Total dependency ratio in Congo
Congo: Total dependency ratio was 77.9% in 2023. ▼ Falling
Latest (2023)
77.9%
Change on year
down 1.2%
World rank
29th
of 236 countries
All-time high
97.0%
in 1978
All-time low
76.0%
in 2010
Years of data
74
1950–2023
Total dependency ratio in Congo, 1950–2023
Source: UN, World Population Prospects (2024) – processed by Our World in Data. Measured in %.
Analysis
Congo recorded 77.9% for total dependency ratio in 2023.
That represents a change of down 1.2% on the previous year and down 0.9% over ten years.
Over the whole period, total dependency ratio in Congo peaked at 97.0% in 1978 and was at its lowest, 76.0%, in 2010.
That places Congo 29th out of 236 countries with data for 2023, putting it in the top quarter.
The long-run direction has been consistently falling across the 74 years of available data.
Total dependency ratio in Congo, year by year
| Year | % | Change |
|---|---|---|
| 1950 | 77.7% | — |
| 1951 | 78.4% | +0.9% |
| 1952 | 79.1% | +0.9% |
| 1953 | 79.8% | +0.9% |
| 1954 | 80.6% | +1.0% |
| 1955 | 81.5% | +1.0% |
| 1956 | 82.3% | +1.1% |
| 1957 | 83.2% | +1.1% |
| 1958 | 84.2% | +1.1% |
| 1959 | 85.1% | +1.1% |
| 1960 | 86.1% | +1.1% |
| 1961 | 87.0% | +1.1% |
| 1962 | 88.1% | +1.2% |
| 1963 | 89.0% | +1.0% |
| 1964 | 89.8% | +0.9% |
| 1965 | 90.5% | +0.8% |
| 1966 | 91.0% | +0.6% |
| 1967 | 91.5% | +0.6% |
| 1968 | 92.1% | +0.6% |
| 1969 | 92.7% | +0.6% |
| 1970 | 93.2% | +0.6% |
| 1971 | 93.8% | +0.6% |
| 1972 | 94.4% | +0.6% |
| 1973 | 95.0% | +0.6% |
| 1974 | 95.5% | +0.6% |
| 1975 | 96.1% | +0.6% |
| 1976 | 96.6% | +0.5% |
| 1977 | 96.9% | +0.3% |
| 1978 | 97.0% | +0.1% |
| 1979 | 96.8% | -0.2% |
| 1980 | 96.3% | -0.5% |
| 1981 | 95.7% | -0.7% |
| 1982 | 95.0% | -0.7% |
| 1983 | 94.3% | -0.8% |
| 1984 | 93.6% | -0.7% |
| 1985 | 93.2% | -0.5% |
| 1986 | 92.8% | -0.4% |
| 1987 | 92.4% | -0.5% |
| 1988 | 91.9% | -0.5% |
| 1989 | 91.3% | -0.7% |
| 1990 | 90.6% | -0.8% |
| 1991 | 89.8% | -0.8% |
| 1992 | 89.1% | -0.8% |
| 1993 | 88.4% | -0.9% |
| 1994 | 87.7% | -0.8% |
| 1995 | 87.2% | -0.5% |
| 1996 | 86.7% | -0.6% |
| 1997 | 86.9% | +0.2% |
| 1998 | 86.9% | -0.0% |
| 1999 | 86.0% | -1.0% |
| 2000 | 83.8% | -2.6% |
| 2001 | 81.8% | -2.3% |
| 2002 | 81.7% | -0.2% |
| 2003 | 81.1% | -0.6% |
| 2004 | 80.1% | -1.3% |
| 2005 | 79.0% | -1.3% |
| 2006 | 78.0% | -1.3% |
| 2007 | 77.2% | -1.0% |
| 2008 | 77.0% | -0.2% |
| 2009 | 76.4% | -0.8% |
| 2010 | 76.0% | -0.6% |
| 2011 | 76.5% | +0.7% |
| 2012 | 77.5% | +1.2% |
| 2013 | 78.6% | +1.5% |
| 2014 | 79.6% | +1.3% |
| 2015 | 80.4% | +1.0% |
| 2016 | 80.9% | +0.6% |
| 2017 | 81.1% | +0.2% |
| 2018 | 81.0% | -0.1% |
| 2019 | 80.7% | -0.3% |
| 2020 | 80.3% | -0.6% |
| 2021 | 79.7% | -0.7% |
| 2022 | 78.9% | -0.9% |
| 2023 | 77.9% | -1.2% |
Congo compared with similar countries
- Congo's 77.9% is above the median for lower middle income countries, which is 65.5%, 1.2× the median. (47 countries reporting)
- Congo's 77.9% is above the median for Sub-Saharan Africa, which is 77.8%, 1.0× the median. (48 countries reporting)
Averages by decade
| Decade | Average | Lowest | Highest | Years |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1950s | 81.2% | 77.7% | 85.1% | 10 |
| 1960s | 89.8% | 86.1% | 92.7% | 10 |
| 1970s | 95.5% | 93.2% | 97.0% | 10 |
| 1980s | 93.7% | 91.3% | 96.3% | 10 |
| 1990s | 87.9% | 86.0% | 90.6% | 10 |
| 2000s | 79.6% | 76.4% | 83.8% | 10 |
| 2010s | 79.2% | 76.0% | 81.1% | 10 |
| 2020s | 79.2% | 77.9% | 80.3% | 4 |
Countries ranked near Congo
More reference data data for Congo
- Emission Totals - Indirect emissions (N2O) - Manure applied to Soils 0.0199 (2050)
- Emission Totals - Indirect emissions (N2O) - Manure left on Pasture 0.1866 (2050)
- Emission Totals - Indirect emissions (N2O) - IPCC Agriculture 0.2108 (2050)
- Emission Totals - Indirect emissions (N2O) - Crop Residues 0.0031 (2050)
- Emission Totals - Indirect emissions (N2O) - Agricultural Soils 0.2108 (2050)
- Emission Totals - Emissions (N2O) - Manure applied to Soils 0.0668 (2050)
- Emission Totals - Emissions (N2O) - Manure Management 0.0724 (2050)
- Emission Totals - Emissions (N2O) - Manure left on Pasture 0.9126 (2050)
- Emission Totals - Emissions (N2O) - IPCC Agriculture 1.08 (2050)
- Emission Totals - Emissions (N2O) - Crop Residues 0.017 (2050)
Frequently asked questions
- What is total dependency ratio in Congo?
- Total dependency ratio in Congo was 77.9% in 2023, according to UN, World Population Prospects (2024) – processed by Our World in Data.
- What is the highest total dependency ratio recorded in Congo?
- The highest recorded value was 97.0% in 1978.
- What is the lowest total dependency ratio recorded in Congo?
- The lowest recorded value was 76.0% in 2010.
- How does Congo rank for total dependency ratio?
- Congo ranks 29th out of 236 countries with data for 2023.
- Is total dependency ratio rising or falling in Congo?
- Over the last ten years it is down 0.9%. The long-run trend across the full record is falling.
- Where does this Congo 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).