Age dependency ratio, old in Greenland
Greenland: Age dependency ratio, old was 17.0% in 2025. ▲ Rising
Age dependency ratio, old in Greenland, 1960–2025
Source: World Population Prospects, United Nations (UN), publisher: UN Population Division. Measured in % of working-age population.
Analysis
Greenland recorded 17.0% for age dependency ratio, old in 2025. That is the highest value across all 66 years on record.
The figure is up 7.7% on the previous year and up 57.0% over ten years.
Over the whole period, age dependency ratio, old in Greenland peaked at 17.0% in 2025 and was at its lowest, 3.7%, in 1960.
Greenland ranks 87th of 217 countries on this measure, 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 in Greenland, year by year
| Year | % of working-age population | Change |
|---|---|---|
| 1960 | 3.7% | — |
| 1961 | 3.9% | +3.6% |
| 1962 | 4.0% | +3.8% |
| 1963 | 4.2% | +3.1% |
| 1964 | 4.2% | +2.1% |
| 1965 | 4.3% | +1.8% |
| 1966 | 4.4% | +2.5% |
| 1967 | 4.5% | +2.3% |
| 1968 | 4.6% | +2.3% |
| 1969 | 4.7% | +1.9% |
| 1970 | 4.8% | +1.4% |
| 1971 | 4.9% | +2.3% |
| 1972 | 5.0% | +2.4% |
| 1973 | 5.1% | +1.8% |
| 1974 | 5.2% | +1.1% |
| 1975 | 5.2% | +0.5% |
| 1976 | 5.2% | +0.2% |
| 1977 | 5.2% | +0.5% |
| 1978 | 5.3% | +0.8% |
| 1979 | 5.3% | +0.3% |
| 1980 | 5.3% | -0.1% |
| 1981 | 5.3% | -0.6% |
| 1982 | 5.2% | -1.0% |
| 1983 | 5.1% | -1.4% |
| 1984 | 5.1% | -1.4% |
| 1985 | 5.0% | -0.3% |
| 1986 | 5.1% | +0.3% |
| 1987 | 5.1% | +0.5% |
| 1988 | 5.1% | +1.2% |
| 1989 | 5.2% | +1.7% |
| 1990 | 5.4% | +3.1% |
| 1991 | 5.6% | +4.2% |
| 1992 | 5.9% | +4.5% |
| 1993 | 6.1% | +4.3% |
| 1994 | 6.4% | +3.8% |
| 1995 | 6.6% | +3.7% |
| 1996 | 6.8% | +3.3% |
| 1997 | 7.0% | +2.7% |
| 1998 | 7.2% | +2.5% |
| 1999 | 7.3% | +1.7% |
| 2000 | 7.4% | +1.8% |
| 2001 | 7.6% | +1.9% |
| 2002 | 7.6% | +1.1% |
| 2003 | 7.7% | +1.2% |
| 2004 | 7.9% | +1.6% |
| 2005 | 8.1% | +3.1% |
| 2006 | 8.5% | +4.4% |
| 2007 | 8.8% | +4.2% |
| 2008 | 9.2% | +3.9% |
| 2009 | 9.5% | +3.2% |
| 2010 | 9.7% | +2.6% |
| 2011 | 10.0% | +2.6% |
| 2012 | 10.2% | +2.5% |
| 2013 | 10.4% | +2.1% |
| 2014 | 10.6% | +1.7% |
| 2015 | 10.8% | +2.3% |
| 2016 | 11.2% | +3.1% |
| 2017 | 11.5% | +3.1% |
| 2018 | 11.8% | +2.7% |
| 2019 | 12.2% | +2.8% |
| 2020 | 12.6% | +3.5% |
| 2021 | 13.1% | +4.3% |
| 2022 | 13.8% | +4.8% |
| 2023 | 14.6% | +6.5% |
| 2024 | 15.8% | +7.9% |
| 2025 | 17.0% | +7.7% |
Averages by decade
| Decade | Average | Lowest | Highest | Years |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1960s | 4.3% | 3.7% | 4.7% | 10 |
| 1970s | 5.1% | 4.8% | 5.3% | 10 |
| 1980s | 5.2% | 5.0% | 5.3% | 10 |
| 1990s | 6.4% | 5.4% | 7.3% | 10 |
| 2000s | 8.2% | 7.4% | 9.5% | 10 |
| 2010s | 10.8% | 9.7% | 12.2% | 10 |
| 2020s | 14.5% | 12.6% | 17.0% | 6 |
Countries ranked near Greenland
- 84 New Caledonia 17.5% compare
- 85 Bahamas 17.2% compare
- 86 French Polynesia 17.2% compare
- 88 Palau 16.8% compare
- 89 Saint Kitts and Nevis 16.8% compare
- 90 Brazil 16.6% compare
More health data for Greenland
- Estimated changes in temperature-related death rates compared to projected death rates 1,447 deaths per 1,000 people (2090)
- Heat deaths vs projected death rates, annual growth rate -0.3856 % change on previous year (2090)
- Un projection of annual infant deaths, annual growth rate 0 % change on previous year (2100)
- Number of infants who die before age 1 1 deaths (2100)
- Population, female, annual growth rate 0.1299 % change on previous year (2025)
- Age population, age 23, female, interpolated 324 (2025)
- Population, female, per capita 0.4749 units per person (2025)
- Population, female, per unit of GDP 0 units per US$ of GDP (2023)
- Age population, age 23, male, interpolated 344 (2025)
- Population, male, per unit of GDP 0 units per US$ of GDP (2023)
Frequently asked questions
- What is age dependency ratio, old in Greenland?
- Age dependency ratio, old in Greenland was 17.0% in 2025, according to World Population Prospects, United Nations (UN), publisher: UN Population Division.
- What is the highest age dependency ratio, old recorded in Greenland?
- The highest recorded value was 17.0% in 2025.
- What is the lowest age dependency ratio, old recorded in Greenland?
- The lowest recorded value was 3.7% in 1960.
- How does Greenland rank for age dependency ratio, old?
- Greenland ranks 87th out of 217 countries with data for 2025.
- Is age dependency ratio, old rising or falling in Greenland?
- Over the last ten years it is up 57.0%. The long-run trend across the full record is rising.
- Where does this Greenland 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.