Age dependency ratio in Africa Eastern and Southern
Africa Eastern and Southern: Age dependency ratio was 77.7% in 2025. ▼ Falling
Age dependency ratio in Africa Eastern and Southern, 1960–2025
Source: World Population Prospects, United Nations (UN), publisher: UN Population Division. Measured in % of working-age population.
Analysis
Africa Eastern and Southern recorded 77.7% for age dependency ratio in 2025. That is the lowest value across all 66 years on record.
That represents a change of down 0.9% on the previous year and down 9.0% over ten years.
Over the whole period, age dependency ratio in Africa Eastern and Southern peaked at 95.8% in 1979 and was at its lowest, 77.7%, in 2025.
That places Africa Eastern and Southern 8th out of 47 groups with data for 2025, putting it in the top quarter.
The long-run direction has been consistently falling across the 66 years of available data.
Age dependency ratio in Africa Eastern and Southern, year by year
| Year | % of working-age population | Change |
|---|---|---|
| 1960 | 89.0% | — |
| 1961 | 89.3% | +0.4% |
| 1962 | 89.7% | +0.4% |
| 1963 | 90.1% | +0.5% |
| 1964 | 90.6% | +0.5% |
| 1965 | 91.0% | +0.5% |
| 1966 | 91.5% | +0.6% |
| 1967 | 92.0% | +0.6% |
| 1968 | 92.5% | +0.5% |
| 1969 | 93.0% | +0.5% |
| 1970 | 93.4% | +0.5% |
| 1971 | 93.9% | +0.6% |
| 1972 | 94.5% | +0.6% |
| 1973 | 94.9% | +0.5% |
| 1974 | 95.2% | +0.3% |
| 1975 | 95.4% | +0.2% |
| 1976 | 95.6% | +0.2% |
| 1977 | 95.8% | +0.2% |
| 1978 | 95.8% | +0.0% |
| 1979 | 95.8% | +0.0% |
| 1980 | 95.8% | -0.0% |
| 1981 | 95.7% | -0.1% |
| 1982 | 95.6% | -0.1% |
| 1983 | 95.4% | -0.3% |
| 1984 | 95.1% | -0.3% |
| 1985 | 94.8% | -0.3% |
| 1986 | 94.5% | -0.3% |
| 1987 | 94.3% | -0.2% |
| 1988 | 94.1% | -0.2% |
| 1989 | 93.9% | -0.2% |
| 1990 | 93.7% | -0.2% |
| 1991 | 93.4% | -0.3% |
| 1992 | 93.3% | -0.1% |
| 1993 | 93.3% | -0.1% |
| 1994 | 92.9% | -0.3% |
| 1995 | 92.9% | -0.1% |
| 1996 | 93.3% | +0.4% |
| 1997 | 93.6% | +0.3% |
| 1998 | 93.3% | -0.3% |
| 1999 | 92.8% | -0.5% |
| 2000 | 92.4% | -0.5% |
| 2001 | 92.0% | -0.5% |
| 2002 | 91.5% | -0.5% |
| 2003 | 91.1% | -0.4% |
| 2004 | 90.8% | -0.4% |
| 2005 | 90.5% | -0.4% |
| 2006 | 90.2% | -0.3% |
| 2007 | 89.8% | -0.4% |
| 2008 | 89.5% | -0.4% |
| 2009 | 89.1% | -0.5% |
| 2010 | 88.6% | -0.5% |
| 2011 | 88.0% | -0.7% |
| 2012 | 87.4% | -0.7% |
| 2013 | 86.7% | -0.7% |
| 2014 | 86.1% | -0.7% |
| 2015 | 85.4% | -0.8% |
| 2016 | 84.7% | -0.9% |
| 2017 | 83.9% | -0.9% |
| 2018 | 83.0% | -1.0% |
| 2019 | 82.2% | -1.0% |
| 2020 | 81.4% | -1.0% |
| 2021 | 80.6% | -1.0% |
| 2022 | 79.9% | -0.9% |
| 2023 | 79.1% | -0.9% |
| 2024 | 78.4% | -0.9% |
| 2025 | 77.7% | -0.9% |
Averages by decade
| Decade | Average | Lowest | Highest | Years |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1960s | 90.9% | 89.0% | 93.0% | 10 |
| 1970s | 95.0% | 93.4% | 95.8% | 10 |
| 1980s | 94.9% | 93.9% | 95.8% | 10 |
| 1990s | 93.2% | 92.8% | 93.7% | 10 |
| 2000s | 90.7% | 89.1% | 92.4% | 10 |
| 2010s | 85.6% | 82.2% | 88.6% | 10 |
| 2020s | 79.5% | 77.7% | 81.4% | 6 |
Countries ranked near Africa Eastern and Southern
More health data for Africa Eastern and Southern
- Population ages 55-59, female, per unit of GDP 0 units per US$ of GDP (2025)
- Population ages 60-64, female, per unit of GDP 0 units per US$ of GDP (2025)
- Population ages 60-64, female, annual growth rate 2.89 % change on previous year (2025)
- Population ages 55-59, male, per capita 0.0113 units per person (2025)
- Population ages 55-59, male, per unit of GDP 0 units per US$ of GDP (2025)
- Population ages 55-59, male, annual growth rate 3.63 % change on previous year (2025)
- Population ages 55-59, female, per capita 0.0128 units per person (2025)
- Population ages 50-54, male, per unit of GDP 0 units per US$ of GDP (2025)
- Population ages 50-54, female, per capita 0.0158 units per person (2025)
- Population ages 50-54, male, annual growth rate 3.21 % change on previous year (2025)
Frequently asked questions
- What is age dependency ratio in Africa Eastern and Southern?
- Age dependency ratio in Africa Eastern and Southern was 77.7% in 2025, according to World Population Prospects, United Nations (UN), publisher: UN Population Division.
- What is the highest age dependency ratio recorded in Africa Eastern and Southern?
- The highest recorded value was 95.8% in 1979.
- What is the lowest age dependency ratio recorded in Africa Eastern and Southern?
- The lowest recorded value was 77.7% in 2025.
- How does Africa Eastern and Southern rank for age dependency ratio?
- Africa Eastern and Southern ranks 8th out of 47 groups with data for 2025.
- Is age dependency ratio rising or falling in Africa Eastern and Southern?
- Over the last ten years it is down 9.0%. The long-run trend across the full record is falling.
- Where does this Africa Eastern and Southern data come from?
- The figures come from World Population Prospects, United Nations (UN), publisher: UN Population Division, published as part of Age dependency ratio (% of working-age population). Statizoid updates them automatically from the source API.
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About this data
Age dependency ratio is the ratio of dependents--people younger than 15 or 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.