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
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.
Total dependency ratio in Afghanistan, year by year
| Year | % | Change |
|---|---|---|
| 1950 | 78.2% | — |
| 1951 | 78.4% | +0.2% |
| 1952 | 78.5% | +0.2% |
| 1953 | 78.7% | +0.2% |
| 1954 | 78.9% | +0.3% |
| 1955 | 79.3% | +0.4% |
| 1956 | 79.7% | +0.5% |
| 1957 | 80.1% | +0.5% |
| 1958 | 80.5% | +0.5% |
| 1959 | 80.8% | +0.4% |
| 1960 | 81.1% | +0.3% |
| 1961 | 81.3% | +0.3% |
| 1962 | 81.5% | +0.3% |
| 1963 | 81.9% | +0.4% |
| 1964 | 82.4% | +0.6% |
| 1965 | 83.1% | +0.9% |
| 1966 | 83.9% | +1.0% |
| 1967 | 84.8% | +1.0% |
| 1968 | 85.6% | +1.0% |
| 1969 | 86.5% | +1.0% |
| 1970 | 87.3% | +0.9% |
| 1971 | 88.0% | +0.9% |
| 1972 | 88.8% | +0.9% |
| 1973 | 89.5% | +0.8% |
| 1974 | 90.2% | +0.8% |
| 1975 | 91.0% | +0.8% |
| 1976 | 91.7% | +0.8% |
| 1977 | 92.4% | +0.8% |
| 1978 | 93.1% | +0.7% |
| 1979 | 93.7% | +0.7% |
| 1980 | 94.5% | +0.8% |
| 1981 | 95.2% | +0.7% |
| 1982 | 95.8% | +0.7% |
| 1983 | 96.4% | +0.6% |
| 1984 | 96.8% | +0.5% |
| 1985 | 97.3% | +0.5% |
| 1986 | 97.8% | +0.5% |
| 1987 | 98.2% | +0.5% |
| 1988 | 98.7% | +0.5% |
| 1989 | 99.1% | +0.5% |
| 1990 | 99.7% | +0.5% |
| 1991 | 100.3% | +0.7% |
| 1992 | 101.1% | +0.8% |
| 1993 | 102.0% | +0.9% |
| 1994 | 103.0% | +1.0% |
| 1995 | 104.1% | +1.1% |
| 1996 | 105.2% | +1.1% |
| 1997 | 106.4% | +1.1% |
| 1998 | 107.6% | +1.1% |
| 1999 | 108.7% | +1.0% |
| 2000 | 109.6% | +0.8% |
| 2001 | 110.2% | +0.6% |
| 2002 | 110.5% | +0.3% |
| 2003 | 110.6% | +0.0% |
| 2004 | 110.3% | -0.2% |
| 2005 | 109.7% | -0.5% |
| 2006 | 108.9% | -0.8% |
| 2007 | 107.7% | -1.1% |
| 2008 | 106.3% | -1.3% |
| 2009 | 104.8% | -1.4% |
| 2010 | 103.1% | -1.6% |
| 2011 | 101.5% | -1.6% |
| 2012 | 99.8% | -1.7% |
| 2013 | 98.1% | -1.7% |
| 2014 | 96.3% | -1.8% |
| 2015 | 94.6% | -1.8% |
| 2016 | 92.9% | -1.8% |
| 2017 | 91.3% | -1.7% |
| 2018 | 89.8% | -1.6% |
| 2019 | 88.5% | -1.5% |
| 2020 | 87.2% | -1.4% |
| 2021 | 86.1% | -1.3% |
| 2022 | 85.0% | -1.3% |
| 2023 | 83.8% | -1.3% |
Afghanistan compared with similar countries
- Afghanistan's 83.8% is above the median for low income countries, which is 78.1%, 1.1× the median. (25 countries reporting)
- Afghanistan's 83.8% is above the median for Middle East, North Africa, Afghanistan & Pakistan, which is 52.2%, 1.6× the median. (23 countries reporting)
Averages by decade
| Decade | Average | Lowest | Highest | 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
More reference data data for Afghanistan
- Emission Totals - Indirect emissions (N2O) - Manure applied to Soils 0.8991 (2050)
- Emission Totals - Indirect emissions (N2O) - Manure left on Pasture 4.89 (2050)
- Emission Totals - Indirect emissions (N2O) - IPCC Agriculture 6.63 (2050)
- Emission Totals - Indirect emissions (N2O) - Crop Residues 0.4362 (2050)
- Emission Totals - Indirect emissions (N2O) - Agricultural Soils 6.63 (2050)
- Emission Totals - Emissions (N2O) - Manure applied to Soils 3.01 (2050)
- Emission Totals - Emissions (N2O) - Manure Management 0.847 (2050)
- Emission Totals - Emissions (N2O) - Manure left on Pasture 18.65 (2050)
- Emission Totals - Emissions (N2O) - IPCC Agriculture 26.62 (2050)
- Emission Totals - Emissions (N2O) - Crop Residues 2.38 (2050)
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
Number of children (under 15) and people aged 65 and over per 100 working-age people (aged 15 to 64).