Total dependency ratio in Afghanistan

Afghanistan: Total dependency ratio was 83.8% in 2023. ▲ Rising

Latest (2023)
83.8%
Change on year
down 1.3%
World rank
16th
of 236 countries
All-time high
110.6%
in 2003
All-time low
78.2%
in 1950
Years of data
74
1950–2023

Total dependency ratio in Afghanistan, 1950–2023

0255075100195019862023

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

Analysis

In 2023, total dependency ratio in Afghanistan stood at 83.8%.

Compared with earlier readings it is down 1.3% on the previous year and down 14.5% over ten years.

Over the whole period, total dependency ratio in Afghanistan peaked at 110.6% in 2003 and was at its lowest, 78.2%, in 1950.

Afghanistan ranks 16th of 236 countries on this measure, in the top 10%.

The long-run direction has been consistently rising across the 74 years of available data.

Averages by decade

DecadeAverage LowestHighest Years
1950s 79.3% 78.2% 80.8% 10
1960s 83.2% 81.1% 86.5% 10
1970s 90.6% 87.3% 93.7% 10
1980s 97.0% 94.5% 99.1% 10
1990s 103.8% 99.7% 108.7% 10
2000s 108.9% 104.8% 110.6% 10
2010s 95.6% 88.5% 103.1% 10
2020s 85.5% 83.8% 87.2% 4

Countries ranked near Afghanistan

  1. 14 Uganda 85.5% compare
  2. 15 Tanzania 84.4% compare
  3. 17 Burkina Faso 81.9% compare
  4. 18 Zimbabwe 81.6% compare
  5. 19 Benin 81.6% compare

See the full ranking of 236 places →

More reference data data for Afghanistan

All data for Afghanistan →

Frequently asked questions

What is total dependency ratio in Afghanistan?
Total dependency ratio in Afghanistan was 83.8% in 2023, according to UN, World Population Prospects (2024) – processed by Our World in Data.
What is the highest total dependency ratio recorded in Afghanistan?
The highest recorded value was 110.6% in 2003.
What is the lowest total dependency ratio recorded in Afghanistan?
The lowest recorded value was 78.2% in 1950.
How does Afghanistan rank for total dependency ratio?
Afghanistan ranks 16th out of 236 countries with data for 2023.
Is total dependency ratio rising or falling in Afghanistan?
Over the last ten years it is down 14.5%. The long-run trend across the full record is rising.
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 Total dependency ratio. Statizoid updates them automatically from the source API.

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About this data

Indicator
Total 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 children (under 15) and people aged 65 and over per 100 working-age people (aged 15 to 64).