Literacy rates of older vs. younger population in Türkiye
Türkiye: Literacy rates of older vs. younger population was 86.2% in 2021. ▲ Rising
Literacy rates of older vs. younger population in Türkiye, 1975–2021
Source: UNESCO Institute for Statistics (2026) – with minor processing by Our World in Data. Measured in %.
Analysis
Türkiye recorded 86.2% for literacy rates of older vs. younger population in 2021. That is the highest value across all 19 years on record.
The figure is up 3.8% on the previous year and up 21.8% over ten years.
Over the whole period, literacy rates of older vs. younger population in Türkiye peaked at 86.2% in 2021 and was at its lowest, 23.4%, in 1980.
That places Türkiye 23rd out of 85 countries with data for 2021, putting it in the middle of the range.
The long-run direction has been consistently rising across the 19 years of available data.
Literacy rates of older vs. younger population in Türkiye, year by year
| Year | % | Change |
|---|---|---|
| 1975 | 25.8% | — |
| 1980 | 23.4% | -9.5% |
| 1985 | 30.9% | +32.1% |
| 1990 | 36.4% | +18.0% |
| 2004 | 53.1% | +45.8% |
| 2005 | 55.4% | +4.3% |
| 2006 | 54.9% | -0.9% |
| 2007 | 56.9% | +3.6% |
| 2009 | 62.1% | +9.1% |
| 2010 | 65.0% | +4.7% |
| 2011 | 70.8% | +8.9% |
| 2012 | 74.6% | +5.4% |
| 2013 | 76.1% | +1.9% |
| 2014 | 77.1% | +1.3% |
| 2015 | 78.1% | +1.3% |
| 2016 | 79.7% | +2.0% |
| 2017 | 80.4% | +1.0% |
| 2019 | 83.1% | +3.3% |
| 2021 | 86.2% | +3.8% |
Averages by decade
| Decade | Average | Lowest | Highest | Years |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1970s | 25.8% | 25.8% | 25.8% | 1 |
| 1980s | 27.1% | 23.4% | 30.9% | 2 |
| 1990s | 36.4% | 36.4% | 36.4% | 1 |
| 2000s | 56.5% | 53.1% | 62.1% | 5 |
| 2010s | 76.1% | 65.0% | 83.1% | 9 |
| 2020s | 86.2% | 86.2% | 86.2% | 1 |
Countries ranked near Türkiye
More education data for Türkiye
- Enrolment in secondary education, both sexes (number), gaps filled 12.31 million (2023)
- Enrolment in secondary education, both sexes (number), annual growth 4.03 % change on previous year (2023)
- Teachers in primary education, both sexes (number), gaps filled 299,967 (2023)
- Teachers in primary education, both sexes (number), annual growth rate -3.39 % change on previous year (2023)
- Enrolment in secondary education, female (number), gaps filled 5.96 million (2023)
- Enrolment in secondary education, female (number), annual growth rate 4.96 % change on previous year (2023)
- Enrolment in secondary education, male (number), gaps filled 6.35 million (2023)
- Enrolment in secondary education, male (number), annual growth rate 3.17 % change on previous year (2023)
- Enrolment in pre-primary education, both sexes (number), gaps filled 2.03 million (2023)
- Enrolment in pre-primary education, both sexes (number), annual 9.33 % change on previous year (2023)
Frequently asked questions
- What is literacy rates of older vs. younger population in Türkiye?
- Literacy rates of older vs. younger population in Türkiye was 86.2% in 2021, 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 Türkiye?
- The highest recorded value was 86.2% in 2021.
- What is the lowest literacy rates of older vs. younger population recorded in Türkiye?
- The lowest recorded value was 23.4% in 1980.
- How does Türkiye rank for literacy rates of older vs. younger population?
- Türkiye ranks 23rd out of 85 countries with data for 2021.
- Is literacy rates of older vs. younger population rising or falling in Türkiye?
- Over the last ten years it is up 21.8%. The long-run trend across the full record is rising.
- Where does this Türkiye 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.