Total dependency ratio in Namibia
Namibia: Total dependency ratio was 69.1% in 2023. ▼ Falling
Latest (2023)
69.1%
Change on year
down 0.5%
World rank
50th
of 236 countries
All-time high
105.4%
in 1982
All-time low
66.8%
in 2015
Years of data
74
1950–2023
Total dependency ratio in Namibia, 1950–2023
Source: UN, World Population Prospects (2024) – processed by Our World in Data. Measured in %.
Analysis
The most recent figure for total dependency ratio in Namibia is 69.1%, measured in 2023.
Compared with earlier readings it is down 0.5% on the previous year and up 3.2% over ten years.
Over the whole period, total dependency ratio in Namibia peaked at 105.4% in 1982 and was at its lowest, 66.8%, in 2015.
Namibia ranks 50th of 236 countries on this measure, in the top quarter.
The long-run direction has been consistently falling across the 74 years of available data.
Total dependency ratio in Namibia, year by year
| Year | % | Change |
|---|---|---|
| 1950 | 75.7% | — |
| 1951 | 77.1% | +1.7% |
| 1952 | 78.5% | +1.8% |
| 1953 | 79.9% | +1.8% |
| 1954 | 81.3% | +1.8% |
| 1955 | 82.6% | +1.7% |
| 1956 | 83.9% | +1.5% |
| 1957 | 85.0% | +1.3% |
| 1958 | 85.9% | +1.1% |
| 1959 | 86.7% | +0.9% |
| 1960 | 87.4% | +0.8% |
| 1961 | 87.9% | +0.6% |
| 1962 | 88.4% | +0.6% |
| 1963 | 89.0% | +0.7% |
| 1964 | 89.6% | +0.6% |
| 1965 | 90.1% | +0.5% |
| 1966 | 90.6% | +0.6% |
| 1967 | 91.1% | +0.5% |
| 1968 | 91.6% | +0.5% |
| 1969 | 92.1% | +0.5% |
| 1970 | 92.5% | +0.5% |
| 1971 | 93.1% | +0.6% |
| 1972 | 93.6% | +0.6% |
| 1973 | 94.2% | +0.7% |
| 1974 | 94.9% | +0.7% |
| 1975 | 95.6% | +0.7% |
| 1976 | 96.5% | +1.0% |
| 1977 | 97.5% | +1.1% |
| 1978 | 99.8% | +2.3% |
| 1979 | 101.8% | +2.0% |
| 1980 | 102.9% | +1.1% |
| 1981 | 105.0% | +2.0% |
| 1982 | 105.4% | +0.4% |
| 1983 | 104.1% | -1.3% |
| 1984 | 102.6% | -1.4% |
| 1985 | 100.9% | -1.7% |
| 1986 | 98.9% | -2.0% |
| 1987 | 96.8% | -2.1% |
| 1988 | 94.4% | -2.4% |
| 1989 | 88.6% | -6.1% |
| 1990 | 84.4% | -4.8% |
| 1991 | 84.0% | -0.5% |
| 1992 | 83.8% | -0.2% |
| 1993 | 83.6% | -0.2% |
| 1994 | 83.4% | -0.3% |
| 1995 | 83.0% | -0.4% |
| 1996 | 82.5% | -0.6% |
| 1997 | 82.1% | -0.6% |
| 1998 | 81.7% | -0.5% |
| 1999 | 81.3% | -0.5% |
| 2000 | 80.7% | -0.7% |
| 2001 | 79.9% | -1.0% |
| 2002 | 78.9% | -1.3% |
| 2003 | 77.6% | -1.7% |
| 2004 | 76.0% | -2.0% |
| 2005 | 74.2% | -2.5% |
| 2006 | 72.2% | -2.7% |
| 2007 | 70.5% | -2.4% |
| 2008 | 69.1% | -2.0% |
| 2009 | 68.0% | -1.5% |
| 2010 | 67.3% | -1.0% |
| 2011 | 67.1% | -0.4% |
| 2012 | 67.0% | -0.1% |
| 2013 | 67.0% | -0.1% |
| 2014 | 66.8% | -0.2% |
| 2015 | 66.8% | -0.1% |
| 2016 | 66.9% | +0.2% |
| 2017 | 67.3% | +0.5% |
| 2018 | 67.8% | +0.7% |
| 2019 | 68.2% | +0.7% |
| 2020 | 68.7% | +0.7% |
| 2021 | 69.2% | +0.8% |
| 2022 | 69.5% | +0.4% |
| 2023 | 69.1% | -0.5% |
Namibia compared with similar countries
- Namibia's 69.1% is above the median for lower middle income countries, which is 65.5%, 1.1× the median. (47 countries reporting)
- Namibia's 69.1% is below the median for Sub-Saharan Africa, which is 77.8%, 89% of the median. (48 countries reporting)
Averages by decade
| Decade | Average | Lowest | Highest | Years |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1950s | 81.7% | 75.7% | 86.7% | 10 |
| 1960s | 89.8% | 87.4% | 92.1% | 10 |
| 1970s | 95.9% | 92.5% | 101.8% | 10 |
| 1980s | 99.9% | 88.6% | 105.4% | 10 |
| 1990s | 83.0% | 81.3% | 84.4% | 10 |
| 2000s | 74.7% | 68.0% | 80.7% | 10 |
| 2010s | 67.2% | 66.8% | 68.2% | 10 |
| 2020s | 69.1% | 68.7% | 69.5% | 4 |
Countries ranked near Namibia
More reference data data for Namibia
- Emission Totals - Indirect emissions (N2O) - Manure applied to Soils 0.0579 (2050)
- Emission Totals - Indirect emissions (N2O) - Manure left on Pasture 1.52 (2050)
- Emission Totals - Indirect emissions (N2O) - IPCC Agriculture 1.62 (2050)
- Emission Totals - Indirect emissions (N2O) - Crop Residues 0.0157 (2050)
- Emission Totals - Indirect emissions (N2O) - Agricultural Soils 1.62 (2050)
- Emission Totals - Emissions (N2O) - Manure applied to Soils 0.194 (2050)
- Emission Totals - Emissions (N2O) - Manure Management 0.1306 (2050)
- Emission Totals - Emissions (N2O) - Manure left on Pasture 6.29 (2050)
- Emission Totals - Emissions (N2O) - IPCC Agriculture 6.82 (2050)
- Emission Totals - Emissions (N2O) - Crop Residues 0.0853 (2050)
Frequently asked questions
- What is total dependency ratio in Namibia?
- Total dependency ratio in Namibia was 69.1% in 2023, according to UN, World Population Prospects (2024) – processed by Our World in Data.
- What is the highest total dependency ratio recorded in Namibia?
- The highest recorded value was 105.4% in 1982.
- What is the lowest total dependency ratio recorded in Namibia?
- The lowest recorded value was 66.8% in 2015.
- How does Namibia rank for total dependency ratio?
- Namibia ranks 50th out of 236 countries with data for 2023.
- Is total dependency ratio rising or falling in Namibia?
- Over the last ten years it is up 3.2%. The long-run trend across the full record is falling.
- Where does this Namibia 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).