Age dependency ratio, young in South Asia
South Asia: Age dependency ratio, young was 36.1% in 2025. ▼ Falling
Age dependency ratio, young in South Asia, 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, young in South Asia is 36.1%, measured in 2025. That is the lowest value across all 66 years on record.
Compared with earlier readings it is down 1.9% on the previous year and down 19.0% over ten years.
Over the whole period, age dependency ratio, young in South Asia peaked at 76.5% in 1966 and was at its lowest, 36.1%, in 2025.
South Asia ranks 25th of 47 groups on this measure, in the middle of the range.
The long-run direction has been consistently falling across the 66 years of available data.
Age dependency ratio, young in South Asia, year by year
| Year | % of working-age population | Change |
|---|---|---|
| 1960 | 72.8% | — |
| 1961 | 73.7% | +1.2% |
| 1962 | 74.6% | +1.2% |
| 1963 | 75.5% | +1.3% |
| 1964 | 76.2% | +0.9% |
| 1965 | 76.4% | +0.3% |
| 1966 | 76.5% | +0.1% |
| 1967 | 76.5% | -0.1% |
| 1968 | 76.4% | -0.1% |
| 1969 | 76.3% | -0.1% |
| 1970 | 76.0% | -0.4% |
| 1971 | 75.7% | -0.4% |
| 1972 | 75.5% | -0.3% |
| 1973 | 75.2% | -0.4% |
| 1974 | 74.9% | -0.4% |
| 1975 | 74.5% | -0.6% |
| 1976 | 74.0% | -0.6% |
| 1977 | 73.5% | -0.7% |
| 1978 | 73.1% | -0.6% |
| 1979 | 72.6% | -0.6% |
| 1980 | 72.2% | -0.5% |
| 1981 | 72.0% | -0.4% |
| 1982 | 71.7% | -0.4% |
| 1983 | 71.4% | -0.4% |
| 1984 | 71.1% | -0.4% |
| 1985 | 70.8% | -0.4% |
| 1986 | 70.5% | -0.5% |
| 1987 | 70.1% | -0.6% |
| 1988 | 69.6% | -0.7% |
| 1989 | 69.0% | -0.8% |
| 1990 | 68.4% | -0.9% |
| 1991 | 67.7% | -1.0% |
| 1992 | 67.0% | -1.1% |
| 1993 | 66.2% | -1.1% |
| 1994 | 65.4% | -1.2% |
| 1995 | 64.6% | -1.3% |
| 1996 | 63.6% | -1.5% |
| 1997 | 62.6% | -1.5% |
| 1998 | 61.6% | -1.6% |
| 1999 | 60.6% | -1.7% |
| 2000 | 59.6% | -1.7% |
| 2001 | 58.6% | -1.6% |
| 2002 | 57.7% | -1.6% |
| 2003 | 56.8% | -1.6% |
| 2004 | 55.8% | -1.7% |
| 2005 | 54.8% | -1.7% |
| 2006 | 53.8% | -1.8% |
| 2007 | 52.8% | -1.9% |
| 2008 | 51.8% | -1.9% |
| 2009 | 50.8% | -1.9% |
| 2010 | 49.8% | -2.0% |
| 2011 | 48.8% | -2.1% |
| 2012 | 47.8% | -2.1% |
| 2013 | 46.7% | -2.2% |
| 2014 | 45.7% | -2.3% |
| 2015 | 44.6% | -2.3% |
| 2016 | 43.5% | -2.4% |
| 2017 | 42.5% | -2.4% |
| 2018 | 41.6% | -2.2% |
| 2019 | 40.7% | -2.1% |
| 2020 | 39.8% | -2.1% |
| 2021 | 39.1% | -2.0% |
| 2022 | 38.3% | -1.9% |
| 2023 | 37.6% | -1.9% |
| 2024 | 36.8% | -2.0% |
| 2025 | 36.1% | -1.9% |
Averages by decade
| Decade | Average | Lowest | Highest | Years |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1960s | 75.5% | 72.8% | 76.5% | 10 |
| 1970s | 74.5% | 72.6% | 76.0% | 10 |
| 1980s | 70.8% | 69.0% | 72.2% | 10 |
| 1990s | 64.8% | 60.6% | 68.4% | 10 |
| 2000s | 55.3% | 50.8% | 59.6% | 10 |
| 2010s | 45.2% | 40.7% | 49.8% | 10 |
| 2020s | 38.0% | 36.1% | 39.8% | 6 |
Countries ranked near South Asia
More health data for South Asia
- Population ages 0-14, female, per unit of GDP 0 units per US$ of GDP (2025)
- Population ages 0-14, total, per unit of GDP 0.0001 units per US$ of GDP (2025)
- Population ages 0-14, total, annual growth rate -0.7947 % change on previous year (2025)
- Population ages 0-14, male, per capita 0.1278 units per person (2025)
- Population ages 0-14, male, per unit of GDP 0 units per US$ of GDP (2025)
- Population ages 0-14, male, annual growth rate -0.8925 % change on previous year (2025)
- Population ages 0-14, female, per capita 0.1181 units per person (2025)
- Population ages 80 and above, male, per unit of GDP 0 units per US$ of GDP (2025)
- Population ages 80 and above, female, per capita 0.0064 units per person (2025)
- Population ages 80 and above, male, annual growth rate 4.63 % change on previous year (2025)
Frequently asked questions
- What is age dependency ratio, young in South Asia?
- Age dependency ratio, young in South Asia was 36.1% in 2025, according to World Population Prospects, United Nations (UN), publisher: UN Population Division.
- What is the highest age dependency ratio, young recorded in South Asia?
- The highest recorded value was 76.5% in 1966.
- What is the lowest age dependency ratio, young recorded in South Asia?
- The lowest recorded value was 36.1% in 2025.
- How does South Asia rank for age dependency ratio, young?
- South Asia ranks 25th out of 47 groups with data for 2025.
- Is age dependency ratio, young rising or falling in South Asia?
- Over the last ten years it is down 19.0%. The long-run trend across the full record is falling.
- Where does this South Asia data come from?
- The figures come from World Population Prospects, United Nations (UN), publisher: UN Population Division, published as part of Age dependency ratio, young (% of working-age population). Statizoid updates them automatically from the source API.
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About this data
Age dependency ratio, young, is the ratio of younger dependents--people younger than 15--to the working-age population--those ages 15-64. Data are shown as the proportion of dependents per 100 working-age population.