Age dependency ratio in Papua New Guinea
Papua New Guinea: Age dependency ratio was 58.1% in 2025. ▼ Falling
Age dependency ratio in Papua New Guinea, 1960–2025
Source: World Population Prospects, United Nations (UN), publisher: UN Population Division. Measured in % of working-age population.
Analysis
The most recent figure for age dependency ratio in Papua New Guinea is 58.1%, measured in 2025. That is the lowest value across all 66 years on record.
Compared with earlier readings it is down 0.9% on the previous year and down 9.3% over ten years.
Over the whole period, age dependency ratio in Papua New Guinea peaked at 89.0% in 1972 and was at its lowest, 58.1%, in 2025.
That places Papua New Guinea 84th out of 218 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 Papua New Guinea, year by year
| Year | % of working-age population | Change |
|---|---|---|
| 1960 | 80.3% | — |
| 1961 | 81.1% | +1.0% |
| 1962 | 81.9% | +1.0% |
| 1963 | 82.6% | +1.0% |
| 1964 | 83.4% | +0.9% |
| 1965 | 84.2% | +0.9% |
| 1966 | 84.9% | +0.9% |
| 1967 | 85.7% | +0.9% |
| 1968 | 86.5% | +0.9% |
| 1969 | 87.3% | +0.9% |
| 1970 | 88.1% | +0.9% |
| 1971 | 88.8% | +0.8% |
| 1972 | 89.0% | +0.2% |
| 1973 | 88.6% | -0.4% |
| 1974 | 88.1% | -0.6% |
| 1975 | 87.3% | -0.9% |
| 1976 | 86.3% | -1.1% |
| 1977 | 85.2% | -1.3% |
| 1978 | 84.0% | -1.4% |
| 1979 | 82.7% | -1.6% |
| 1980 | 81.4% | -1.6% |
| 1981 | 80.6% | -1.0% |
| 1982 | 80.3% | -0.4% |
| 1983 | 80.1% | -0.3% |
| 1984 | 79.9% | -0.2% |
| 1985 | 79.9% | -0.1% |
| 1986 | 79.8% | -0.0% |
| 1987 | 79.8% | -0.1% |
| 1988 | 79.7% | -0.1% |
| 1989 | 79.6% | -0.1% |
| 1990 | 79.5% | -0.2% |
| 1991 | 79.1% | -0.5% |
| 1992 | 78.5% | -0.7% |
| 1993 | 77.9% | -0.8% |
| 1994 | 77.3% | -0.8% |
| 1995 | 76.7% | -0.8% |
| 1996 | 76.1% | -0.8% |
| 1997 | 75.5% | -0.7% |
| 1998 | 75.0% | -0.7% |
| 1999 | 74.4% | -0.7% |
| 2000 | 73.9% | -0.7% |
| 2001 | 73.3% | -0.8% |
| 2002 | 72.7% | -0.8% |
| 2003 | 72.0% | -0.9% |
| 2004 | 71.3% | -1.0% |
| 2005 | 70.6% | -1.0% |
| 2006 | 69.9% | -0.9% |
| 2007 | 69.3% | -0.9% |
| 2008 | 68.6% | -1.0% |
| 2009 | 67.9% | -1.0% |
| 2010 | 67.2% | -1.0% |
| 2011 | 66.6% | -0.9% |
| 2012 | 66.0% | -1.0% |
| 2013 | 65.3% | -1.0% |
| 2014 | 64.7% | -1.0% |
| 2015 | 64.0% | -1.0% |
| 2016 | 63.4% | -1.0% |
| 2017 | 62.7% | -1.0% |
| 2018 | 62.1% | -1.1% |
| 2019 | 61.4% | -1.1% |
| 2020 | 60.8% | -1.0% |
| 2021 | 60.2% | -1.0% |
| 2022 | 59.6% | -0.9% |
| 2023 | 59.1% | -0.9% |
| 2024 | 58.6% | -0.9% |
| 2025 | 58.1% | -0.9% |
Averages by decade
| Decade | Average | Lowest | Highest | Years |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1960s | 83.8% | 80.3% | 87.3% | 10 |
| 1970s | 86.8% | 82.7% | 89.0% | 10 |
| 1980s | 80.1% | 79.6% | 81.4% | 10 |
| 1990s | 77.0% | 74.4% | 79.5% | 10 |
| 2000s | 71.0% | 67.9% | 73.9% | 10 |
| 2010s | 64.3% | 61.4% | 67.2% | 10 |
| 2020s | 59.4% | 58.1% | 60.8% | 6 |
Countries ranked near Papua New Guinea
More health data for Papua New Guinea
- Un projection of annual infant deaths, annual growth rate -1.77 % change on previous year (2100)
- Heat deaths vs projected death rates, annual growth rate 0.3741 % change on previous year (2090)
- Estimated changes in temperature-related death rates compared to projected death rates 1,127 deaths per 1,000 people (2090)
- Number of infants who die before age 1 2,501 deaths (2100)
- Population ages 50-54, male, annual growth rate 2.77 % change on previous year (2025)
- Population ages 50-54, male, per unit of GDP 0 units per US$ of GDP (2025)
- Population ages 50-54, male, per capita 0.0209 units per person (2025)
- Population ages 55-59, female, annual growth rate 4.36 % change on previous year (2025)
- Population ages 55-59, female, per unit of GDP 0 units per US$ of GDP (2025)
- Population ages 55-59, female, per capita 0.0165 units per person (2025)
Frequently asked questions
- What is age dependency ratio in Papua New Guinea?
- Age dependency ratio in Papua New Guinea was 58.1% in 2025, according to World Population Prospects, United Nations (UN), publisher: UN Population Division.
- What is the highest age dependency ratio recorded in Papua New Guinea?
- The highest recorded value was 89.0% in 1972.
- What is the lowest age dependency ratio recorded in Papua New Guinea?
- The lowest recorded value was 58.1% in 2025.
- How does Papua New Guinea rank for age dependency ratio?
- Papua New Guinea ranks 84th out of 218 countries with data for 2025.
- Is age dependency ratio rising or falling in Papua New Guinea?
- Over the last ten years it is down 9.3%. The long-run trend across the full record is falling.
- Where does this Papua New Guinea 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.