Age dependency ratio in Ethiopia
Ethiopia: Age dependency ratio was 72.6% in 2025. ▬ Flat
Age dependency ratio in Ethiopia, 1960–2025
Source: World Population Prospects, United Nations (UN), publisher: UN Population Division. Measured in % of working-age population.
Analysis
In 2025, age dependency ratio in Ethiopia stood at 72.6%. 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 14.0% over ten years.
Over the whole period, age dependency ratio in Ethiopia peaked at 101.8% in 2001 and was at its lowest, 72.6%, in 2025.
That places Ethiopia 33rd out of 217 countries with data for 2025, putting it in the top quarter.
Age dependency ratio in Ethiopia, year by year
| Year | % of working-age population | Change |
|---|---|---|
| 1960 | 82.0% | — |
| 1961 | 81.7% | -0.3% |
| 1962 | 81.5% | -0.3% |
| 1963 | 81.5% | +0.0% |
| 1964 | 81.9% | +0.4% |
| 1965 | 82.7% | +1.0% |
| 1966 | 83.8% | +1.3% |
| 1967 | 84.9% | +1.4% |
| 1968 | 86.2% | +1.5% |
| 1969 | 87.4% | +1.4% |
| 1970 | 88.6% | +1.4% |
| 1971 | 90.0% | +1.5% |
| 1972 | 91.3% | +1.5% |
| 1973 | 92.4% | +1.2% |
| 1974 | 93.1% | +0.8% |
| 1975 | 93.7% | +0.6% |
| 1976 | 94.4% | +0.7% |
| 1977 | 95.0% | +0.7% |
| 1978 | 95.6% | +0.5% |
| 1979 | 96.0% | +0.5% |
| 1980 | 96.5% | +0.5% |
| 1981 | 96.8% | +0.4% |
| 1982 | 97.0% | +0.2% |
| 1983 | 96.7% | -0.4% |
| 1984 | 95.9% | -0.8% |
| 1985 | 95.2% | -0.7% |
| 1986 | 94.8% | -0.4% |
| 1987 | 94.8% | +0.0% |
| 1988 | 95.1% | +0.3% |
| 1989 | 95.5% | +0.4% |
| 1990 | 95.9% | +0.4% |
| 1991 | 95.8% | -0.1% |
| 1992 | 95.9% | +0.1% |
| 1993 | 96.5% | +0.6% |
| 1994 | 97.1% | +0.6% |
| 1995 | 97.6% | +0.6% |
| 1996 | 98.2% | +0.6% |
| 1997 | 99.1% | +0.9% |
| 1998 | 100.0% | +1.0% |
| 1999 | 100.9% | +0.8% |
| 2000 | 101.5% | +0.6% |
| 2001 | 101.8% | +0.3% |
| 2002 | 101.7% | -0.1% |
| 2003 | 101.3% | -0.3% |
| 2004 | 100.9% | -0.5% |
| 2005 | 100.3% | -0.6% |
| 2006 | 99.5% | -0.8% |
| 2007 | 98.5% | -1.1% |
| 2008 | 97.2% | -1.3% |
| 2009 | 95.7% | -1.5% |
| 2010 | 94.0% | -1.8% |
| 2011 | 92.2% | -1.9% |
| 2012 | 90.2% | -2.1% |
| 2013 | 88.3% | -2.2% |
| 2014 | 86.3% | -2.2% |
| 2015 | 84.5% | -2.2% |
| 2016 | 82.7% | -2.1% |
| 2017 | 81.0% | -2.0% |
| 2018 | 79.5% | -1.8% |
| 2019 | 78.2% | -1.6% |
| 2020 | 77.1% | -1.5% |
| 2021 | 75.9% | -1.5% |
| 2022 | 74.9% | -1.3% |
| 2023 | 74.0% | -1.2% |
| 2024 | 73.3% | -1.0% |
| 2025 | 72.6% | -0.9% |
Averages by decade
| Decade | Average | Lowest | Highest | Years |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1960s | 83.4% | 81.5% | 87.4% | 10 |
| 1970s | 93.0% | 88.6% | 96.0% | 10 |
| 1980s | 95.8% | 94.8% | 97.0% | 10 |
| 1990s | 97.7% | 95.8% | 100.9% | 10 |
| 2000s | 99.8% | 95.7% | 101.8% | 10 |
| 2010s | 85.7% | 78.2% | 94.0% | 10 |
| 2020s | 74.6% | 72.6% | 77.1% | 6 |
Countries ranked near Ethiopia
More health data for Ethiopia
- Un projection of annual infant deaths, annual growth rate -1.67 % change on previous year (2100)
- Heat deaths vs projected death rates, annual growth rate 0.9494 % change on previous year (2090)
- Estimated changes in temperature-related death rates compared to projected death rates 744.3 deaths per 1,000 people (2090)
- Number of infants who die before age 1 19,997 deaths (2100)
- Population ages 0-14, female, annual growth rate 1.84 % change on previous year (2025)
- Population ages 0-14, female, per unit of GDP 0.0002 units per US$ of GDP (2025)
- Population ages 0-14, female, per capita 0.1902 units per person (2025)
- Population ages 0-14, male, annual growth rate 1.86 % change on previous year (2025)
- Population ages 0-14, male, per unit of GDP 0.0002 units per US$ of GDP (2025)
- Population ages 0-14, male, per capita 0.1976 units per person (2025)
Frequently asked questions
- What is age dependency ratio in Ethiopia?
- Age dependency ratio in Ethiopia was 72.6% in 2025, according to World Population Prospects, United Nations (UN), publisher: UN Population Division.
- What is the highest age dependency ratio recorded in Ethiopia?
- The highest recorded value was 101.8% in 2001.
- What is the lowest age dependency ratio recorded in Ethiopia?
- The lowest recorded value was 72.6% in 2025.
- How does Ethiopia rank for age dependency ratio?
- Ethiopia ranks 33rd out of 217 countries with data for 2025.
- Is age dependency ratio rising or falling in Ethiopia?
- Over the last ten years it is down 14.0%. The long-run trend across the full record is flat.
- Where does this Ethiopia 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.