Old-age dependency ratio in Tonga
Tonga: Old-age dependency ratio was 11.4% in 2023. ▲ Rising
Latest (2023)
11.4%
Change on year
up 1.7%
World rank
131st
of 236 countries
All-time high
11.4%
in 2023
All-time low
6.0%
in 1962
Years of data
74
1950–2023
Old-age dependency ratio in Tonga, 1950–2023
Source: UN, World Population Prospects (2024) – processed by Our World in Data. Measured in %.
Analysis
Tonga recorded 11.4% for old-age dependency ratio in 2023. That is the highest value across all 74 years on record.
That represents a change of up 1.7% on the previous year and up 8.7% over ten years.
Over the whole period, old-age dependency ratio in Tonga peaked at 11.4% in 2023 and was at its lowest, 6.0%, in 1962.
That places Tonga 131st 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.
Old-age dependency ratio in Tonga, year by year
| Year | % | Change |
|---|---|---|
| 1950 | 9.0% | — |
| 1951 | 8.5% | -5.6% |
| 1952 | 8.1% | -5.5% |
| 1953 | 7.6% | -5.5% |
| 1954 | 7.2% | -5.0% |
| 1955 | 6.9% | -4.6% |
| 1956 | 6.6% | -4.5% |
| 1957 | 6.4% | -3.2% |
| 1958 | 6.2% | -2.1% |
| 1959 | 6.2% | -1.5% |
| 1960 | 6.1% | -0.8% |
| 1961 | 6.1% | -0.8% |
| 1962 | 6.0% | -0.1% |
| 1963 | 6.1% | +0.1% |
| 1964 | 6.1% | +0.3% |
| 1965 | 6.1% | +0.4% |
| 1966 | 6.1% | +0.4% |
| 1967 | 6.2% | +0.5% |
| 1968 | 6.2% | +0.6% |
| 1969 | 6.2% | +0.7% |
| 1970 | 6.3% | +0.5% |
| 1971 | 6.3% | +0.5% |
| 1972 | 6.3% | +0.4% |
| 1973 | 6.3% | +0.2% |
| 1974 | 6.3% | +0.1% |
| 1975 | 6.3% | -0.1% |
| 1976 | 6.3% | -0.0% |
| 1977 | 6.4% | +0.6% |
| 1978 | 6.4% | +0.9% |
| 1979 | 6.5% | +1.3% |
| 1980 | 6.6% | +1.4% |
| 1981 | 6.7% | +1.8% |
| 1982 | 6.9% | +2.0% |
| 1983 | 7.0% | +2.1% |
| 1984 | 7.2% | +2.6% |
| 1985 | 7.4% | +2.9% |
| 1986 | 7.6% | +2.8% |
| 1987 | 7.8% | +2.1% |
| 1988 | 7.9% | +1.3% |
| 1989 | 8.0% | +1.3% |
| 1990 | 8.1% | +1.8% |
| 1991 | 8.3% | +2.1% |
| 1992 | 8.5% | +2.4% |
| 1993 | 8.7% | +2.4% |
| 1994 | 8.9% | +2.5% |
| 1995 | 9.1% | +2.2% |
| 1996 | 9.3% | +2.2% |
| 1997 | 9.4% | +1.6% |
| 1998 | 9.5% | +0.7% |
| 1999 | 9.6% | +0.5% |
| 2000 | 9.6% | +0.6% |
| 2001 | 9.7% | +0.7% |
| 2002 | 9.8% | +0.8% |
| 2003 | 9.9% | +1.1% |
| 2004 | 10.0% | +1.4% |
| 2005 | 10.1% | +1.1% |
| 2006 | 10.2% | +0.8% |
| 2007 | 10.2% | +0.4% |
| 2008 | 10.2% | -0.1% |
| 2009 | 10.2% | -0.5% |
| 2010 | 10.2% | +0.2% |
| 2011 | 10.3% | +1.2% |
| 2012 | 10.5% | +1.3% |
| 2013 | 10.5% | +0.6% |
| 2014 | 10.5% | +0.0% |
| 2015 | 10.5% | -0.2% |
| 2016 | 10.5% | -0.0% |
| 2017 | 10.6% | +0.5% |
| 2018 | 10.7% | +1.1% |
| 2019 | 10.8% | +1.3% |
| 2020 | 11.0% | +1.4% |
| 2021 | 11.1% | +1.3% |
| 2022 | 11.2% | +1.3% |
| 2023 | 11.4% | +1.7% |
Tonga compared with similar countries
- Tonga's 11.4% is below the median for upper middle income countries, which is 11.7%, 98% of the median. (58 countries reporting)
- Tonga's 11.4% is above the median for East Asia & Pacific, which is 10.6%, 1.1× the median. (37 countries reporting)
Averages by decade
| Decade | Average | Lowest | Highest | Years |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1950s | 7.3% | 6.2% | 9.0% | 10 |
| 1960s | 6.1% | 6.0% | 6.2% | 10 |
| 1970s | 6.4% | 6.3% | 6.5% | 10 |
| 1980s | 7.3% | 6.6% | 8.0% | 10 |
| 1990s | 8.9% | 8.1% | 9.6% | 10 |
| 2000s | 10.0% | 9.6% | 10.2% | 10 |
| 2010s | 10.5% | 10.2% | 10.8% | 10 |
| 2020s | 11.2% | 11.0% | 11.4% | 4 |
Countries ranked near Tonga
- 128 Dominican Republic 11.6% compare
- 129 Azerbaijan 11.5% compare
- 130 Suriname 11.5% compare
- 132 Iran 11.4% compare
- 133 Cayman Islands 11.4% compare
- 134 French Guiana 11.0% compare
More reference data data for Tonga
- Emission Totals - Indirect emissions (N2O) - Manure applied to Soils 0.0105 (2050)
- Emission Totals - Indirect emissions (N2O) - Manure left on Pasture 0.0092 (2050)
- Emission Totals - Indirect emissions (N2O) - IPCC Agriculture 0.0197 (2050)
- Emission Totals - Indirect emissions (N2O) - Agricultural Soils 0.0197 (2050)
- Emission Totals - Emissions (N2O) - Manure applied to Soils 0.0353 (2050)
- Emission Totals - Emissions (N2O) - Manure Management 0.0269 (2050)
- Emission Totals - Emissions (N2O) - Manure left on Pasture 0.0446 (2050)
- Emission Totals - Emissions (N2O) - IPCC Agriculture 0.1068 (2050)
- Emission Totals - Emissions (N2O) - Agricultural Soils 0.0799 (2050)
- Emission Totals - Emissions (CO2eq) from N2O (AR5) - Manure applied 9.35 (2050)
Frequently asked questions
- What is old-age dependency ratio in Tonga?
- Old-age dependency ratio in Tonga was 11.4% 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 Tonga?
- The highest recorded value was 11.4% in 2023.
- What is the lowest old-age dependency ratio recorded in Tonga?
- The lowest recorded value was 6.0% in 1962.
- How does Tonga rank for old-age dependency ratio?
- Tonga ranks 131st out of 236 countries with data for 2023.
- Is old-age dependency ratio rising or falling in Tonga?
- Over the last ten years it is up 8.7%. The long-run trend across the full record is rising.
- Where does this Tonga 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).