Total dependency ratio in Botswana
Botswana: Total dependency ratio was 56.9% in 2023. ▼ Falling
Latest (2023)
56.9%
Change on year
down 0.2%
World rank
102nd
of 236 countries
All-time high
114.5%
in 1971
All-time low
56.9%
in 2023
Years of data
74
1950–2023
Total dependency ratio in Botswana, 1950–2023
Source: UN, World Population Prospects (2024) – processed by Our World in Data. Measured in %.
Analysis
Botswana recorded 56.9% for total dependency ratio in 2023. That is the lowest value across all 74 years on record.
Compared with earlier readings it is down 0.2% on the previous year and down 6.4% over ten years.
Over the whole period, total dependency ratio in Botswana peaked at 114.5% in 1971 and was at its lowest, 56.9%, in 2023.
That places Botswana 102nd out of 236 countries with data for 2023, putting it in the middle of the range.
The long-run direction has been consistently falling across the 74 years of available data.
Total dependency ratio in Botswana, year by year
| Year | % | Change |
|---|---|---|
| 1950 | 84.2% | — |
| 1951 | 84.7% | +0.5% |
| 1952 | 85.2% | +0.6% |
| 1953 | 85.8% | +0.8% |
| 1954 | 86.7% | +1.1% |
| 1955 | 88.0% | +1.4% |
| 1956 | 89.5% | +1.7% |
| 1957 | 91.3% | +2.0% |
| 1958 | 93.3% | +2.2% |
| 1959 | 95.4% | +2.2% |
| 1960 | 97.5% | +2.2% |
| 1961 | 99.5% | +2.1% |
| 1962 | 101.5% | +2.0% |
| 1963 | 103.5% | +2.0% |
| 1964 | 104.9% | +1.3% |
| 1965 | 106.0% | +1.1% |
| 1966 | 107.6% | +1.5% |
| 1967 | 109.4% | +1.6% |
| 1968 | 111.1% | +1.6% |
| 1969 | 112.7% | +1.4% |
| 1970 | 114.1% | +1.3% |
| 1971 | 114.5% | +0.4% |
| 1972 | 113.0% | -1.3% |
| 1973 | 110.3% | -2.5% |
| 1974 | 107.5% | -2.5% |
| 1975 | 105.1% | -2.2% |
| 1976 | 102.9% | -2.1% |
| 1977 | 100.9% | -2.0% |
| 1978 | 98.3% | -2.5% |
| 1979 | 96.2% | -2.2% |
| 1980 | 96.3% | +0.2% |
| 1981 | 96.9% | +0.6% |
| 1982 | 96.8% | -0.1% |
| 1983 | 96.9% | +0.1% |
| 1984 | 96.9% | -0.0% |
| 1985 | 96.8% | -0.1% |
| 1986 | 96.6% | -0.1% |
| 1987 | 96.4% | -0.2% |
| 1988 | 95.9% | -0.5% |
| 1989 | 95.0% | -1.0% |
| 1990 | 93.7% | -1.4% |
| 1991 | 92.2% | -1.6% |
| 1992 | 90.4% | -1.9% |
| 1993 | 88.3% | -2.3% |
| 1994 | 85.9% | -2.7% |
| 1995 | 83.3% | -3.0% |
| 1996 | 80.8% | -3.1% |
| 1997 | 78.2% | -3.1% |
| 1998 | 75.9% | -3.0% |
| 1999 | 73.7% | -2.9% |
| 2000 | 71.6% | -2.8% |
| 2001 | 69.7% | -2.6% |
| 2002 | 67.9% | -2.6% |
| 2003 | 66.3% | -2.4% |
| 2004 | 64.9% | -2.2% |
| 2005 | 63.7% | -1.9% |
| 2006 | 62.6% | -1.6% |
| 2007 | 61.8% | -1.4% |
| 2008 | 61.0% | -1.2% |
| 2009 | 60.4% | -1.1% |
| 2010 | 59.9% | -0.7% |
| 2011 | 59.8% | -0.2% |
| 2012 | 60.2% | +0.6% |
| 2013 | 60.7% | +0.9% |
| 2014 | 61.0% | +0.5% |
| 2015 | 61.1% | +0.1% |
| 2016 | 60.8% | -0.4% |
| 2017 | 60.4% | -0.7% |
| 2018 | 59.8% | -1.0% |
| 2019 | 59.0% | -1.3% |
| 2020 | 58.1% | -1.5% |
| 2021 | 57.4% | -1.3% |
| 2022 | 57.0% | -0.7% |
| 2023 | 56.9% | -0.2% |
Botswana compared with similar countries
- Botswana's 56.9% is above the median for upper middle income countries, which is 50.3%, 1.1× the median. (58 countries reporting)
- Botswana's 56.9% is below the median for Sub-Saharan Africa, which is 77.8%, 73% of the median. (48 countries reporting)
Averages by decade
| Decade | Average | Lowest | Highest | Years |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1950s | 88.4% | 84.2% | 95.4% | 10 |
| 1960s | 105.4% | 97.5% | 112.7% | 10 |
| 1970s | 106.3% | 96.2% | 114.5% | 10 |
| 1980s | 96.5% | 95.0% | 96.9% | 10 |
| 1990s | 84.2% | 73.7% | 93.7% | 10 |
| 2000s | 65.0% | 60.4% | 71.6% | 10 |
| 2010s | 60.3% | 59.0% | 61.1% | 10 |
| 2020s | 57.3% | 56.9% | 58.1% | 4 |
Countries ranked near Botswana
More reference data data for Botswana
- Emission Totals - Indirect emissions (N2O) - Manure applied to Soils 0.0472 (2050)
- Emission Totals - Indirect emissions (N2O) - Manure left on Pasture 1.37 (2050)
- Emission Totals - Indirect emissions (N2O) - IPCC Agriculture 1.42 (2050)
- Emission Totals - Indirect emissions (N2O) - Crop Residues 0.0078 (2050)
- Emission Totals - Indirect emissions (N2O) - Agricultural Soils 1.42 (2050)
- Emission Totals - Emissions (N2O) - Manure applied to Soils 0.1582 (2050)
- Emission Totals - Emissions (N2O) - Manure Management 0.0825 (2050)
- Emission Totals - Emissions (N2O) - Manure left on Pasture 6.97 (2050)
- Emission Totals - Emissions (N2O) - IPCC Agriculture 7.25 (2050)
- Emission Totals - Emissions (N2O) - Crop Residues 0.0424 (2050)
Frequently asked questions
- What is total dependency ratio in Botswana?
- Total dependency ratio in Botswana was 56.9% in 2023, according to UN, World Population Prospects (2024) – processed by Our World in Data.
- What is the highest total dependency ratio recorded in Botswana?
- The highest recorded value was 114.5% in 1971.
- What is the lowest total dependency ratio recorded in Botswana?
- The lowest recorded value was 56.9% in 2023.
- How does Botswana rank for total dependency ratio?
- Botswana ranks 102nd out of 236 countries with data for 2023.
- Is total dependency ratio rising or falling in Botswana?
- Over the last ten years it is down 6.4%. The long-run trend across the full record is falling.
- Where does this Botswana 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).