Old-age dependency ratio in Sri Lanka
Sri Lanka: Old-age dependency ratio was 17.8% in 2023. ▲ Rising
Latest (2023)
17.8%
Change on year
up 3.2%
World rank
91st
of 236 countries
All-time high
17.8%
in 2023
All-time low
6.7%
in 1968
Years of data
74
1950–2023
Old-age dependency ratio in Sri Lanka, 1950–2023
Source: UN, World Population Prospects (2024) – processed by Our World in Data. Measured in %.
Analysis
In 2023, old-age dependency ratio in Sri Lanka stood at 17.8%. That is the highest value across all 74 years on record.
Compared with earlier readings it is up 3.2% on the previous year and up 43.2% over ten years.
Over the whole period, old-age dependency ratio in Sri Lanka peaked at 17.8% in 2023 and was at its lowest, 6.7%, in 1968.
Sri Lanka ranks 91st of 236 countries on this measure, in the middle of the range.
The long-run direction has been consistently rising across the 74 years of available data.
Old-age dependency ratio in Sri Lanka, year by year
| Year | % | Change |
|---|---|---|
| 1950 | 14.1% | — |
| 1951 | 12.9% | -8.4% |
| 1952 | 11.9% | -8.1% |
| 1953 | 11.0% | -7.7% |
| 1954 | 10.2% | -7.2% |
| 1955 | 9.5% | -6.2% |
| 1956 | 9.1% | -5.1% |
| 1957 | 8.6% | -4.6% |
| 1958 | 8.3% | -4.1% |
| 1959 | 8.0% | -3.7% |
| 1960 | 7.7% | -3.4% |
| 1961 | 7.5% | -3.1% |
| 1962 | 7.3% | -2.9% |
| 1963 | 7.1% | -2.5% |
| 1964 | 6.9% | -1.9% |
| 1965 | 6.8% | -1.3% |
| 1966 | 6.8% | -0.9% |
| 1967 | 6.8% | -0.5% |
| 1968 | 6.7% | -0.1% |
| 1969 | 6.8% | +0.1% |
| 1970 | 6.8% | +0.3% |
| 1971 | 6.8% | +0.5% |
| 1972 | 6.8% | +0.5% |
| 1973 | 6.9% | +0.6% |
| 1974 | 6.9% | +0.6% |
| 1975 | 7.0% | +0.8% |
| 1976 | 7.0% | +1.0% |
| 1977 | 7.1% | +1.3% |
| 1978 | 7.2% | +1.5% |
| 1979 | 7.4% | +1.6% |
| 1980 | 7.5% | +1.7% |
| 1981 | 7.6% | +1.9% |
| 1982 | 7.8% | +2.2% |
| 1983 | 8.0% | +2.6% |
| 1984 | 8.2% | +2.8% |
| 1985 | 8.4% | +2.3% |
| 1986 | 8.5% | +1.5% |
| 1987 | 8.7% | +1.4% |
| 1988 | 8.8% | +1.6% |
| 1989 | 8.9% | +1.4% |
| 1990 | 9.1% | +1.9% |
| 1991 | 9.3% | +1.7% |
| 1992 | 9.3% | +0.6% |
| 1993 | 9.4% | +0.4% |
| 1994 | 9.4% | +0.4% |
| 1995 | 9.4% | -0.1% |
| 1996 | 9.3% | -0.5% |
| 1997 | 9.3% | -0.4% |
| 1998 | 9.3% | -0.2% |
| 1999 | 9.3% | -0.1% |
| 2000 | 9.3% | +0.2% |
| 2001 | 9.3% | +0.6% |
| 2002 | 9.4% | +1.0% |
| 2003 | 9.5% | +1.2% |
| 2004 | 9.7% | +1.2% |
| 2005 | 9.8% | +1.4% |
| 2006 | 10.0% | +1.8% |
| 2007 | 10.2% | +2.1% |
| 2008 | 10.4% | +2.5% |
| 2009 | 10.7% | +2.8% |
| 2010 | 11.1% | +3.1% |
| 2011 | 11.5% | +3.6% |
| 2012 | 11.9% | +4.0% |
| 2013 | 12.4% | +4.3% |
| 2014 | 13.0% | +4.4% |
| 2015 | 13.6% | +4.4% |
| 2016 | 14.1% | +4.2% |
| 2017 | 14.7% | +3.9% |
| 2018 | 15.2% | +3.6% |
| 2019 | 15.7% | +3.4% |
| 2020 | 16.2% | +3.3% |
| 2021 | 16.7% | +3.1% |
| 2022 | 17.3% | +3.1% |
| 2023 | 17.8% | +3.2% |
Sri Lanka compared with similar countries
- Sri Lanka's 17.8% is above the median for upper middle income countries, which is 11.7%, 1.5× the median. (58 countries reporting)
- Sri Lanka's 17.8% is above the median for South Asia, which is 9.7%, 1.8× the median. (6 countries reporting)
Averages by decade
| Decade | Average | Lowest | Highest | Years |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1950s | 10.4% | 8.0% | 14.1% | 10 |
| 1960s | 7.0% | 6.7% | 7.7% | 10 |
| 1970s | 7.0% | 6.8% | 7.4% | 10 |
| 1980s | 8.3% | 7.5% | 8.9% | 10 |
| 1990s | 9.3% | 9.1% | 9.4% | 10 |
| 2000s | 9.8% | 9.3% | 10.7% | 10 |
| 2010s | 13.3% | 11.1% | 15.7% | 10 |
| 2020s | 17.0% | 16.2% | 17.8% | 4 |
Countries ranked near Sri Lanka
More reference data data for Sri Lanka
- Emission Totals - Indirect emissions (N2O) - Manure applied to Soils 0.1608 (2050)
- Emission Totals - Indirect emissions (N2O) - Manure left on Pasture 0.316 (2050)
- Emission Totals - Indirect emissions (N2O) - IPCC Agriculture 2.33 (2050)
- Emission Totals - Indirect emissions (N2O) - Crop Residues 0.1784 (2050)
- Emission Totals - Indirect emissions (N2O) - Agricultural Soils 2.33 (2050)
- Emission Totals - Emissions (N2O) - Manure applied to Soils 0.539 (2050)
- Emission Totals - Emissions (N2O) - Manure Management 0.1604 (2050)
- Emission Totals - Emissions (N2O) - Manure left on Pasture 1.63 (2050)
- Emission Totals - Emissions (N2O) - IPCC Agriculture 10.15 (2050)
- Emission Totals - Emissions (N2O) - Crop Residues 0.9713 (2050)
Frequently asked questions
- What is old-age dependency ratio in Sri Lanka?
- Old-age dependency ratio in Sri Lanka was 17.8% 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 Sri Lanka?
- The highest recorded value was 17.8% in 2023.
- What is the lowest old-age dependency ratio recorded in Sri Lanka?
- The lowest recorded value was 6.7% in 1968.
- How does Sri Lanka rank for old-age dependency ratio?
- Sri Lanka ranks 91st out of 236 countries with data for 2023.
- Is old-age dependency ratio rising or falling in Sri Lanka?
- Over the last ten years it is up 43.2%. The long-run trend across the full record is rising.
- Where does this Sri Lanka 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).