Total dependency ratio in Samoa
Samoa: Total dependency ratio was 80.0% in 2023. ▼ Falling
Total dependency ratio in Samoa, 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 Samoa is 80.0%, measured in 2023.
Compared with earlier readings it is up 0.4% on the previous year and up 6.0% over ten years.
Over the whole period, total dependency ratio in Samoa peaked at 118.5% in 1968 and was at its lowest, 75.3%, in 2015.
That places Samoa 24th out of 236 countries with data for 2023, putting it in the top 10%.
The long-run direction has been consistently falling across the 74 years of available data.
Total dependency ratio in Samoa, year by year
| Year | % | Change |
|---|---|---|
| 1950 | 104.2% | — |
| 1951 | 105.2% | +1.0% |
| 1952 | 106.1% | +0.8% |
| 1953 | 106.6% | +0.5% |
| 1954 | 107.1% | +0.5% |
| 1955 | 107.6% | +0.4% |
| 1956 | 108.2% | +0.5% |
| 1957 | 109.0% | +0.8% |
| 1958 | 110.1% | +1.0% |
| 1959 | 111.2% | +1.0% |
| 1960 | 112.1% | +0.9% |
| 1961 | 113.0% | +0.8% |
| 1962 | 114.4% | +1.2% |
| 1963 | 116.0% | +1.5% |
| 1964 | 117.0% | +0.8% |
| 1965 | 117.6% | +0.5% |
| 1966 | 118.0% | +0.4% |
| 1967 | 118.3% | +0.2% |
| 1968 | 118.5% | +0.2% |
| 1969 | 118.4% | -0.1% |
| 1970 | 117.9% | -0.4% |
| 1971 | 117.1% | -0.7% |
| 1972 | 115.8% | -1.1% |
| 1973 | 114.1% | -1.5% |
| 1974 | 112.0% | -1.9% |
| 1975 | 109.4% | -2.3% |
| 1976 | 106.5% | -2.7% |
| 1977 | 103.8% | -2.5% |
| 1978 | 101.5% | -2.2% |
| 1979 | 99.4% | -2.0% |
| 1980 | 97.5% | -2.0% |
| 1981 | 95.6% | -2.0% |
| 1982 | 93.2% | -2.4% |
| 1983 | 90.6% | -2.8% |
| 1984 | 88.3% | -2.6% |
| 1985 | 86.2% | -2.3% |
| 1986 | 84.7% | -1.8% |
| 1987 | 83.9% | -1.0% |
| 1988 | 83.4% | -0.6% |
| 1989 | 83.0% | -0.5% |
| 1990 | 82.6% | -0.5% |
| 1991 | 82.0% | -0.6% |
| 1992 | 81.0% | -1.2% |
| 1993 | 79.9% | -1.4% |
| 1994 | 79.2% | -0.9% |
| 1995 | 78.9% | -0.4% |
| 1996 | 79.1% | +0.3% |
| 1997 | 79.8% | +0.8% |
| 1998 | 80.4% | +0.7% |
| 1999 | 81.0% | +0.8% |
| 2000 | 81.7% | +0.8% |
| 2001 | 82.3% | +0.7% |
| 2002 | 82.1% | -0.2% |
| 2003 | 81.1% | -1.1% |
| 2004 | 80.5% | -0.8% |
| 2005 | 79.8% | -0.8% |
| 2006 | 79.1% | -0.9% |
| 2007 | 78.2% | -1.1% |
| 2008 | 77.3% | -1.1% |
| 2009 | 76.7% | -0.8% |
| 2010 | 76.4% | -0.4% |
| 2011 | 76.4% | -0.1% |
| 2012 | 76.0% | -0.5% |
| 2013 | 75.4% | -0.7% |
| 2014 | 75.3% | -0.2% |
| 2015 | 75.3% | -0.1% |
| 2016 | 75.4% | +0.2% |
| 2017 | 75.9% | +0.7% |
| 2018 | 76.6% | +0.9% |
| 2019 | 77.4% | +1.0% |
| 2020 | 78.2% | +1.1% |
| 2021 | 79.0% | +1.0% |
| 2022 | 79.7% | +0.9% |
| 2023 | 80.0% | +0.4% |
Samoa compared with similar countries
- Samoa's 80.0% is above the median for upper middle income countries, which is 50.3%, 1.6× the median. (58 countries reporting)
- Samoa's 80.0% is above the median for East Asia & Pacific, which is 54.0%, 1.5× the median. (37 countries reporting)
Averages by decade
| Decade | Average | Lowest | Highest | Years |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1950s | 107.5% | 104.2% | 111.2% | 10 |
| 1960s | 116.3% | 112.1% | 118.5% | 10 |
| 1970s | 109.8% | 99.4% | 117.9% | 10 |
| 1980s | 88.6% | 83.0% | 97.5% | 10 |
| 1990s | 80.4% | 78.9% | 82.6% | 10 |
| 2000s | 79.9% | 76.7% | 82.3% | 10 |
| 2010s | 76.0% | 75.3% | 77.4% | 10 |
| 2020s | 79.2% | 78.2% | 80.0% | 4 |
Countries ranked near Samoa
More reference data data for Samoa
- Emission Totals - Indirect emissions (N2O) - Manure applied to Soils 0.023 (2050)
- Emission Totals - Indirect emissions (N2O) - Manure left on Pasture 0.0165 (2050)
- Emission Totals - Indirect emissions (N2O) - IPCC Agriculture 0.0396 (2050)
- Emission Totals - Indirect emissions (N2O) - Agricultural Soils 0.0396 (2050)
- Emission Totals - Emissions (N2O) - Manure applied to Soils 0.077 (2050)
- Emission Totals - Emissions (N2O) - Manure Management 0.0626 (2050)
- Emission Totals - Emissions (N2O) - Manure left on Pasture 0.0918 (2050)
- Emission Totals - Emissions (N2O) - IPCC Agriculture 0.2319 (2050)
- Emission Totals - Emissions (N2O) - Burning - Crop residues 0 (2050)
- Emission Totals - Emissions (N2O) - Agricultural Soils 0.1693 (2050)
Frequently asked questions
- What is total dependency ratio in Samoa?
- Total dependency ratio in Samoa was 80.0% in 2023, according to UN, World Population Prospects (2024) – processed by Our World in Data.
- What is the highest total dependency ratio recorded in Samoa?
- The highest recorded value was 118.5% in 1968.
- What is the lowest total dependency ratio recorded in Samoa?
- The lowest recorded value was 75.3% in 2015.
- How does Samoa rank for total dependency ratio?
- Samoa ranks 24th out of 236 countries with data for 2023.
- Is total dependency ratio rising or falling in Samoa?
- Over the last ten years it is up 6.0%. The long-run trend across the full record is falling.
- Where does this Samoa 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).