |
| 2015 | 72.1% | +1.7% |
| 2016 | 69.2% | -4.1% |
| 2019 | 76.3% | +10.4% |
| 2021 | 59.1% | -22.5% |
| 2024 | 61.9% | +4.6% |
Averages by decade
| Decade | Average | Lowest | Highest | Years |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1980s | 57.0% | 57.0% | 57.0% | 1 |
| 1990s | 49.0% | 49.0% | 49.0% | 1 |
| 2000s | 62.1% | 56.3% | 67.9% | 2 |
| 2010s | 70.4% | 67.2% | 76.3% | 7 |
| 2020s | 60.5% | 59.1% | 61.9% | 2 |
Countries ranked near South Africa
More education data for South Africa
- Repeaters in primary education, all grades, both sexes (number), gaps 339,638 (2023)
- Enrolment in pre-primary education, male (number), gaps filled 410,708 (2023)
- Enrolment in pre-primary education, female (number), gaps filled 407,696 (2023)
- Secondary education, pupils, gaps filled 5.50 million (2023)
- Primary education, duration (years), annual growth rate 0 % change on previous year (2025)
- Primary education, pupils, gaps filled 7.52 million (2023)
- Primary education, pupils, annual growth rate -1.44 % change on previous year (2023)
- Primary education, pupils, per unit of GDP 0 units per US$ of GDP (2023)
- Primary education, pupils, per capita 0.119 units per person (2023)
- Secondary education, duration (years), annual growth rate 0 % change on previous year (2025)
Frequently asked questions
- What is literacy rates of older vs. younger population in South Africa?
- Literacy rates of older vs. younger population in South Africa was 61.9% 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 South Africa?
- The highest recorded value was 76.3% in 2019.
- What is the lowest literacy rates of older vs. younger population recorded in South Africa?
- The lowest recorded value was 49.0% in 1996.
- How does South Africa rank for literacy rates of older vs. younger population?
- South Africa ranks 48th out of 85 countries with data for 2024.
- Is literacy rates of older vs. younger population rising or falling in South Africa?
- Over the last ten years it is down 12.7%. The long-run trend across the full record is rising.
- Where does this South Africa 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.
Download this data
CSV · JSON — 13 observations, free to reuse under CC BY 4.0 (Our World in Data).
About this data
Share of the population aged 65 years and older who can read and write.