Age dependency ratio, old (% of working-age population) in Bhutan
Bhutan: Age dependency ratio, old (% of working-age population) was 9.1% in 2025. ▲ Rising
Age dependency ratio, old in Bhutan, 1960–2025
Source: World Population Prospects, United Nations (UN), publisher: UN Population Division. Measured in % of working-age population.
Analysis
Bhutan recorded 9.1% for age dependency ratio, old in 2025. That is the highest value across all 66 years on record.
That represents a change of up 1.5% on the previous year and up 8.6% over ten years.
Over the whole period, age dependency ratio, old in Bhutan peaked at 9.1% in 2025 and was at its lowest, 4.3%, in 1967.
That places Bhutan 139th out of 218 countries with data for 2025, putting it in the middle of the range.
The long-run direction has been consistently rising across the 66 years of available data.
Age dependency ratio, old (% of working-age population) in Bhutan, year by year
| Year | % of working-age population | Change |
|---|---|---|
| 1960 | 4.4% | — |
| 1961 | 4.4% | -0.6% |
| 1962 | 4.3% | -0.6% |
| 1963 | 4.3% | -0.5% |
| 1964 | 4.3% | -0.4% |
| 1965 | 4.3% | -0.3% |
| 1966 | 4.3% | -0.2% |
| 1967 | 4.3% | -0.1% |
| 1968 | 4.3% | +0.0% |
| 1969 | 4.3% | +0.0% |
| 1970 | 4.3% | +0.1% |
| 1971 | 4.3% | +0.3% |
| 1972 | 4.3% | +0.3% |
| 1973 | 4.3% | +0.4% |
| 1974 | 4.3% | +0.6% |
| 1975 | 4.4% | +0.7% |
| 1976 | 4.4% | +0.7% |
| 1977 | 4.4% | +0.8% |
| 1978 | 4.5% | +0.8% |
| 1979 | 4.5% | +1.0% |
| 1980 | 4.6% | +1.1% |
| 1981 | 4.6% | +1.1% |
| 1982 | 4.7% | +1.2% |
| 1983 | 4.7% | +1.3% |
| 1984 | 4.8% | +1.3% |
| 1985 | 4.9% | +1.4% |
| 1986 | 4.9% | +1.4% |
| 1987 | 5.0% | +1.5% |
| 1988 | 5.1% | +1.5% |
| 1989 | 5.2% | +1.5% |
| 1990 | 5.3% | +1.7% |
| 1991 | 5.3% | +1.8% |
| 1992 | 5.4% | +1.9% |
| 1993 | 5.6% | +1.9% |
| 1994 | 5.7% | +1.8% |
| 1995 | 5.8% | +1.8% |
| 1996 | 5.9% | +1.8% |
| 1997 | 6.0% | +1.7% |
| 1998 | 6.1% | +1.7% |
| 1999 | 6.3% | +3.1% |
| 2000 | 6.5% | +4.4% |
| 2001 | 6.8% | +4.0% |
| 2002 | 7.0% | +3.5% |
| 2003 | 7.2% | +3.1% |
| 2004 | 7.4% | +2.6% |
| 2005 | 7.6% | +1.7% |
| 2006 | 7.6% | +0.7% |
| 2007 | 7.6% | +0.4% |
| 2008 | 7.7% | +0.5% |
| 2009 | 7.7% | +0.8% |
| 2010 | 7.8% | +1.0% |
| 2011 | 7.9% | +1.1% |
| 2012 | 8.0% | +1.2% |
| 2013 | 8.1% | +1.4% |
| 2014 | 8.2% | +1.5% |
| 2015 | 8.4% | +1.6% |
| 2016 | 8.5% | +1.7% |
| 2017 | 8.5% | +0.4% |
| 2018 | 8.5% | -0.6% |
| 2019 | 8.5% | -0.1% |
| 2020 | 8.5% | +0.5% |
| 2021 | 8.6% | +1.0% |
| 2022 | 8.7% | +1.2% |
| 2023 | 8.8% | +1.3% |
| 2024 | 8.9% | +1.4% |
| 2025 | 9.1% | +1.5% |
Bhutan compared with similar countries
- Bhutan's 9.1% is above the median for lower middle income countries, which is 7.0%, 1.3× the median. (47 countries reporting)
- Bhutan's 9.1% is below the median for South Asia, which is 10.1%, 89% of the median. (6 countries reporting)
Averages by decade
| Decade | Average | Lowest | Highest | Years |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1960s | 4.3% | 4.3% | 4.4% | 10 |
| 1970s | 4.4% | 4.3% | 4.5% | 10 |
| 1980s | 4.9% | 4.6% | 5.2% | 10 |
| 1990s | 5.7% | 5.3% | 6.3% | 10 |
| 2000s | 7.3% | 6.5% | 7.7% | 10 |
| 2010s | 8.2% | 7.8% | 8.5% | 10 |
| 2020s | 8.8% | 8.5% | 9.1% | 6 |
Countries ranked near Bhutan
- 136 Micronesia (country) 9.9% compare
- 137 Uzbekistan 9.7% compare
- 138 Kyrgyzstan 9.6% compare
- 140 Bolivia 8.9% compare
- 141 Nicaragua 8.6% compare
- 142 Mongolia 8.6% compare
More health data for Bhutan
- Un projection of annual infant deaths, annual growth rate -10 % change on previous year (2100)
- Heat deaths vs projected death rates, annual growth rate 0.0915 % change on previous year (2090)
- Number of infants who die before age 1 9 deaths (2100)
- Neonatal tetanus - number of reported cases, gaps filled 0 (2025)
- Population ages 00-04, female, annual growth rate 0.2986 % change on previous year (2025)
- Population ages 00-04, female, per unit of GDP 0 units per US$ of GDP (2025)
- Population ages 00-04, female, per capita 0.0299 units per person (2025)
- Population ages 00-04, male, annual growth rate 0.3987 % change on previous year (2025)
- Population ages 00-04, male, per unit of GDP 0 units per US$ of GDP (2025)
- Population ages 00-04, male, per capita 0.0313 units per person (2025)
Frequently asked questions
- What is age dependency ratio, old in Bhutan?
- Age dependency ratio, old in Bhutan was 9.1% in 2025, according to World Population Prospects, United Nations (UN), publisher: UN Population Division.
- What is the highest age dependency ratio, old recorded in Bhutan?
- The highest recorded value was 9.1% in 2025.
- What is the lowest age dependency ratio, old recorded in Bhutan?
- The lowest recorded value was 4.3% in 1967.
- How does Bhutan rank for age dependency ratio, old?
- Bhutan ranks 139th out of 218 countries with data for 2025.
- Is age dependency ratio, old rising or falling in Bhutan?
- Over the last ten years it is up 8.6%. The long-run trend across the full record is rising.
- Where does this Bhutan data come from?
- The figures come from World Population Prospects, United Nations (UN), publisher: UN Population Division, published as part of Age dependency ratio, old (% of working-age population). Statizoid updates them automatically from the source API.
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About this data
Age dependency ratio, old, is the ratio of older dependents--people older than 64--to the working-age population--those ages 15-64. Data are shown as the proportion of dependents per 100 working-age population.