Old-age dependency ratio in Afghanistan
Afghanistan: Old-age dependency ratio was 4.4% in 2023. ▼ Falling
Latest (2023)
4.4%
Change on year
up 0.3%
World rank
227th
of 236 countries
All-time high
5.1%
in 1957
All-time low
4.4%
in 2022
Years of data
74
1950–2023
Old-age dependency ratio in Afghanistan, 1950–2023
Source: UN, World Population Prospects (2024) – processed by Our World in Data. Measured in %.
Analysis
Afghanistan recorded 4.4% for old-age dependency ratio in 2023.
Compared with earlier readings it is up 0.3% on the previous year and down 6.1% over ten years.
Over the whole period, old-age dependency ratio in Afghanistan peaked at 5.1% in 1957 and was at its lowest, 4.4%, in 2022.
Afghanistan ranks 227th of 236 countries on this measure, in the bottom quarter.
The long-run direction has been consistently falling across the 74 years of available data.
Old-age dependency ratio in Afghanistan, year by year
| Year | % | Change |
|---|---|---|
| 1950 | 5.1% | — |
| 1951 | 5.1% | +0.4% |
| 1952 | 5.1% | +0.3% |
| 1953 | 5.1% | +0.2% |
| 1954 | 5.1% | +0.1% |
| 1955 | 5.1% | +0.0% |
| 1956 | 5.1% | +0.0% |
| 1957 | 5.1% | +0.0% |
| 1958 | 5.1% | -0.0% |
| 1959 | 5.1% | -0.1% |
| 1960 | 5.1% | -0.3% |
| 1961 | 5.1% | -0.4% |
| 1962 | 5.1% | -0.5% |
| 1963 | 5.0% | -0.4% |
| 1964 | 5.0% | -0.3% |
| 1965 | 5.0% | -0.2% |
| 1966 | 5.0% | -0.1% |
| 1967 | 5.0% | -0.0% |
| 1968 | 5.0% | -0.0% |
| 1969 | 5.0% | -0.1% |
| 1970 | 5.0% | -0.1% |
| 1971 | 5.0% | -0.2% |
| 1972 | 5.0% | -0.2% |
| 1973 | 5.0% | -0.2% |
| 1974 | 5.0% | -0.2% |
| 1975 | 5.0% | -0.1% |
| 1976 | 4.9% | -0.1% |
| 1977 | 4.9% | -0.0% |
| 1978 | 4.9% | -0.1% |
| 1979 | 4.9% | -0.4% |
| 1980 | 4.9% | -0.5% |
| 1981 | 4.9% | -0.6% |
| 1982 | 4.8% | -1.0% |
| 1983 | 4.8% | -1.3% |
| 1984 | 4.7% | -1.8% |
| 1985 | 4.6% | -2.2% |
| 1986 | 4.5% | -1.5% |
| 1987 | 4.5% | -0.7% |
| 1988 | 4.5% | -0.3% |
| 1989 | 4.5% | +0.2% |
| 1990 | 4.5% | +0.3% |
| 1991 | 4.5% | +0.3% |
| 1992 | 4.5% | +0.4% |
| 1993 | 4.5% | +0.6% |
| 1994 | 4.6% | +0.8% |
| 1995 | 4.6% | +0.8% |
| 1996 | 4.6% | +0.7% |
| 1997 | 4.7% | +0.7% |
| 1998 | 4.7% | +0.5% |
| 1999 | 4.7% | +0.5% |
| 2000 | 4.7% | +0.4% |
| 2001 | 4.8% | +0.3% |
| 2002 | 4.8% | +0.2% |
| 2003 | 4.8% | +0.1% |
| 2004 | 4.8% | -0.0% |
| 2005 | 4.8% | -0.2% |
| 2006 | 4.7% | -0.3% |
| 2007 | 4.7% | -0.4% |
| 2008 | 4.7% | -0.4% |
| 2009 | 4.7% | -0.3% |
| 2010 | 4.7% | -0.2% |
| 2011 | 4.7% | -0.2% |
| 2012 | 4.7% | -0.2% |
| 2013 | 4.7% | -0.4% |
| 2014 | 4.6% | -0.6% |
| 2015 | 4.6% | -0.9% |
| 2016 | 4.5% | -0.9% |
| 2017 | 4.5% | -0.6% |
| 2018 | 4.5% | -0.4% |
| 2019 | 4.5% | -0.3% |
| 2020 | 4.4% | -0.9% |
| 2021 | 4.4% | -1.4% |
| 2022 | 4.4% | -0.5% |
| 2023 | 4.4% | +0.3% |
Afghanistan compared with similar countries
- Afghanistan's 4.4% is below the median for low income countries, which is 5.3%, 83% of the median. (25 countries reporting)
- Afghanistan's 4.4% is below the median for Middle East, North Africa, Afghanistan & Pakistan, which is 7.1%, 61% of the median. (23 countries reporting)
Averages by decade
| Decade | Average | Lowest | Highest | Years |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1950s | 5.1% | 5.1% | 5.1% | 10 |
| 1960s | 5.0% | 5.0% | 5.1% | 10 |
| 1970s | 5.0% | 4.9% | 5.0% | 10 |
| 1980s | 4.6% | 4.5% | 4.9% | 10 |
| 1990s | 4.6% | 4.5% | 4.7% | 10 |
| 2000s | 4.7% | 4.7% | 4.8% | 10 |
| 2010s | 4.6% | 4.5% | 4.7% | 10 |
| 2020s | 4.4% | 4.4% | 4.4% | 4 |
Countries ranked near Afghanistan
More reference data data for Afghanistan
- Emission Totals - Indirect emissions (N2O) - Manure applied to Soils 0.8991 (2050)
- Emission Totals - Indirect emissions (N2O) - Manure left on Pasture 4.89 (2050)
- Emission Totals - Indirect emissions (N2O) - IPCC Agriculture 6.63 (2050)
- Emission Totals - Indirect emissions (N2O) - Crop Residues 0.4362 (2050)
- Emission Totals - Indirect emissions (N2O) - Agricultural Soils 6.63 (2050)
- Emission Totals - Emissions (N2O) - Manure applied to Soils 3.01 (2050)
- Emission Totals - Emissions (N2O) - Manure Management 0.847 (2050)
- Emission Totals - Emissions (N2O) - Manure left on Pasture 18.65 (2050)
- Emission Totals - Emissions (N2O) - IPCC Agriculture 26.62 (2050)
- Emission Totals - Emissions (N2O) - Crop Residues 2.38 (2050)
Frequently asked questions
- What is old-age dependency ratio in Afghanistan?
- Old-age dependency ratio in Afghanistan was 4.4% in 2023, according to UN, World Population Prospects (2024) – processed by Our World in Data.
- What is the highest old-age dependency ratio recorded in Afghanistan?
- The highest recorded value was 5.1% in 1957.
- What is the lowest old-age dependency ratio recorded in Afghanistan?
- The lowest recorded value was 4.4% in 2022.
- How does Afghanistan rank for old-age dependency ratio?
- Afghanistan ranks 227th out of 236 countries with data for 2023.
- Is old-age dependency ratio rising or falling in Afghanistan?
- Over the last ten years it is down 6.1%. The long-run trend across the full record is falling.
- Where does this Afghanistan data come from?
- The figures come from UN, World Population Prospects (2024) – processed by Our World in Data, published as part of Old-age dependency ratio. Statizoid updates them automatically from the source API.
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About this data
Number of people aged 65 and over per 100 working-age people (aged 15 to 64).