Age dependency ratio in Africa Western and Central
Africa Western and Central: Age dependency ratio was 78.6% in 2025. ▬ Flat
Age dependency ratio in Africa Western and Central, 1960–2025
Source: World Population Prospects, United Nations (UN), publisher: UN Population Division. Measured in % of working-age population.
Analysis
Africa Western and Central recorded 78.6% for age dependency ratio in 2025. That is the lowest value across all 66 years on record.
That represents a change of down 1.6% on the previous year and down 11.5% over ten years.
Over the whole period, age dependency ratio in Africa Western and Central peaked at 95.9% in 1987 and was at its lowest, 78.6%, in 2025.
That places Africa Western and Central 4th out of 47 groups with data for 2025, putting it in the top 10%.
Age dependency ratio in Africa Western and Central, year by year
| Year | % of working-age population | Change |
|---|---|---|
| 1960 | 81.4% | — |
| 1961 | 81.8% | +0.5% |
| 1962 | 82.3% | +0.6% |
| 1963 | 82.9% | +0.7% |
| 1964 | 83.6% | +0.9% |
| 1965 | 84.3% | +0.8% |
| 1966 | 84.8% | +0.6% |
| 1967 | 85.3% | +0.6% |
| 1968 | 85.9% | +0.6% |
| 1969 | 86.4% | +0.6% |
| 1970 | 86.9% | +0.6% |
| 1971 | 87.5% | +0.6% |
| 1972 | 88.0% | +0.6% |
| 1973 | 88.5% | +0.6% |
| 1974 | 89.1% | +0.6% |
| 1975 | 89.7% | +0.7% |
| 1976 | 90.3% | +0.7% |
| 1977 | 91.0% | +0.7% |
| 1978 | 91.7% | +0.7% |
| 1979 | 92.3% | +0.7% |
| 1980 | 92.9% | +0.7% |
| 1981 | 93.5% | +0.6% |
| 1982 | 94.0% | +0.5% |
| 1983 | 94.5% | +0.5% |
| 1984 | 95.0% | +0.6% |
| 1985 | 95.5% | +0.5% |
| 1986 | 95.8% | +0.3% |
| 1987 | 95.9% | +0.1% |
| 1988 | 95.9% | -0.0% |
| 1989 | 95.8% | -0.1% |
| 1990 | 95.5% | -0.2% |
| 1991 | 95.2% | -0.4% |
| 1992 | 94.7% | -0.5% |
| 1993 | 94.3% | -0.5% |
| 1994 | 93.8% | -0.5% |
| 1995 | 93.1% | -0.7% |
| 1996 | 92.5% | -0.6% |
| 1997 | 92.1% | -0.5% |
| 1998 | 91.6% | -0.5% |
| 1999 | 91.1% | -0.5% |
| 2000 | 90.7% | -0.4% |
| 2001 | 90.5% | -0.2% |
| 2002 | 90.3% | -0.2% |
| 2003 | 90.1% | -0.2% |
| 2004 | 90.0% | -0.2% |
| 2005 | 89.9% | -0.1% |
| 2006 | 90.0% | +0.1% |
| 2007 | 90.1% | +0.1% |
| 2008 | 90.1% | -0.0% |
| 2009 | 90.0% | -0.1% |
| 2010 | 89.9% | -0.1% |
| 2011 | 89.8% | -0.1% |
| 2012 | 89.7% | -0.1% |
| 2013 | 89.5% | -0.2% |
| 2014 | 89.2% | -0.3% |
| 2015 | 88.9% | -0.4% |
| 2016 | 88.3% | -0.6% |
| 2017 | 87.6% | -0.8% |
| 2018 | 86.8% | -0.9% |
| 2019 | 85.9% | -1.0% |
| 2020 | 84.8% | -1.2% |
| 2021 | 83.7% | -1.4% |
| 2022 | 82.5% | -1.4% |
| 2023 | 81.2% | -1.6% |
| 2024 | 79.9% | -1.6% |
| 2025 | 78.6% | -1.6% |
Averages by decade
| Decade | Average | Lowest | Highest | Years |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1960s | 83.9% | 81.4% | 86.4% | 10 |
| 1970s | 89.5% | 86.9% | 92.3% | 10 |
| 1980s | 94.9% | 92.9% | 95.9% | 10 |
| 1990s | 93.4% | 91.1% | 95.5% | 10 |
| 2000s | 90.2% | 89.9% | 90.7% | 10 |
| 2010s | 88.6% | 85.9% | 89.9% | 10 |
| 2020s | 81.8% | 78.6% | 84.8% | 6 |
Countries ranked near Africa Western and Central
More health data for Africa Western and Central
- Population ages 55-59, female, annual growth rate 3.25 % change on previous year (2025)
- Population ages 60-64, female, annual growth rate 3.3 % change on previous year (2025)
- Population ages 55-59, male, per capita 0.0116 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 3.52 % change on previous year (2025)
- Population ages 55-59, female, per capita 0.012 units per person (2025)
- Population ages 55-59, female, per unit of GDP 0 units per US$ of GDP (2025)
- Population ages 50-54, male, annual growth rate 3.99 % change on previous year (2025)
- Population ages 50-54, female, per unit of GDP 0 units per US$ of GDP (2025)
- Population ages 50-54, female, per capita 0.0153 units per person (2025)
Frequently asked questions
- What is age dependency ratio in Africa Western and Central?
- Age dependency ratio in Africa Western and Central was 78.6% in 2025, according to World Population Prospects, United Nations (UN), publisher: UN Population Division.
- What is the highest age dependency ratio recorded in Africa Western and Central?
- The highest recorded value was 95.9% in 1987.
- What is the lowest age dependency ratio recorded in Africa Western and Central?
- The lowest recorded value was 78.6% in 2025.
- How does Africa Western and Central rank for age dependency ratio?
- Africa Western and Central ranks 4th out of 47 groups with data for 2025.
- Is age dependency ratio rising or falling in Africa Western and Central?
- Over the last ten years it is down 11.5%. The long-run trend across the full record is flat.
- Where does this Africa Western and Central 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.