Age dependency ratio in Sierra Leone
Sierra Leone: Age dependency ratio was 69.3% in 2025. ▬ Flat
Latest (2025)
69.3%
Change on year
down 1.6%
World rank
44th
of 217 countries
All-time high
90.1%
in 2001
All-time low
69.3%
in 2025
Years of data
66
1960–2025
Age dependency ratio in Sierra Leone, 1960–2025
Source: World Population Prospects, United Nations (UN), publisher: UN Population Division. Measured in % of working-age population.
Analysis
Sierra Leone recorded 69.3% for age dependency ratio in 2025. That is the lowest value across all 66 years on record.
The figure is down 1.6% on the previous year and down 15.3% over ten years.
Over the whole period, age dependency ratio in Sierra Leone peaked at 90.1% in 2001 and was at its lowest, 69.3%, in 2025.
Sierra Leone ranks 44th of 217 countries on this measure, in the top quarter.
Age dependency ratio in Sierra Leone, year by year
| Year | % of working-age population | Change |
|---|---|---|
| 1960 | 72.5% | — |
| 1961 | 72.8% | +0.3% |
| 1962 | 73.1% | +0.4% |
| 1963 | 73.7% | +0.9% |
| 1964 | 74.8% | +1.5% |
| 1965 | 75.9% | +1.4% |
| 1966 | 76.7% | +1.2% |
| 1967 | 77.6% | +1.2% |
| 1968 | 78.5% | +1.1% |
| 1969 | 79.3% | +1.1% |
| 1970 | 80.1% | +1.0% |
| 1971 | 80.8% | +0.9% |
| 1972 | 81.5% | +0.8% |
| 1973 | 82.1% | +0.8% |
| 1974 | 82.7% | +0.8% |
| 1975 | 83.3% | +0.7% |
| 1976 | 83.8% | +0.6% |
| 1977 | 84.3% | +0.5% |
| 1978 | 84.7% | +0.5% |
| 1979 | 85.1% | +0.5% |
| 1980 | 85.4% | +0.4% |
| 1981 | 85.7% | +0.4% |
| 1982 | 86.1% | +0.4% |
| 1983 | 86.4% | +0.4% |
| 1984 | 86.7% | +0.4% |
| 1985 | 87.0% | +0.4% |
| 1986 | 87.3% | +0.3% |
| 1987 | 87.6% | +0.3% |
| 1988 | 87.9% | +0.3% |
| 1989 | 88.1% | +0.2% |
| 1990 | 88.2% | +0.2% |
| 1991 | 88.4% | +0.2% |
| 1992 | 88.6% | +0.2% |
| 1993 | 88.7% | +0.2% |
| 1994 | 88.9% | +0.2% |
| 1995 | 89.1% | +0.2% |
| 1996 | 89.3% | +0.2% |
| 1997 | 89.4% | +0.2% |
| 1998 | 89.6% | +0.2% |
| 1999 | 89.9% | +0.3% |
| 2000 | 90.0% | +0.2% |
| 2001 | 90.1% | +0.0% |
| 2002 | 90.0% | -0.0% |
| 2003 | 89.9% | -0.1% |
| 2004 | 89.7% | -0.3% |
| 2005 | 89.4% | -0.4% |
| 2006 | 89.0% | -0.4% |
| 2007 | 88.5% | -0.5% |
| 2008 | 88.0% | -0.6% |
| 2009 | 87.5% | -0.6% |
| 2010 | 86.9% | -0.7% |
| 2011 | 86.2% | -0.8% |
| 2012 | 85.4% | -0.9% |
| 2013 | 84.3% | -1.2% |
| 2014 | 83.1% | -1.5% |
| 2015 | 81.8% | -1.6% |
| 2016 | 80.4% | -1.6% |
| 2017 | 79.1% | -1.7% |
| 2018 | 77.7% | -1.7% |
| 2019 | 76.5% | -1.6% |
| 2020 | 75.3% | -1.6% |
| 2021 | 74.1% | -1.6% |
| 2022 | 72.9% | -1.6% |
| 2023 | 71.6% | -1.7% |
| 2024 | 70.4% | -1.7% |
| 2025 | 69.3% | -1.6% |
Averages by decade
| Decade | Average | Lowest | Highest | Years |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1960s | 75.5% | 72.5% | 79.3% | 10 |
| 1970s | 82.8% | 80.1% | 85.1% | 10 |
| 1980s | 86.8% | 85.4% | 88.1% | 10 |
| 1990s | 89.0% | 88.2% | 89.9% | 10 |
| 2000s | 89.2% | 87.5% | 90.1% | 10 |
| 2010s | 82.1% | 76.5% | 86.9% | 10 |
| 2020s | 72.3% | 69.3% | 75.3% | 6 |
Countries ranked near Sierra Leone
- 41 Japan 70.2% compare
- 42 South Sudan 69.7% compare
- 43 Rwanda 69.6% compare
- 45 Equatorial Guinea 69.1% compare
- 46 Saint Martin (French part) 68.7% compare
- 47 Pakistan 68.4% compare
More health data for Sierra Leone
- Un projection of annual infant deaths, annual growth rate -2.34 % change on previous year (2100)
- Heat deaths vs projected death rates, annual growth rate 0.773 % change on previous year (2090)
- Estimated changes in temperature-related death rates compared to projected death rates 1,199 deaths per 1,000 people (2090)
- Number of infants who die before age 1 4,209 deaths (2100)
- Population ages 0-14, female, annual growth rate 0.8723 % 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 0.1868 units per person (2025)
- Population ages 0-14, male, annual growth rate 0.8951 % 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 0.1897 units per person (2025)
Frequently asked questions
- What is age dependency ratio in Sierra Leone?
- Age dependency ratio in Sierra Leone was 69.3% in 2025, according to World Population Prospects, United Nations (UN), publisher: UN Population Division.
- What is the highest age dependency ratio recorded in Sierra Leone?
- The highest recorded value was 90.1% in 2001.
- What is the lowest age dependency ratio recorded in Sierra Leone?
- The lowest recorded value was 69.3% in 2025.
- How does Sierra Leone rank for age dependency ratio?
- Sierra Leone ranks 44th out of 217 countries with data for 2025.
- Is age dependency ratio rising or falling in Sierra Leone?
- Over the last ten years it is down 15.3%. The long-run trend across the full record is flat.
- Where does this Sierra Leone 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.