Total dependency ratio in Nepal
Nepal: Total dependency ratio was 54.0% in 2023. ▼ Falling
Latest (2023)
54.0%
Change on year
down 0.3%
World rank
128th
of 236 countries
All-time high
82.4%
in 1990
All-time low
54.0%
in 2023
Years of data
74
1950–2023
Total dependency ratio in Nepal, 1950–2023
Source: UN, World Population Prospects (2024) – processed by Our World in Data. Measured in %.
Analysis
Nepal recorded 54.0% for total dependency ratio in 2023. That is the lowest value across all 74 years on record.
Compared with earlier readings it is down 0.3% on the previous year and down 16.7% over ten years.
Over the whole period, total dependency ratio in Nepal peaked at 82.4% in 1990 and was at its lowest, 54.0%, in 2023.
That places Nepal 128th 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 Nepal, year by year
| Year | % | Change |
|---|---|---|
| 1950 | 76.9% | — |
| 1951 | 76.9% | -0.0% |
| 1952 | 77.0% | +0.1% |
| 1953 | 77.2% | +0.3% |
| 1954 | 77.6% | +0.5% |
| 1955 | 77.8% | +0.3% |
| 1956 | 77.7% | -0.0% |
| 1957 | 77.6% | -0.1% |
| 1958 | 77.6% | -0.1% |
| 1959 | 77.5% | -0.1% |
| 1960 | 77.5% | -0.0% |
| 1961 | 77.5% | +0.1% |
| 1962 | 77.5% | -0.1% |
| 1963 | 77.3% | -0.3% |
| 1964 | 77.1% | -0.2% |
| 1965 | 77.0% | -0.1% |
| 1966 | 77.0% | -0.0% |
| 1967 | 77.0% | +0.0% |
| 1968 | 77.1% | +0.1% |
| 1969 | 77.2% | +0.1% |
| 1970 | 77.3% | +0.2% |
| 1971 | 77.5% | +0.3% |
| 1972 | 77.8% | +0.3% |
| 1973 | 78.0% | +0.3% |
| 1974 | 78.3% | +0.3% |
| 1975 | 78.6% | +0.4% |
| 1976 | 78.9% | +0.4% |
| 1977 | 79.2% | +0.3% |
| 1978 | 79.4% | +0.3% |
| 1979 | 79.6% | +0.3% |
| 1980 | 79.8% | +0.2% |
| 1981 | 79.9% | +0.2% |
| 1982 | 80.1% | +0.2% |
| 1983 | 80.3% | +0.2% |
| 1984 | 80.5% | +0.2% |
| 1985 | 80.7% | +0.3% |
| 1986 | 81.1% | +0.4% |
| 1987 | 81.5% | +0.5% |
| 1988 | 82.0% | +0.6% |
| 1989 | 82.3% | +0.4% |
| 1990 | 82.4% | +0.1% |
| 1991 | 82.3% | -0.1% |
| 1992 | 82.0% | -0.4% |
| 1993 | 81.8% | -0.2% |
| 1994 | 81.9% | +0.1% |
| 1995 | 82.1% | +0.2% |
| 1996 | 82.3% | +0.2% |
| 1997 | 82.3% | -0.1% |
| 1998 | 82.0% | -0.3% |
| 1999 | 81.6% | -0.5% |
| 2000 | 81.0% | -0.6% |
| 2001 | 80.4% | -0.8% |
| 2002 | 79.6% | -1.0% |
| 2003 | 78.6% | -1.2% |
| 2004 | 77.5% | -1.4% |
| 2005 | 76.4% | -1.5% |
| 2006 | 75.1% | -1.7% |
| 2007 | 73.7% | -1.8% |
| 2008 | 72.2% | -2.1% |
| 2009 | 70.5% | -2.4% |
| 2010 | 68.7% | -2.5% |
| 2011 | 67.1% | -2.3% |
| 2012 | 65.9% | -1.8% |
| 2013 | 64.9% | -1.5% |
| 2014 | 63.9% | -1.6% |
| 2015 | 62.7% | -1.9% |
| 2016 | 61.6% | -1.7% |
| 2017 | 60.9% | -1.2% |
| 2018 | 60.2% | -1.2% |
| 2019 | 58.7% | -2.5% |
| 2020 | 56.7% | -3.5% |
| 2021 | 55.0% | -3.0% |
| 2022 | 54.2% | -1.5% |
| 2023 | 54.0% | -0.3% |
Nepal compared with similar countries
- Nepal's 54.0% is below the median for lower middle income countries, which is 65.5%, 83% of the median. (47 countries reporting)
- Nepal's 54.0% is above the median for South Asia, which is 49.4%, 1.1× the median. (6 countries reporting)
Averages by decade
| Decade | Average | Lowest | Highest | Years |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1950s | 77.4% | 76.9% | 77.8% | 10 |
| 1960s | 77.2% | 77.0% | 77.5% | 10 |
| 1970s | 78.5% | 77.3% | 79.6% | 10 |
| 1980s | 80.8% | 79.8% | 82.3% | 10 |
| 1990s | 82.1% | 81.6% | 82.4% | 10 |
| 2000s | 76.5% | 70.5% | 81.0% | 10 |
| 2010s | 63.5% | 58.7% | 68.7% | 10 |
| 2020s | 55.0% | 54.0% | 56.7% | 4 |
Countries ranked near Nepal
More reference data data for Nepal
- Emission Totals - Indirect emissions (N2O) - Manure applied to Soils 0.7753 (2050)
- Emission Totals - Indirect emissions (N2O) - Manure left on Pasture 2.5 (2050)
- Emission Totals - Indirect emissions (N2O) - IPCC Agriculture 4.14 (2050)
- Emission Totals - Indirect emissions (N2O) - Crop Residues 0.7853 (2050)
- Emission Totals - Indirect emissions (N2O) - Agricultural Soils 4.14 (2050)
- Emission Totals - Emissions (N2O) - Manure applied to Soils 2.6 (2050)
- Emission Totals - Emissions (N2O) - Manure Management 0.7974 (2050)
- Emission Totals - Emissions (N2O) - Manure left on Pasture 11.28 (2050)
- Emission Totals - Emissions (N2O) - IPCC Agriculture 19.44 (2050)
- Emission Totals - Emissions (N2O) - Crop Residues 4.28 (2050)
Frequently asked questions
- What is total dependency ratio in Nepal?
- Total dependency ratio in Nepal was 54.0% in 2023, according to UN, World Population Prospects (2024) – processed by Our World in Data.
- What is the highest total dependency ratio recorded in Nepal?
- The highest recorded value was 82.4% in 1990.
- What is the lowest total dependency ratio recorded in Nepal?
- The lowest recorded value was 54.0% in 2023.
- How does Nepal rank for total dependency ratio?
- Nepal ranks 128th out of 236 countries with data for 2023.
- Is total dependency ratio rising or falling in Nepal?
- Over the last ten years it is down 16.7%. The long-run trend across the full record is falling.
- Where does this Nepal 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).