Total dependency ratio in Liberia
Liberia: Total dependency ratio was 76.3% in 2023. ▬ Flat
Latest (2023)
76.3%
Change on year
down 1.9%
World rank
32nd
of 236 countries
All-time high
89.4%
in 1987
All-time low
76.3%
in 2023
Years of data
74
1950–2023
Total dependency ratio in Liberia, 1950–2023
Source: UN, World Population Prospects (2024) – processed by Our World in Data. Measured in %.
Analysis
Liberia recorded 76.3% for total dependency ratio in 2023. That is the lowest value across all 74 years on record.
The figure is down 1.9% on the previous year and down 9.3% over ten years.
Over the whole period, total dependency ratio in Liberia peaked at 89.4% in 1987 and was at its lowest, 76.3%, in 2023.
That places Liberia 32nd out of 236 countries with data for 2023, putting it in the top quarter.
Total dependency ratio in Liberia, year by year
| Year | % | Change |
|---|---|---|
| 1950 | 81.2% | — |
| 1951 | 80.6% | -0.6% |
| 1952 | 80.2% | -0.6% |
| 1953 | 79.8% | -0.5% |
| 1954 | 79.4% | -0.5% |
| 1955 | 79.1% | -0.4% |
| 1956 | 78.8% | -0.4% |
| 1957 | 78.6% | -0.3% |
| 1958 | 78.5% | -0.1% |
| 1959 | 78.4% | -0.1% |
| 1960 | 78.4% | +0.0% |
| 1961 | 78.5% | +0.2% |
| 1962 | 78.9% | +0.5% |
| 1963 | 79.6% | +0.9% |
| 1964 | 80.5% | +1.1% |
| 1965 | 81.4% | +1.0% |
| 1966 | 82.1% | +0.9% |
| 1967 | 82.8% | +0.8% |
| 1968 | 83.4% | +0.8% |
| 1969 | 84.0% | +0.7% |
| 1970 | 84.5% | +0.6% |
| 1971 | 84.9% | +0.5% |
| 1972 | 85.3% | +0.5% |
| 1973 | 85.7% | +0.4% |
| 1974 | 86.1% | +0.5% |
| 1975 | 86.5% | +0.5% |
| 1976 | 86.9% | +0.5% |
| 1977 | 87.4% | +0.5% |
| 1978 | 87.7% | +0.4% |
| 1979 | 88.1% | +0.4% |
| 1980 | 88.5% | +0.4% |
| 1981 | 88.8% | +0.4% |
| 1982 | 89.2% | +0.4% |
| 1983 | 89.3% | +0.2% |
| 1984 | 89.3% | -0.0% |
| 1985 | 89.3% | +0.0% |
| 1986 | 89.4% | +0.1% |
| 1987 | 89.4% | +0.0% |
| 1988 | 89.3% | -0.2% |
| 1989 | 89.0% | -0.4% |
| 1990 | 89.1% | +0.1% |
| 1991 | 89.3% | +0.3% |
| 1992 | 89.0% | -0.4% |
| 1993 | 88.5% | -0.5% |
| 1994 | 88.0% | -0.7% |
| 1995 | 87.4% | -0.7% |
| 1996 | 86.9% | -0.6% |
| 1997 | 86.5% | -0.5% |
| 1998 | 86.2% | -0.3% |
| 1999 | 85.9% | -0.3% |
| 2000 | 85.7% | -0.2% |
| 2001 | 85.6% | -0.2% |
| 2002 | 85.5% | -0.1% |
| 2003 | 85.5% | +0.0% |
| 2004 | 85.6% | +0.1% |
| 2005 | 85.8% | +0.3% |
| 2006 | 86.2% | +0.4% |
| 2007 | 86.5% | +0.4% |
| 2008 | 86.6% | +0.0% |
| 2009 | 86.4% | -0.1% |
| 2010 | 86.4% | -0.1% |
| 2011 | 84.9% | -1.7% |
| 2012 | 83.9% | -1.2% |
| 2013 | 84.1% | +0.3% |
| 2014 | 84.1% | -0.0% |
| 2015 | 83.8% | -0.4% |
| 2016 | 83.3% | -0.5% |
| 2017 | 82.9% | -0.5% |
| 2018 | 82.3% | -0.7% |
| 2019 | 81.6% | -0.9% |
| 2020 | 80.5% | -1.3% |
| 2021 | 79.2% | -1.6% |
| 2022 | 77.7% | -1.8% |
| 2023 | 76.3% | -1.9% |
Liberia compared with similar countries
- Liberia's 76.3% is below the median for low income countries, which is 78.1%, 98% of the median. (25 countries reporting)
- Liberia's 76.3% is below the median for Sub-Saharan Africa, which is 77.8%, 98% of the median. (48 countries reporting)
Averages by decade
| Decade | Average | Lowest | Highest | Years |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1950s | 79.4% | 78.4% | 81.2% | 10 |
| 1960s | 81.0% | 78.4% | 84.0% | 10 |
| 1970s | 86.3% | 84.5% | 88.1% | 10 |
| 1980s | 89.1% | 88.5% | 89.4% | 10 |
| 1990s | 87.7% | 85.9% | 89.3% | 10 |
| 2000s | 86.0% | 85.5% | 86.6% | 10 |
| 2010s | 83.7% | 81.6% | 86.4% | 10 |
| 2020s | 78.4% | 76.3% | 80.5% | 4 |
Countries ranked near Liberia
More reference data data for Liberia
- Emission Totals - Indirect emissions (N2O) - Manure applied to Soils 0.0476 (2050)
- Emission Totals - Indirect emissions (N2O) - Manure left on Pasture 0.1282 (2050)
- Emission Totals - Indirect emissions (N2O) - IPCC Agriculture 0.229 (2050)
- Emission Totals - Indirect emissions (N2O) - Crop Residues 0.0532 (2050)
- Emission Totals - Indirect emissions (N2O) - Agricultural Soils 0.229 (2050)
- Emission Totals - Emissions (N2O) - Manure applied to Soils 0.1597 (2050)
- Emission Totals - Emissions (N2O) - Manure Management 0.183 (2050)
- Emission Totals - Emissions (N2O) - Manure left on Pasture 0.5564 (2050)
- Emission Totals - Emissions (N2O) - IPCC Agriculture 1.2 (2050)
- Emission Totals - Emissions (N2O) - Crop Residues 0.2896 (2050)
Frequently asked questions
- What is total dependency ratio in Liberia?
- Total dependency ratio in Liberia was 76.3% in 2023, according to UN, World Population Prospects (2024) – processed by Our World in Data.
- What is the highest total dependency ratio recorded in Liberia?
- The highest recorded value was 89.4% in 1987.
- What is the lowest total dependency ratio recorded in Liberia?
- The lowest recorded value was 76.3% in 2023.
- How does Liberia rank for total dependency ratio?
- Liberia ranks 32nd out of 236 countries with data for 2023.
- Is total dependency ratio rising or falling in Liberia?
- Over the last ten years it is down 9.3%. The long-run trend across the full record is flat.
- Where does this Liberia 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).