Age dependency ratio old in China
China: Age dependency ratio old was 20.72 in 2023. ▲ Rising
Latest (2023)
20.72
Change on year
up 3.9%
World rank
78th
of 236 countries
All-time high
20.72
in 2023
All-time low
6.61
in 1967
Years of data
74
1950–2023
Age dependency ratio old in China, 1950–2023
Source: Our World in Data.
Analysis
In 2023, age dependency ratio old in China stood at 20.72. That is the highest value across all 74 years on record.
The figure is up 3.9% on the previous year and up 60.2% over ten years.
Over the whole period, age dependency ratio old in China peaked at 20.72 in 2023 and was at its lowest, 6.61, in 1967.
That places China 78th out of 236 countries with data for 2023, putting it in the middle of the range.
The long-run direction has been consistently rising across the 74 years of available data.
Age dependency ratio old in China, year by year
| Year | Value | Change |
|---|---|---|
| 1950 | 8.38 | — |
| 1951 | 8.18 | -2.4% |
| 1952 | 8.02 | -1.9% |
| 1953 | 7.91 | -1.4% |
| 1954 | 7.81 | -1.2% |
| 1955 | 7.69 | -1.5% |
| 1956 | 7.56 | -1.8% |
| 1957 | 7.46 | -1.3% |
| 1958 | 7.42 | -0.6% |
| 1959 | 7.32 | -1.3% |
| 1960 | 7.12 | -2.7% |
| 1961 | 6.91 | -2.9% |
| 1962 | 6.8 | -1.6% |
| 1963 | 6.75 | -0.8% |
| 1964 | 6.69 | -0.9% |
| 1965 | 6.64 | -0.7% |
| 1966 | 6.62 | -0.3% |
| 1967 | 6.61 | -0.2% |
| 1968 | 6.62 | +0.1% |
| 1969 | 6.65 | +0.5% |
| 1970 | 6.68 | +0.4% |
| 1971 | 6.72 | +0.6% |
| 1972 | 6.76 | +0.5% |
| 1973 | 6.81 | +0.8% |
| 1974 | 6.94 | +1.8% |
| 1975 | 7.08 | +2.1% |
| 1976 | 7.21 | +1.8% |
| 1977 | 7.29 | +1.0% |
| 1978 | 7.3 | +0.2% |
| 1979 | 7.33 | +0.5% |
| 1980 | 7.39 | +0.7% |
| 1981 | 7.43 | +0.6% |
| 1982 | 7.48 | +0.7% |
| 1983 | 7.52 | +0.4% |
| 1984 | 7.54 | +0.3% |
| 1985 | 7.58 | +0.6% |
| 1986 | 7.65 | +0.9% |
| 1987 | 7.72 | +1.0% |
| 1988 | 7.81 | +1.2% |
| 1989 | 7.95 | +1.7% |
| 1990 | 8.12 | +2.1% |
| 1991 | 8.27 | +1.9% |
| 1992 | 8.45 | +2.1% |
| 1993 | 8.66 | +2.5% |
| 1994 | 8.88 | +2.5% |
| 1995 | 9.1 | +2.5% |
| 1996 | 9.32 | +2.4% |
| 1997 | 9.52 | +2.2% |
| 1998 | 9.76 | +2.5% |
| 1999 | 10.02 | +2.7% |
| 2000 | 10.25 | +2.3% |
| 2001 | 10.46 | +2.0% |
| 2002 | 10.62 | +1.6% |
| 2003 | 10.77 | +1.4% |
| 2004 | 10.89 | +1.1% |
| 2005 | 10.99 | +0.9% |
| 2006 | 11.13 | +1.3% |
| 2007 | 11.31 | +1.6% |
| 2008 | 11.48 | +1.5% |
| 2009 | 11.66 | +1.6% |
| 2010 | 11.89 | +1.9% |
| 2011 | 12.17 | +2.4% |
| 2012 | 12.52 | +2.9% |
| 2013 | 12.93 | +3.3% |
| 2014 | 13.42 | +3.8% |
| 2015 | 14.03 | +4.6% |
| 2016 | 14.73 | +5.0% |
| 2017 | 15.54 | +5.5% |
| 2018 | 16.41 | +5.6% |
| 2019 | 17.29 | +5.4% |
| 2020 | 18.22 | +5.4% |
| 2021 | 19.08 | +4.7% |
| 2022 | 19.94 | +4.5% |
| 2023 | 20.72 | +3.9% |
China compared with similar countries
- China's 20.72 is above the median for upper middle income countries, which is 11.73, 1.8× the median. (58 countries reporting)
- China's 20.72 is above the median for East Asia & Pacific, which is 10.6, 2.0× the median. (37 countries reporting)
Averages by decade
| Decade | Average | Lowest | Highest | Years |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1950s | 7.77 | 7.32 | 8.38 | 10 |
| 1960s | 6.74 | 6.61 | 7.12 | 10 |
| 1970s | 7.01 | 6.68 | 7.33 | 10 |
| 1980s | 7.61 | 7.39 | 7.95 | 10 |
| 1990s | 9.01 | 8.12 | 10.02 | 10 |
| 2000s | 10.96 | 10.25 | 11.66 | 10 |
| 2010s | 14.09 | 11.89 | 17.29 | 10 |
| 2020s | 19.49 | 18.22 | 20.72 | 4 |
Countries ranked near China
More reference data data for China
- Emission Totals - Indirect emissions (N2O) - Manure applied to Soils 49.4 (2050)
- Emission Totals - Indirect emissions (N2O) - Manure left on Pasture 75.5 (2050)
- Emission Totals - Indirect emissions (N2O) - IPCC Agriculture 303.29 (2050)
- Emission Totals - Indirect emissions (N2O) - Crop Residues 18.8 (2050)
- Emission Totals - Indirect emissions (N2O) - Agricultural Soils 303.29 (2050)
- Emission Totals - Emissions (N2O) - Manure applied to Soils 165.62 (2050)
- Emission Totals - Emissions (N2O) - Manure Management 206.2 (2050)
- Emission Totals - Emissions (N2O) - Manure left on Pasture 350.74 (2050)
- Emission Totals - Emissions (N2O) - IPCC Agriculture 1,480 (2050)
- Emission Totals - Emissions (N2O) - Crop Residues 102.37 (2050)
Frequently asked questions
- What is age dependency ratio old in China?
- Age dependency ratio old in China was 20.72 in 2023, according to Our World in Data.
- What is the highest age dependency ratio old recorded in China?
- The highest recorded value was 20.72 in 2023.
- What is the lowest age dependency ratio old recorded in China?
- The lowest recorded value was 6.61 in 1967.
- How does China rank for age dependency ratio old?
- China ranks 78th out of 236 countries with data for 2023.
- Is age dependency ratio old rising or falling in China?
- Over the last ten years it is up 60.2%. The long-run trend across the full record is rising.
- Where does this China data come from?
- The figures come from Our World in Data, published as part of Age dependency ratio old. Statizoid updates them automatically from the source API.
Download this data
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