Age dependency ratio in Botswana
Botswana: Age dependency ratio was 56.3% in 2025. ▼ Falling
Age dependency ratio in Botswana, 1960–2025
Source: World Population Prospects, United Nations (UN), publisher: UN Population Division. Measured in % of working-age population.
Analysis
Botswana recorded 56.3% for age dependency ratio in 2025. That is the lowest value across all 66 years on record.
Compared with earlier readings it is down 0.5% on the previous year and down 7.7% over ten years.
Over the whole period, age dependency ratio in Botswana peaked at 114.5% in 1971 and was at its lowest, 56.3%, in 2025.
That places Botswana 96th out of 217 countries with data for 2025, putting it in the middle of the range.
The long-run direction has been consistently falling across the 66 years of available data.
Age dependency ratio in Botswana, year by year
| Year | % of working-age population | Change |
|---|---|---|
| 1960 | 97.5% | — |
| 1961 | 99.5% | +2.1% |
| 1962 | 101.5% | +2.0% |
| 1963 | 103.5% | +2.0% |
| 1964 | 104.9% | +1.3% |
| 1965 | 106.0% | +1.1% |
| 1966 | 107.6% | +1.5% |
| 1967 | 109.4% | +1.6% |
| 1968 | 111.1% | +1.6% |
| 1969 | 112.7% | +1.4% |
| 1970 | 114.1% | +1.3% |
| 1971 | 114.5% | +0.4% |
| 1972 | 113.0% | -1.3% |
| 1973 | 110.3% | -2.5% |
| 1974 | 107.5% | -2.5% |
| 1975 | 105.1% | -2.2% |
| 1976 | 102.9% | -2.1% |
| 1977 | 100.9% | -2.0% |
| 1978 | 98.3% | -2.5% |
| 1979 | 96.2% | -2.2% |
| 1980 | 96.3% | +0.2% |
| 1981 | 96.9% | +0.6% |
| 1982 | 96.8% | -0.1% |
| 1983 | 96.9% | +0.1% |
| 1984 | 96.9% | -0.0% |
| 1985 | 96.8% | -0.1% |
| 1986 | 96.6% | -0.1% |
| 1987 | 96.4% | -0.2% |
| 1988 | 95.9% | -0.5% |
| 1989 | 95.0% | -1.0% |
| 1990 | 93.7% | -1.4% |
| 1991 | 92.2% | -1.6% |
| 1992 | 90.4% | -1.9% |
| 1993 | 88.3% | -2.3% |
| 1994 | 85.9% | -2.7% |
| 1995 | 83.3% | -3.0% |
| 1996 | 80.8% | -3.1% |
| 1997 | 78.2% | -3.1% |
| 1998 | 75.9% | -3.0% |
| 1999 | 73.7% | -2.9% |
| 2000 | 71.6% | -2.8% |
| 2001 | 69.7% | -2.6% |
| 2002 | 67.9% | -2.6% |
| 2003 | 66.3% | -2.4% |
| 2004 | 64.9% | -2.2% |
| 2005 | 63.7% | -1.9% |
| 2006 | 62.6% | -1.6% |
| 2007 | 61.8% | -1.4% |
| 2008 | 61.0% | -1.2% |
| 2009 | 60.4% | -1.1% |
| 2010 | 59.9% | -0.7% |
| 2011 | 59.8% | -0.2% |
| 2012 | 60.2% | +0.6% |
| 2013 | 60.7% | +0.9% |
| 2014 | 61.0% | +0.5% |
| 2015 | 61.1% | +0.1% |
| 2016 | 60.8% | -0.4% |
| 2017 | 60.4% | -0.7% |
| 2018 | 59.8% | -1.0% |
| 2019 | 59.0% | -1.3% |
| 2020 | 58.1% | -1.5% |
| 2021 | 57.4% | -1.3% |
| 2022 | 57.0% | -0.7% |
| 2023 | 56.9% | -0.2% |
| 2024 | 56.7% | -0.4% |
| 2025 | 56.3% | -0.5% |
Averages by decade
| Decade | Average | Lowest | Highest | Years |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1960s | 105.4% | 97.5% | 112.7% | 10 |
| 1970s | 106.3% | 96.2% | 114.5% | 10 |
| 1980s | 96.5% | 95.0% | 96.9% | 10 |
| 1990s | 84.2% | 73.7% | 93.7% | 10 |
| 2000s | 65.0% | 60.4% | 71.6% | 10 |
| 2010s | 60.3% | 59.0% | 61.1% | 10 |
| 2020s | 57.1% | 56.3% | 58.1% | 6 |
Countries ranked near Botswana
- 93 Republic of Moldova 57.2% compare
- 94 Czechia 56.9% compare
- 95 Montenegro 56.7% compare
- 97 Lebanon 56.3% compare
- 98 Turkmenistan 56.3% compare
- 99 Guatemala 56.2% compare
More health data for Botswana
- Un projection of annual infant deaths, annual growth rate -1.75 % change on previous year (2100)
- Heat deaths vs projected death rates, annual growth rate 0.2265 % change on previous year (2090)
- Heat deaths vs projected death rates 1,150 (2090)
- Un projection of annual infant deaths 281 (2100)
- Population ages 15-64, male, annual growth rate 1.75 % change on previous year (2025)
- Population ages 15-64, male, per unit of GDP 0 units per US$ of GDP (2025)
- Population ages 15-64, male, per capita 0.3191 units per person (2025)
- Population ages 15-64, total, annual growth rate 1.83 % change on previous year (2025)
- Population ages 15-64, total, per unit of GDP 0.0001 units per US$ of GDP (2025)
- Population ages 15-64, total, per capita 0.6396 units per person (2025)
Frequently asked questions
- What is age dependency ratio in Botswana?
- Age dependency ratio in Botswana was 56.3% in 2025, according to World Population Prospects, United Nations (UN), publisher: UN Population Division.
- What is the highest age dependency ratio recorded in Botswana?
- The highest recorded value was 114.5% in 1971.
- What is the lowest age dependency ratio recorded in Botswana?
- The lowest recorded value was 56.3% in 2025.
- How does Botswana rank for age dependency ratio?
- Botswana ranks 96th out of 217 countries with data for 2025.
- Is age dependency ratio rising or falling in Botswana?
- Over the last ten years it is down 7.7%. The long-run trend across the full record is falling.
- Where does this Botswana 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.