Old-age dependency ratio in Ethiopia

Ethiopia: Old-age dependency ratio was 5.5% in 2023. ▬ Flat

Latest (2023)
5.5%
Change on year
up 1.0%
World rank
204th
of 236 countries
All-time high
5.7%
in 1950
All-time low
5.0%
in 1964
Years of data
74
1950–2023

Old-age dependency ratio in Ethiopia, 1950–2023

0246195019862023

Source: UN, World Population Prospects (2024) – processed by Our World in Data. Measured in %.

Analysis

Ethiopia recorded 5.5% for old-age dependency ratio in 2023.

Compared with earlier readings it is up 1.0% on the previous year and up 2.1% over ten years.

Over the whole period, old-age dependency ratio in Ethiopia peaked at 5.7% in 1950 and was at its lowest, 5.0%, in 1964.

Ethiopia ranks 204th of 236 countries on this measure, in the bottom quarter.

Averages by decade

DecadeAverage LowestHighest Years
1950s 5.5% 5.2% 5.7% 10
1960s 5.1% 5.0% 5.2% 10
1970s 5.4% 5.3% 5.5% 10
1980s 5.4% 5.3% 5.5% 10
1990s 5.3% 5.3% 5.4% 10
2000s 5.3% 5.3% 5.3% 10
2010s 5.4% 5.3% 5.4% 10
2020s 5.5% 5.4% 5.5% 4

Countries ranked near Ethiopia

  1. 201 Iraq 5.7% compare
  2. 202 Tanzania 5.6% compare
  3. 203 Benin 5.6% compare
  4. 205 Sierra Leone 5.5% compare
  5. 206 Nigeria 5.5% compare
  6. 207 Guinea-Bissau 5.5% compare

See the full ranking of 236 places →

More reference data data for Ethiopia

All data for Ethiopia →

Frequently asked questions

What is old-age dependency ratio in Ethiopia?
Old-age dependency ratio in Ethiopia was 5.5% 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 Ethiopia?
The highest recorded value was 5.7% in 1950.
What is the lowest old-age dependency ratio recorded in Ethiopia?
The lowest recorded value was 5.0% in 1964.
How does Ethiopia rank for old-age dependency ratio?
Ethiopia ranks 204th out of 236 countries with data for 2023.
Is old-age dependency ratio rising or falling in Ethiopia?
Over the last ten years it is up 2.1%. The long-run trend across the full record is flat.
Where does this Ethiopia 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

Indicator
Old-age dependency ratio
Unit
%
Source
UN, World Population Prospects (2024) – processed by Our World in Data
Licence
CC BY 4.0 (Our World in Data)
Coverage
236 places, 17,464 data points, 1950–2023
Last refreshed

The number of people aged 65 and over per 100 working-age people (aged 15 to 64).