Total dependency ratio in Malawi
Malawi: Total dependency ratio was 78.3% in 2023. ▲ Rising
Latest (2023)
78.3%
Change on year
down 2.6%
World rank
25th
of 236 countries
All-time high
100.3%
in 2007
All-time low
78.3%
in 2023
Years of data
74
1950–2023
Total dependency ratio in Malawi, 1950–2023
Source: UN, World Population Prospects (2024) – processed by Our World in Data. Measured in %.
Analysis
In 2023, total dependency ratio in Malawi stood at 78.3%. That is the lowest value across all 74 years on record.
Compared with earlier readings it is down 2.6% on the previous year and down 19.2% over ten years.
Over the whole period, total dependency ratio in Malawi peaked at 100.3% in 2007 and was at its lowest, 78.3%, in 2023.
Malawi ranks 25th of 236 countries on this measure, in the top quarter.
The long-run direction has been consistently rising across the 74 years of available data.
Total dependency ratio in Malawi, year by year
| Year | % | Change |
|---|---|---|
| 1950 | 94.1% | — |
| 1951 | 92.8% | -1.4% |
| 1952 | 91.7% | -1.2% |
| 1953 | 90.6% | -1.1% |
| 1954 | 89.7% | -1.1% |
| 1955 | 88.8% | -1.0% |
| 1956 | 88.1% | -0.8% |
| 1957 | 87.4% | -0.8% |
| 1958 | 86.7% | -0.7% |
| 1959 | 86.1% | -0.7% |
| 1960 | 85.5% | -0.7% |
| 1961 | 85.0% | -0.6% |
| 1962 | 84.5% | -0.5% |
| 1963 | 84.6% | +0.1% |
| 1964 | 85.0% | +0.4% |
| 1965 | 85.6% | +0.7% |
| 1966 | 86.4% | +1.0% |
| 1967 | 87.3% | +1.0% |
| 1968 | 88.2% | +1.0% |
| 1969 | 89.0% | +0.9% |
| 1970 | 89.8% | +0.8% |
| 1971 | 90.4% | +0.7% |
| 1972 | 90.9% | +0.5% |
| 1973 | 91.3% | +0.4% |
| 1974 | 91.6% | +0.4% |
| 1975 | 91.9% | +0.3% |
| 1976 | 92.2% | +0.3% |
| 1977 | 92.4% | +0.2% |
| 1978 | 92.8% | +0.4% |
| 1979 | 93.4% | +0.6% |
| 1980 | 94.1% | +0.7% |
| 1981 | 94.8% | +0.8% |
| 1982 | 95.5% | +0.8% |
| 1983 | 96.1% | +0.7% |
| 1984 | 96.6% | +0.5% |
| 1985 | 96.9% | +0.3% |
| 1986 | 97.2% | +0.2% |
| 1987 | 96.9% | -0.2% |
| 1988 | 96.7% | -0.2% |
| 1989 | 96.9% | +0.2% |
| 1990 | 97.2% | +0.2% |
| 1991 | 97.4% | +0.3% |
| 1992 | 97.7% | +0.3% |
| 1993 | 97.9% | +0.2% |
| 1994 | 97.9% | +0.0% |
| 1995 | 97.8% | -0.1% |
| 1996 | 97.5% | -0.3% |
| 1997 | 97.2% | -0.3% |
| 1998 | 97.1% | -0.1% |
| 1999 | 97.4% | +0.3% |
| 2000 | 97.9% | +0.6% |
| 2001 | 98.4% | +0.4% |
| 2002 | 98.8% | +0.4% |
| 2003 | 99.2% | +0.4% |
| 2004 | 99.5% | +0.3% |
| 2005 | 99.9% | +0.4% |
| 2006 | 100.2% | +0.3% |
| 2007 | 100.3% | +0.1% |
| 2008 | 100.2% | -0.2% |
| 2009 | 99.8% | -0.4% |
| 2010 | 99.3% | -0.5% |
| 2011 | 98.7% | -0.6% |
| 2012 | 97.9% | -0.8% |
| 2013 | 96.9% | -1.1% |
| 2014 | 95.6% | -1.3% |
| 2015 | 94.2% | -1.5% |
| 2016 | 92.5% | -1.8% |
| 2017 | 90.6% | -2.0% |
| 2018 | 88.7% | -2.1% |
| 2019 | 86.7% | -2.3% |
| 2020 | 84.6% | -2.4% |
| 2021 | 82.4% | -2.5% |
| 2022 | 80.3% | -2.6% |
| 2023 | 78.3% | -2.6% |
Malawi compared with similar countries
- Malawi's 78.3% is above the median for low income countries, which is 78.1%, 1.0× the median. (25 countries reporting)
- Malawi's 78.3% 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 | 89.6% | 86.1% | 94.1% | 10 |
| 1960s | 86.1% | 84.5% | 89.0% | 10 |
| 1970s | 91.7% | 89.8% | 93.4% | 10 |
| 1980s | 96.2% | 94.1% | 97.2% | 10 |
| 1990s | 97.5% | 97.1% | 97.9% | 10 |
| 2000s | 99.4% | 97.9% | 100.3% | 10 |
| 2010s | 94.1% | 86.7% | 99.3% | 10 |
| 2020s | 81.4% | 78.3% | 84.6% | 4 |
Countries ranked near Malawi
More reference data data for Malawi
- Emission Totals - Indirect emissions (N2O) - Manure applied to Soils 0.1596 (2050)
- Emission Totals - Indirect emissions (N2O) - Manure left on Pasture 1.09 (2050)
- Emission Totals - Indirect emissions (N2O) - IPCC Agriculture 3.71 (2050)
- Emission Totals - Indirect emissions (N2O) - Crop Residues 0.3426 (2050)
- Emission Totals - Indirect emissions (N2O) - Agricultural Soils 3.71 (2050)
- Emission Totals - Emissions (N2O) - Manure applied to Soils 0.5353 (2050)
- Emission Totals - Emissions (N2O) - Manure Management 0.6012 (2050)
- Emission Totals - Emissions (N2O) - Manure left on Pasture 4.92 (2050)
- Emission Totals - Emissions (N2O) - IPCC Agriculture 16.7 (2050)
- Emission Totals - Emissions (N2O) - Crop Residues 1.87 (2050)
Frequently asked questions
- What is total dependency ratio in Malawi?
- Total dependency ratio in Malawi was 78.3% in 2023, according to UN, World Population Prospects (2024) – processed by Our World in Data.
- What is the highest total dependency ratio recorded in Malawi?
- The highest recorded value was 100.3% in 2007.
- What is the lowest total dependency ratio recorded in Malawi?
- The lowest recorded value was 78.3% in 2023.
- How does Malawi rank for total dependency ratio?
- Malawi ranks 25th out of 236 countries with data for 2023.
- Is total dependency ratio rising or falling in Malawi?
- Over the last ten years it is down 19.2%. The long-run trend across the full record is rising.
- Where does this Malawi 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).