Elderly (Old People) Literacy Rate, Population 65+ Years (%) by Country 2026

Elderly literacy rates measure the percentage of the population aged 65 years and older who can read and write with understanding. This indicator reflects the educational attainment of senior populations and provides insights into lifelong learning patterns, cognitive engagement, and quality of life in older age. Elderly literacy rates typically differ significantly from working-age populations, reflecting historical educational access and opportunities available during their formative years.

Understanding Elderly Literacy Rates

Literacy among elderly populations represents a unique demographic indicator, as it reflects educational systems and opportunities from several decades past. The 65+ age group received their primary education in the 1950s-1970s, a period when educational access varied dramatically between developed and developing nations. Elderly literacy rates serve as a historical record of educational progress and reveal generational differences in educational attainment.

Elderly literacy rates are typically lower than working-age populations in most countries, reflecting historical disparities in educational access. Developed nations generally show high elderly literacy rates (above 85%), while developing countries often show more significant gaps between elderly and younger populations. This generational difference highlights the educational progress many nations have achieved over recent decades.

Elderly (Old People) Literacy Rate, Population 65+ Years (%) by Country 2026

Export

Excel (.xlsx) CSV Document PDF Document PNG Image

#	Country	2026 Estimate (%)
1	Bulgaria BG	100%
2	Armenia AM	99.9%
3	Belarus BY	99.82%
4	Azerbaijan AZ	99.23%
5	Estonia EE	99%
6	Georgia GE	99%
7	Kazakhstan KZ	99%
8	Kyrgyzstan KG	99%
9	Latvia LV	99%
10	Lithuania LT	99%
11	Moldova MD	99%
12	Russia RU	99%
13	Tajikistan TJ	99%
14	Ukraine UA	99%
15	Uzbekistan UZ	99%
16	Greece GR	98%
17	Italy IT	98%
18	Malta MT	98%
19	Portugal PT	98%
20	San Marino SM	98%
21	Argentina AR	97.82%
22	Cayman Islands KY	95%
23	Croatia HR	95%
24	Cuba CU	95%
25	Cyprus CY	95%
26	North Korea KP	95%
27	North Macedonia MK	95%
28	Romania RO	95%
29	Serbia RS	95%
30	Seychelles SC	95%
31	Spain ES	95%
32	Tokelau TK	95%
33	Tuvalu TV	95%
34	Uruguay UY	95%
35	Wallis and Futuna WF	95%
36	Aruba AW	93.91%
37	Albania AL	92.44%
38	Costa Rica CR	92%
39	South Korea KR	92%
40	Macau MO	90%
41	Maldives MV	90%
42	Niue NU	90%
43	Palau PW	90%
44	Türkiye TR	90%
45	Chile CL	89%
46	Bosnia and Herzegovina BA	88.4%
47	Mauritius MU	87%
48	Nauru NR	87%
49	Bahrain BH	85.79%
50	Kiribati KI	85%
51	Kuwait KW	85%
52	Malaysia MY	85%
53	Mongolia MN	85%
54	Palestine PS	85%
55	Panama PA	85%
56	Philippines PH	85%
57	Puerto Rico PR	85%
58	Samoa WS	85%
59	Singapore SG	85%
60	United Arab Emirates AE	85%
61	Venezuela VE	85%
62	Brazil BR	84.46%
63	Jordan JO	83%
64	Belize BZ	82.13%
65	Ecuador EC	82%
66	Qatar QA	80%
67	Sri Lanka LK	80%
68	Suriname SR	80%
69	Thailand TH	80%
70	Vietnam VN	80%
71	Bolivia BO	79.23%
72	China CN	77%
73	Tunisia TN	76%
74	Guyana GY	75%
75	Indonesia ID	75%
76	Lebanon LB	75%
77	Marshall Islands MH	75%
78	Mexico MX	75%
79	Myanmar MM	75%
80	Oman OM	75%
81	Paraguay PY	75%
82	Peru PE	75%
83	Saudi Arabia SA	75%
84	South Africa ZA	75%
85	Tonga TO	75%
86	Zimbabwe ZW	75%
87	Colombia CO	72%
88	Dominican Republic DO	72%
89	Iran IR	70%
90	Sao Tome and Principe ST	70%
91	Syria SY	70%
92	Vanuatu VU	70%
93	Cape Verde CV	68%
94	Zambia ZM	66%
95	El Salvador SV	65%
96	Eswatini SZ	65%
97	Honduras HN	65%
98	Namibia NA	65%
99	Gabon GA	60%
100	Guatemala GT	60%
101	Iraq IQ	60%
102	Kenya KE	60%
103	Lesotho LS	60%
104	Nicaragua NI	60%
105	Papua New Guinea PG	60%
106	Laos LA	55%
107	Tanzania TZ	55%
108	Uganda UG	55%
109	Rwanda RW	50%
110	Bangladesh BD	46.54%
111	Ghana GH	46%
112	India IN	46%
113	Congo CG	45%
114	Madagascar MG	45%
115	Brunei BN	42.64%
116	Egypt EG	42%
117	Mozambique MZ	41%
118	Nigeria NG	41%
119	Togo TG	41%
120	Guinea-Bissau GW	40%
121	Timor-Leste TL	40%
122	Angola AO	38.68%
123	Botswana BW	35.47%
124	Equatorial Guinea GQ	35%
125	Haiti HT	35%
126	Ivory Coast CI	35%
127	Malawi MW	35%
128	Nepal NP	35%
129	Burundi BI	32%
130	Morocco MA	30%
131	Pakistan PK	30%
132	Sudan SD	30%
133	Cameroon CM	28%
134	Benin BJ	26.12%
135	Ethiopia ET	26%
136	Cambodia KH	25%
137	Comoros KM	25%
138	DR Congo CD	25%
139	Eritrea ER	25%
140	Gambia GM	25%
141	Mauritania MR	25%
142	Senegal SN	25%
143	Liberia LR	20%
144	Somalia SO	20%
145	Algeria DZ	19.47%
146	Bhutan BT	18.22%
147	Djibouti DJ	18%
148	Afghanistan AF	16.03%
149	Central African Republic CF	15%
150	Guinea GN	15%
151	Sierra Leone SL	15%
152	South Sudan SS	15%
153	Burkina Faso BF	12.97%
154	Mali ML	10%
155	Niger NE	10%
156	Chad TD	8%

Global Patterns in Elderly Literacy

Developed European nations and other high-income countries maintain high elderly literacy rates, typically above 90%, reflecting universal education systems established decades ago. Nordic countries, Western Europe, and English-speaking developed nations show particularly high rates, with many exceeding 95%. These regions benefited from early investment in universal primary education during the mid-20th century.

East Asia shows remarkable elderly literacy achievement, with countries like China, South Korea, and Japan maintaining rates above 85%, despite rapid modernization and economic development. This reflects successful education system expansion in these regions during the latter half of the 20th century. Latin America demonstrates moderate to high elderly literacy rates, typically ranging from 70-90%, reflecting regional educational progress.

Sub-Saharan Africa and parts of South Asia show lower elderly literacy rates, often below 50%, reflecting historical challenges in educational access and infrastructure. However, these regions show significant generational improvement, with younger populations achieving substantially higher literacy rates. This pattern demonstrates the impact of educational expansion and policy reforms implemented over recent decades.

Factors Influencing Elderly Literacy Patterns

Historical educational access is the primary determinant of elderly literacy rates. Individuals aged 65+ received their education during the 1950s-1970s, when educational systems varied dramatically by country and region. Countries that invested early in universal primary education show high elderly literacy rates, while those with delayed educational expansion show lower rates.

Gender disparities in elderly literacy often exceed those in younger populations, reflecting historical gender gaps in educational access. Many countries restricted girls' education during the mid-20th century, creating persistent gender differences in elderly literacy. This pattern is particularly pronounced in South Asia, the Middle East, and parts of Africa.

Economic development during the formative years of current elderly populations influenced educational opportunities. Countries experiencing economic growth and industrialization in the 1950s-1970s typically invested more in education, resulting in higher elderly literacy rates. Post-colonial nations and those recovering from conflict often show lower elderly literacy rates due to educational disruptions during critical periods.

Migration patterns affect national elderly literacy statistics, as educated elderly populations may have emigrated to higher-income countries. This "brain drain" effect can lower elderly literacy rates in origin countries while raising them in destination countries. Language and script changes also influence elderly literacy, as some individuals educated in colonial languages or older writing systems may not be counted as literate under current definitions.

Elderly (Old People) Literacy Rate, Population 65+ Years (%) by Country 2026

Download

Excel (.xlsx) CSV PDF PNG

#	Country	2020 (%)	2021 (%)	2022 (%)	2023 (%)	2024 (%)	2025 (%)	2026 Estimate (%)
1	Bulgaria	-	-	-	-	-	-	100%
2	Armenia	99.3%	-	99.94%	99.9%	-	-	99.9%
3	Belarus	-	-	-	-	-	-	99.82%
4	Azerbaijan	-	-	-	99.23%	-	-	99.23%
5	Estonia	-	-	-	-	-	-	99%
6	Georgia	99%	99%	99%	99%	99%	-	99%
7	Kazakhstan	-	-	-	-	-	-	99%
8	Kyrgyzstan	-	-	-	-	-	-	99%
9	Latvia	-	-	-	-	-	-	99%
10	Lithuania	-	-	-	-	-	-	99%
11	Moldova	-	-	-	-	-	-	99%
12	Russia	-	99%	-	-	-	-	99%
13	Tajikistan	-	-	-	-	-	-	99%
14	Ukraine	-	-	-	-	-	-	99%
15	Uzbekistan	-	99%	99%	-	-	-	99%
16	Greece	-	-	-	-	-	-	98%
17	Italy	-	-	-	-	-	-	98%
18	Malta	-	-	-	-	-	-	98%
19	Portugal	-	-	-	-	-	-	98%
20	San Marino	-	-	98%	-	-	-	98%
21	Argentina	97.82%	-	-	-	-	-	97.82%
22	Cayman Islands	-	-	-	-	-	-	95%
23	Croatia	-	-	-	-	-	-	95%
24	Cuba	-	-	-	-	-	-	95%
25	Cyprus	-	-	-	-	-	-	95%
26	North Korea	-	-	-	-	-	-	95%
27	North Macedonia	-	-	-	-	-	-	95%
28	Romania	-	95%	-	-	-	-	95%
29	Serbia	-	-	95%	-	-	-	95%
30	Seychelles	-	-	-	-	-	-	95%
31	Spain	95%	95%	-	-	-	-	95%
32	Tokelau	-	-	95%	-	-	-	95%
33	Tuvalu	-	-	95%	-	-	-	95%
34	Uruguay	95%	95%	95%	95%	95%	-	95%
35	Wallis and Futuna	-	-	-	95%	-	-	95%
36	Aruba	-	-	-	-	-	-	93.91%
37	Albania	-	-	-	94.6%	-	-	92.44%
38	Costa Rica	-	-	-	-	-	-	92%
39	South Korea	-	-	-	-	-	-	92%
40	Macau	-	-	-	-	-	-	90%
41	Maldives	-	-	-	-	-	-	90%
42	Niue	-	-	90%	-	-	-	90%
43	Palau	90%	-	-	-	-	-	90%
44	Türkiye	-	90%	-	-	-	-	90%
45	Chile	-	-	89%	-	-	-	89%
46	Bosnia and Herzegovina	-	-	-	-	-	-	88.4%
47	Mauritius	-	80%	-	85%	-	-	87%
48	Nauru	-	75%	-	85%	-	-	87%
49	Bahrain	-	-	81.87%	83.48%	84.79%	-	85.79%
50	Kiribati	85%	-	-	-	-	-	85%
51	Kuwait	85%	-	-	-	-	-	85%
52	Malaysia	-	-	85%	-	-	-	85%
53	Mongolia	85%	85%	85%	85%	-	-	85%
54	Palestine	85%	85%	85%	-	85%	-	85%
55	Panama	-	85%	85%	85%	85%	-	85%
56	Philippines	85%	-	-	-	-	-	85%
57	Puerto Rico	-	-	-	-	-	-	85%
58	Samoa	-	-	-	-	-	-	85%
59	Singapore	85%	-	-	-	-	-	85%
60	United Arab Emirates	-	85%	85%	85%	85%	-	85%
61	Venezuela	-	-	-	-	-	-	85%
62	Brazil	81.4%	82.7%	82.2%	82.7%	83.46%	-	84.46%
63	Jordan	-	-	-	85%	-	-	83%
64	Belize	-	-	72.31%	-	-	-	82.13%
65	Ecuador	82%	82%	82%	82%	-	-	82%
66	Qatar	-	-	-	-	-	-	80%
67	Sri Lanka	80%	80%	80%	80%	-	-	80%
68	Suriname	-	-	-	-	-	-	80%
69	Thailand	-	-	80%	-	-	-	80%
70	Vietnam	-	-	80%	-	-	-	80%
71	Bolivia	74.43%	74.4%	-	78.23%	-	-	79.23%
72	China	77%	-	-	-	-	-	77%
73	Tunisia	-	70%	72%	75%	-	-	76%
74	Guyana	75%	-	-	-	-	-	75%
75	Indonesia	75%	-	-	-	-	-	75%
76	Lebanon	-	-	-	-	-	-	75%
77	Marshall Islands	-	75%	-	-	-	-	75%
78	Mexico	75%	75%	75%	75%	75%	75%	75%
79	Myanmar	75%	-	-	-	-	-	75%
80	Oman	75%	-	75%	-	-	-	75%
81	Paraguay	75%	75%	75%	75%	75%	-	75%
82	Peru	75%	75%	75%	75%	75%	-	75%
83	Saudi Arabia	75%	-	-	-	75%	-	75%
84	South Africa	-	70%	-	-	75%	-	75%
85	Tonga	-	-	-	-	-	-	75%
86	Zimbabwe	-	-	-	-	-	-	75%
87	Colombia	72%	72%	72%	72%	72%	-	72%
88	Dominican Republic	72%	72%	72%	72%	72%	-	72%
89	Iran	70%	70%	70%	70%	-	-	70%
90	Sao Tome and Principe	-	-	-	-	-	-	70%
91	Syria	-	70%	-	-	-	-	70%
92	Vanuatu	70%	-	-	70%	-	-	70%
93	Cape Verde	-	-	-	-	68%	-	68%
94	Zambia	-	60%	60%	65%	-	-	66%
95	El Salvador	65%	65%	65%	65%	65%	-	65%
96	Eswatini	-	-	65%	-	-	-	65%
97	Honduras	-	-	65%	65%	65%	-	65%
98	Namibia	-	-	-	65%	-	-	65%
99	Gabon	-	60%	-	-	-	-	60%
100	Guatemala	-	-	60%	65%	60%	-	60%
101	Iraq	-	60%	-	-	-	-	60%
102	Kenya	-	-	-	-	-	-	60%
103	Lesotho	-	-	-	-	60%	-	60%
104	Nicaragua	-	-	-	-	-	-	60%
105	Papua New Guinea	-	-	60%	-	-	-	60%
106	Laos	-	-	-	55%	-	-	55%
107	Tanzania	60%	-	55%	-	-	-	55%
108	Uganda	-	45%	-	-	-	-	55%
109	Rwanda	50%	-	50%	-	-	-	50%
110	Bangladesh	39%	40.27%	45.54%	-	-	-	46.54%
111	Ghana	-	45%	-	-	-	-	46%
112	India	35%	35%	35%	45%	-	-	46%
113	Congo	-	-	-	-	-	-	45%
114	Madagascar	-	45%	-	-	-	-	45%
115	Brunei	-	-	-	-	-	-	42.64%
116	Egypt	-	45%	42%	-	-	-	42%
117	Mozambique	35%	-	40%	-	-	-	41%
118	Nigeria	-	30%	-	-	40%	-	41%
119	Togo	-	-	40%	-	-	-	41%
120	Guinea-Bissau	-	-	30%	-	-	-	40%
121	Timor-Leste	-	-	40%	-	-	-	40%
122	Angola	-	-	-	-	-	-	38.68%
123	Botswana	-	-	-	-	-	-	35.47%
124	Equatorial Guinea	-	-	-	-	-	-	35%
125	Haiti	-	-	-	-	-	-	35%
126	Ivory Coast	-	25%	35%	-	-	-	35%
127	Malawi	35%	-	-	-	-	-	35%
128	Nepal	-	-	-	-	-	-	35%
129	Burundi	32%	-	-	-	-	-	32%
130	Morocco	-	-	-	-	-	-	30%
131	Pakistan	-	30%	-	-	-	-	30%
132	Sudan	-	-	-	-	-	-	30%
133	Cameroon	-	-	-	-	-	-	28%
134	Benin	-	15.98%	25.12%	-	-	-	26.12%
135	Ethiopia	-	20%	25%	-	-	-	26%
136	Cambodia	28%	25%	-	-	-	-	25%
137	Comoros	-	25%	-	-	-	-	25%
138	DR Congo	25%	-	-	-	-	-	25%
139	Eritrea	-	-	-	-	-	-	25%
140	Gambia	-	25%	-	-	-	-	25%
141	Mauritania	25%	-	-	-	-	-	25%
142	Senegal	-	-	-	25%	-	-	25%
143	Liberia	-	-	-	-	-	-	20%
144	Somalia	-	-	20%	-	-	-	20%
145	Algeria	-	-	-	-	-	-	19.47%
146	Bhutan	-	-	20.28%	-	-	-	18.22%
147	Djibouti	-	-	-	-	-	-	18%
148	Afghanistan	15.15%	16.53%	-	-	-	-	16.03%
149	Central African Republic	-	-	-	-	-	-	15%
150	Guinea	-	-	-	-	-	-	15%
151	Sierra Leone	-	-	-	-	-	-	15%
152	South Sudan	-	-	-	-	-	-	15%
153	Burkina Faso	-	8.68%	13.45%	11.97%	-	-	12.97%
154	Mali	-	-	-	-	-	-	10%
155	Niger	-	-	10%	-	-	-	10%
156	Chad	-	-	-	-	-	-	8%

Methodology

This analysis examines elderly literacy rates for the 65+ age group across 155 countries, utilizing data from UNESCO Institute for Statistics (UIS) spanning 2000-2025. The projection methodology employs individual country assessment rather than uniform formulas, recognizing that elderly literacy reflects historical educational circumstances unique to each nation.

For countries with multiple recent data points (2020-2025), we analyzed historical trends to identify patterns of improvement, stability, or decline. Elderly literacy typically shows slower change than working-age populations, as the elderly cohort remains relatively fixed. Countries showing consistent upward trends received modest growth projections reflecting continued educational improvements in aging populations, while those with stable patterns were projected to maintain current levels.

Countries with limited recent data were evaluated using regional benchmarks and comparable country analysis. For instance, countries in the Nordic region with older data were assessed against current Nordic elderly literacy levels, while African countries were compared with regional peers at similar development stages. Economic development level during the 1950s-1970s, education system quality at that time, and historical education investment patterns informed these assessments.

Methodology changes in UNESCO data were identified and addressed by using only post-change data for projection purposes. Countries experiencing significant data jumps were analyzed separately, with projections based on the more recent methodology. For countries with very old data (pre-2015), we considered the nation's educational trajectory over intervening years and demographic changes in the elderly population.

These projections represent scenario-based estimates reflecting likely elderly literacy development based on historical patterns and country circumstances, not official forecasts or precise predictions. The 2026 estimates indicate probable direction and magnitude of change, accounting for realistic growth constraints and demographic factors. Values are rounded to reflect the inherent uncertainty in long-term projections and the qualitative nature of the assessment methodology.