Total dependency ratio in Spain
Spain: Total dependency ratio was 51.3% in 2023. ▼ Falling
Latest (2023)
51.3%
Change on year
up 0.6%
World rank
156th
of 236 countries
All-time high
60.6%
in 1973
All-time low
45.0%
in 2007
Years of data
74
1950–2023
Total dependency ratio in Spain, 1950–2023
Source: UN, World Population Prospects (2024) – processed by Our World in Data. Measured in %.
Analysis
Spain recorded 51.3% for total dependency ratio in 2023.
The figure is up 0.6% on the previous year and up 4.5% over ten years.
Over the whole period, total dependency ratio in Spain peaked at 60.6% in 1973 and was at its lowest, 45.0%, in 2007.
That places Spain 156th 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 Spain, year by year
| Year | % | Change |
|---|---|---|
| 1950 | 50.9% | — |
| 1951 | 50.2% | -1.3% |
| 1952 | 50.3% | +0.1% |
| 1953 | 50.9% | +1.3% |
| 1954 | 51.9% | +2.0% |
| 1955 | 52.6% | +1.4% |
| 1956 | 53.1% | +0.9% |
| 1957 | 53.9% | +1.5% |
| 1958 | 54.5% | +1.2% |
| 1959 | 55.0% | +0.8% |
| 1960 | 55.3% | +0.5% |
| 1961 | 55.6% | +0.6% |
| 1962 | 56.0% | +0.7% |
| 1963 | 56.1% | +0.2% |
| 1964 | 56.2% | +0.3% |
| 1965 | 56.9% | +1.2% |
| 1966 | 57.7% | +1.4% |
| 1967 | 58.3% | +1.1% |
| 1968 | 58.9% | +0.9% |
| 1969 | 59.4% | +0.9% |
| 1970 | 59.9% | +0.9% |
| 1971 | 60.3% | +0.7% |
| 1972 | 60.5% | +0.3% |
| 1973 | 60.6% | +0.2% |
| 1974 | 60.5% | -0.2% |
| 1975 | 60.3% | -0.2% |
| 1976 | 60.4% | +0.1% |
| 1977 | 60.3% | -0.0% |
| 1978 | 60.1% | -0.4% |
| 1979 | 59.6% | -0.8% |
| 1980 | 59.0% | -1.0% |
| 1981 | 58.2% | -1.5% |
| 1982 | 57.1% | -1.9% |
| 1983 | 56.1% | -1.7% |
| 1984 | 55.1% | -1.8% |
| 1985 | 54.1% | -1.7% |
| 1986 | 53.3% | -1.6% |
| 1987 | 52.5% | -1.5% |
| 1988 | 51.7% | -1.5% |
| 1989 | 50.9% | -1.6% |
| 1990 | 50.0% | -1.7% |
| 1991 | 49.1% | -1.8% |
| 1992 | 48.3% | -1.7% |
| 1993 | 47.6% | -1.5% |
| 1994 | 46.9% | -1.4% |
| 1995 | 46.4% | -1.2% |
| 1996 | 46.0% | -0.9% |
| 1997 | 45.8% | -0.5% |
| 1998 | 45.7% | -0.2% |
| 1999 | 45.6% | -0.1% |
| 2000 | 45.7% | +0.1% |
| 2001 | 45.9% | +0.5% |
| 2002 | 46.0% | +0.1% |
| 2003 | 45.7% | -0.6% |
| 2004 | 45.2% | -1.0% |
| 2005 | 45.0% | -0.4% |
| 2006 | 45.1% | +0.1% |
| 2007 | 45.0% | -0.2% |
| 2008 | 45.2% | +0.5% |
| 2009 | 45.8% | +1.4% |
| 2010 | 46.6% | +1.8% |
| 2011 | 47.4% | +1.7% |
| 2012 | 48.2% | +1.6% |
| 2013 | 49.1% | +1.9% |
| 2014 | 49.9% | +1.7% |
| 2015 | 50.4% | +1.0% |
| 2016 | 50.8% | +0.7% |
| 2017 | 51.1% | +0.6% |
| 2018 | 51.2% | +0.2% |
| 2019 | 51.1% | -0.2% |
| 2020 | 50.9% | -0.3% |
| 2021 | 50.8% | -0.2% |
| 2022 | 51.0% | +0.3% |
| 2023 | 51.3% | +0.6% |
Spain compared with similar countries
- Spain's 51.3% is below the median for high income countries, which is 52.7%, 97% of the median. (85 countries reporting)
- Spain's 51.3% is below the median for Europe & Central Asia, which is 55.3%, 93% of the median. (56 countries reporting)
Averages by decade
| Decade | Average | Lowest | Highest | Years |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1950s | 52.3% | 50.2% | 55.0% | 10 |
| 1960s | 57.0% | 55.3% | 59.4% | 10 |
| 1970s | 60.3% | 59.6% | 60.6% | 10 |
| 1980s | 54.8% | 50.9% | 59.0% | 10 |
| 1990s | 47.1% | 45.6% | 50.0% | 10 |
| 2000s | 45.4% | 45.0% | 46.0% | 10 |
| 2010s | 49.6% | 46.6% | 51.2% | 10 |
| 2020s | 51.0% | 50.8% | 51.3% | 4 |
Countries ranked near Spain
More reference data data for Spain
- Emission Totals - Indirect emissions (N2O) - Manure applied to Soils 3.18 (2050)
- Emission Totals - Indirect emissions (N2O) - Manure left on Pasture 2.85 (2050)
- Emission Totals - Indirect emissions (N2O) - IPCC Agriculture 11.76 (2050)
- Emission Totals - Indirect emissions (N2O) - Crop Residues 0.898 (2050)
- Emission Totals - Indirect emissions (N2O) - Agricultural Soils 11.76 (2050)
- Emission Totals - Emissions (N2O) - Manure applied to Soils 10.67 (2050)
- Emission Totals - Emissions (N2O) - Manure Management 6.03 (2050)
- Emission Totals - Emissions (N2O) - Manure left on Pasture 11.06 (2050)
- Emission Totals - Emissions (N2O) - IPCC Agriculture 52.4 (2050)
- Emission Totals - Emissions (N2O) - Crop Residues 4.89 (2050)
Frequently asked questions
- What is total dependency ratio in Spain?
- Total dependency ratio in Spain was 51.3% in 2023, according to UN, World Population Prospects (2024) – processed by Our World in Data.
- What is the highest total dependency ratio recorded in Spain?
- The highest recorded value was 60.6% in 1973.
- What is the lowest total dependency ratio recorded in Spain?
- The lowest recorded value was 45.0% in 2007.
- How does Spain rank for total dependency ratio?
- Spain ranks 156th out of 236 countries with data for 2023.
- Is total dependency ratio rising or falling in Spain?
- Over the last ten years it is up 4.5%. The long-run trend across the full record is falling.
- Where does this Spain 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.
Download this data
CSV · JSON — 74 observations, free to reuse under CC BY 4.0 (Our World in Data).
About this data
Number of children (under 15) and people aged 65 and over per 100 working-age people (aged 15 to 64).