Total dependency ratio in Papua New Guinea
Papua New Guinea: Total dependency ratio was 59.1% in 2023. ▼ Falling
Latest (2023)
59.1%
Change on year
down 0.9%
World rank
84th
of 236 countries
All-time high
89.0%
in 1972
All-time low
59.1%
in 2023
Years of data
74
1950–2023
Total dependency ratio in Papua New Guinea, 1950–2023
Source: UN, World Population Prospects (2024) – processed by Our World in Data. Measured in %.
Analysis
In 2023, total dependency ratio in Papua New Guinea stood at 59.1%. That is the lowest value across all 74 years on record.
The figure is down 0.9% on the previous year and down 9.5% over ten years.
Over the whole period, total dependency ratio in Papua New Guinea peaked at 89.0% in 1972 and was at its lowest, 59.1%, in 2023.
Papua New Guinea ranks 84th of 236 countries on this measure, 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 Papua New Guinea, year by year
| Year | % | Change |
|---|---|---|
| 1950 | 75.6% | — |
| 1951 | 75.0% | -0.8% |
| 1952 | 74.8% | -0.3% |
| 1953 | 74.9% | +0.2% |
| 1954 | 75.3% | +0.5% |
| 1955 | 75.9% | +0.8% |
| 1956 | 76.7% | +1.0% |
| 1957 | 77.6% | +1.1% |
| 1958 | 78.5% | +1.2% |
| 1959 | 79.4% | +1.2% |
| 1960 | 80.3% | +1.1% |
| 1961 | 81.1% | +1.0% |
| 1962 | 81.9% | +1.0% |
| 1963 | 82.6% | +1.0% |
| 1964 | 83.4% | +0.9% |
| 1965 | 84.2% | +0.9% |
| 1966 | 84.9% | +0.9% |
| 1967 | 85.7% | +0.9% |
| 1968 | 86.5% | +0.9% |
| 1969 | 87.3% | +0.9% |
| 1970 | 88.1% | +0.9% |
| 1971 | 88.8% | +0.8% |
| 1972 | 89.0% | +0.2% |
| 1973 | 88.6% | -0.4% |
| 1974 | 88.1% | -0.6% |
| 1975 | 87.3% | -0.9% |
| 1976 | 86.3% | -1.1% |
| 1977 | 85.2% | -1.3% |
| 1978 | 84.0% | -1.4% |
| 1979 | 82.7% | -1.6% |
| 1980 | 81.4% | -1.6% |
| 1981 | 80.6% | -1.0% |
| 1982 | 80.3% | -0.4% |
| 1983 | 80.1% | -0.3% |
| 1984 | 79.9% | -0.2% |
| 1985 | 79.9% | -0.1% |
| 1986 | 79.8% | -0.0% |
| 1987 | 79.8% | -0.1% |
| 1988 | 79.7% | -0.1% |
| 1989 | 79.6% | -0.1% |
| 1990 | 79.5% | -0.2% |
| 1991 | 79.1% | -0.5% |
| 1992 | 78.5% | -0.7% |
| 1993 | 77.9% | -0.8% |
| 1994 | 77.3% | -0.8% |
| 1995 | 76.7% | -0.8% |
| 1996 | 76.1% | -0.8% |
| 1997 | 75.5% | -0.7% |
| 1998 | 75.0% | -0.7% |
| 1999 | 74.4% | -0.7% |
| 2000 | 73.9% | -0.7% |
| 2001 | 73.3% | -0.8% |
| 2002 | 72.7% | -0.8% |
| 2003 | 72.0% | -0.9% |
| 2004 | 71.3% | -1.0% |
| 2005 | 70.6% | -1.0% |
| 2006 | 69.9% | -0.9% |
| 2007 | 69.3% | -0.9% |
| 2008 | 68.6% | -1.0% |
| 2009 | 67.9% | -1.0% |
| 2010 | 67.2% | -1.0% |
| 2011 | 66.6% | -0.9% |
| 2012 | 66.0% | -1.0% |
| 2013 | 65.3% | -1.0% |
| 2014 | 64.7% | -1.0% |
| 2015 | 64.0% | -1.0% |
| 2016 | 63.4% | -1.0% |
| 2017 | 62.7% | -1.0% |
| 2018 | 62.1% | -1.1% |
| 2019 | 61.4% | -1.1% |
| 2020 | 60.8% | -1.0% |
| 2021 | 60.2% | -1.0% |
| 2022 | 59.6% | -0.9% |
| 2023 | 59.1% | -0.9% |
Papua New Guinea compared with similar countries
- Papua New Guinea's 59.1% is below the median for lower middle income countries, which is 65.5%, 90% of the median. (47 countries reporting)
- Papua New Guinea's 59.1% is above the median for East Asia & Pacific, which is 54.0%, 1.1× the median. (37 countries reporting)
Averages by decade
| Decade | Average | Lowest | Highest | Years |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1950s | 76.4% | 74.8% | 79.4% | 10 |
| 1960s | 83.8% | 80.3% | 87.3% | 10 |
| 1970s | 86.8% | 82.7% | 89.0% | 10 |
| 1980s | 80.1% | 79.6% | 81.4% | 10 |
| 1990s | 77.0% | 74.4% | 79.5% | 10 |
| 2000s | 71.0% | 67.9% | 73.9% | 10 |
| 2010s | 64.3% | 61.4% | 67.2% | 10 |
| 2020s | 59.9% | 59.1% | 60.8% | 4 |
Countries ranked near Papua New Guinea
More reference data data for Papua New Guinea
- Emission Totals - Indirect emissions (N2O) - Manure applied to Soils 0.2042 (2050)
- Emission Totals - Indirect emissions (N2O) - Manure left on Pasture 0.0498 (2050)
- Emission Totals - Indirect emissions (N2O) - IPCC Agriculture 0.3515 (2050)
- Emission Totals - Indirect emissions (N2O) - Crop Residues 0.0007 (2050)
- Emission Totals - Indirect emissions (N2O) - Agricultural Soils 0.3515 (2050)
- Emission Totals - Emissions (N2O) - Manure applied to Soils 0.6846 (2050)
- Emission Totals - Emissions (N2O) - Manure Management 0.5295 (2050)
- Emission Totals - Emissions (N2O) - Manure left on Pasture 0.2811 (2050)
- Emission Totals - Emissions (N2O) - IPCC Agriculture 1.89 (2050)
- Emission Totals - Emissions (N2O) - Crop Residues 0.0038 (2050)
Frequently asked questions
- What is total dependency ratio in Papua New Guinea?
- Total dependency ratio in Papua New Guinea was 59.1% in 2023, according to UN, World Population Prospects (2024) – processed by Our World in Data.
- What is the highest total dependency ratio recorded in Papua New Guinea?
- The highest recorded value was 89.0% in 1972.
- What is the lowest total dependency ratio recorded in Papua New Guinea?
- The lowest recorded value was 59.1% in 2023.
- How does Papua New Guinea rank for total dependency ratio?
- Papua New Guinea ranks 84th out of 236 countries with data for 2023.
- Is total dependency ratio rising or falling in Papua New Guinea?
- Over the last ten years it is down 9.5%. The long-run trend across the full record is falling.
- Where does this Papua New Guinea 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).