Age dependency ratio in South Sudan
South Sudan: Age dependency ratio was 69.7% in 2025. ▼ Falling
Age dependency ratio in South Sudan, 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 South Sudan is 69.7%, measured in 2025. That is the lowest value across all 66 years on record.
That represents a change of down 3.4% on the previous year and down 16.9% over ten years.
Over the whole period, age dependency ratio in South Sudan peaked at 97.3% in 1987 and was at its lowest, 69.7%, in 2025.
That places South Sudan 42nd out of 217 countries with data for 2025, putting it in the top quarter.
The long-run direction has been consistently falling across the 66 years of available data.
Age dependency ratio in South Sudan, year by year
| Year | % of working-age population | Change |
|---|---|---|
| 1960 | 83.3% | — |
| 1961 | 83.2% | -0.1% |
| 1962 | 83.3% | +0.1% |
| 1963 | 83.6% | +0.3% |
| 1964 | 84.2% | +0.7% |
| 1965 | 84.9% | +0.9% |
| 1966 | 85.6% | +0.8% |
| 1967 | 86.2% | +0.8% |
| 1968 | 86.8% | +0.7% |
| 1969 | 87.4% | +0.7% |
| 1970 | 88.0% | +0.6% |
| 1971 | 88.5% | +0.6% |
| 1972 | 89.0% | +0.6% |
| 1973 | 89.5% | +0.5% |
| 1974 | 89.9% | +0.5% |
| 1975 | 90.4% | +0.5% |
| 1976 | 90.9% | +0.5% |
| 1977 | 91.4% | +0.6% |
| 1978 | 91.9% | +0.6% |
| 1979 | 92.5% | +0.6% |
| 1980 | 93.2% | +0.7% |
| 1981 | 93.8% | +0.7% |
| 1982 | 94.5% | +0.7% |
| 1983 | 95.1% | +0.7% |
| 1984 | 95.7% | +0.7% |
| 1985 | 96.3% | +0.6% |
| 1986 | 96.7% | +0.4% |
| 1987 | 97.3% | +0.6% |
| 1988 | 94.3% | -3.1% |
| 1989 | 91.1% | -3.4% |
| 1990 | 91.5% | +0.4% |
| 1991 | 91.6% | +0.2% |
| 1992 | 92.0% | +0.4% |
| 1993 | 92.6% | +0.7% |
| 1994 | 93.0% | +0.4% |
| 1995 | 93.3% | +0.3% |
| 1996 | 93.8% | +0.6% |
| 1997 | 94.1% | +0.3% |
| 1998 | 93.2% | -0.9% |
| 1999 | 92.3% | -1.1% |
| 2000 | 92.0% | -0.3% |
| 2001 | 92.2% | +0.2% |
| 2002 | 93.0% | +0.9% |
| 2003 | 93.7% | +0.8% |
| 2004 | 93.2% | -0.5% |
| 2005 | 91.7% | -1.7% |
| 2006 | 89.9% | -1.9% |
| 2007 | 88.0% | -2.1% |
| 2008 | 86.3% | -2.0% |
| 2009 | 84.9% | -1.6% |
| 2010 | 82.9% | -2.4% |
| 2011 | 80.9% | -2.4% |
| 2012 | 80.1% | -1.0% |
| 2013 | 79.9% | -0.2% |
| 2014 | 81.9% | +2.4% |
| 2015 | 83.9% | +2.4% |
| 2016 | 86.1% | +2.6% |
| 2017 | 90.7% | +5.4% |
| 2018 | 90.4% | -0.4% |
| 2019 | 85.8% | -5.0% |
| 2020 | 82.2% | -4.2% |
| 2021 | 79.8% | -2.9% |
| 2022 | 77.6% | -2.8% |
| 2023 | 74.7% | -3.7% |
| 2024 | 72.1% | -3.4% |
| 2025 | 69.7% | -3.4% |
Averages by decade
| Decade | Average | Lowest | Highest | Years |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1960s | 84.9% | 83.2% | 87.4% | 10 |
| 1970s | 90.2% | 88.0% | 92.5% | 10 |
| 1980s | 94.8% | 91.1% | 97.3% | 10 |
| 1990s | 92.7% | 91.5% | 94.1% | 10 |
| 2000s | 90.5% | 84.9% | 93.7% | 10 |
| 2010s | 84.3% | 79.9% | 90.7% | 10 |
| 2020s | 76.0% | 69.7% | 82.2% | 6 |
Countries ranked near South Sudan
More health data for South Sudan
- Heat deaths vs projected death rates, annual growth rate 0.665 % change on previous year (2090)
- Un projection of annual infant deaths, annual growth rate -1.47 % change on previous year (2100)
- Number of infants who die before age 1 12,029 deaths (2100)
- Estimated changes in temperature-related death rates compared to projected death rates 1,347 deaths per 1,000 people (2090)
- Deaths in armed conflicts based on where they occurred 123 deaths (2026)
- Deaths in armed conflicts by region 123 deaths (2026)
- Population ages 0-14, male 39.0% (2025)
- Population, male 49.2% (2025)
- Age population, age 06, female, interpolated 138,289 (2025)
- Age population, age 06, male, interpolated 141,133 (2025)
Frequently asked questions
- What is age dependency ratio in South Sudan?
- Age dependency ratio in South Sudan was 69.7% in 2025, according to World Population Prospects, United Nations (UN), publisher: UN Population Division.
- What is the highest age dependency ratio recorded in South Sudan?
- The highest recorded value was 97.3% in 1987.
- What is the lowest age dependency ratio recorded in South Sudan?
- The lowest recorded value was 69.7% in 2025.
- How does South Sudan rank for age dependency ratio?
- South Sudan ranks 42nd out of 217 countries with data for 2025.
- Is age dependency ratio rising or falling in South Sudan?
- Over the last ten years it is down 16.9%. The long-run trend across the full record is falling.
- Where does this South Sudan 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.