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Percentage of population aged 65 and over who can read and write (2024)

20/237 countries
Global71.1%Year-over-year-0.86%5-year change+2.66%
1980
2024
2024

Rankings at a glance

Top 10 · Percentage of population aged 65 and over who can read and write (2024)

Georgia tops the global rankings for percentage of population aged 65 and over who can read and write, recording 99.51% in 2024, followed by Uruguay (98.28%) and Panama (90.24%). The United Arab Emirates (88.93%) and Mexico (85.11%) complete the top 5. Colombia (85.02%) and Bahrain (84.79%) follow close behind. Saudi Arabia (84.6%), the Dominican Republic (84.05%), and Brazil (83.46%) round out the top ten. Four of the top ten are in Western Asia.

Rank changes

How percentage of population aged 65 and over who can read and write changed between 2019 and 2024

2019and2024

Historical trends

All countries

Frequently asked questions

Which country has the highest percentage of population aged 65 and over who can read and write?
Georgia has the highest percentage of population aged 65 and over who can read and write at 99.5% as of 2024, according to UNESCO Institute for Statistics.
Which country has the lowest percentage of population aged 65 and over who can read and write?
Nigeria has the lowest percentage of population aged 65 and over who can read and write at 46.1% as of 2024, according to UNESCO Institute for Statistics.
What is the global percentage of population aged 65 and over who can read and write?
Weighted by population, the global percentage of population aged 65 and over who can read and write is 71.1% as of 2024, according to UNESCO Institute for Statistics.

Source: UNESCO Institute for Statistics · Updated