Total dependency ratio in Sri Lanka
Sri Lanka: Total dependency ratio was 51.7% in 2023. ▼ Falling
Latest (2023)
51.7%
Change on year
up 0.1%
World rank
154th
of 236 countries
All-time high
86.8%
in 1950
All-time low
48.1%
in 2005
Years of data
74
1950–2023
Total dependency ratio in Sri Lanka, 1950–2023
Source: UN, World Population Prospects (2024) – processed by Our World in Data. Measured in %.
Analysis
In 2023, total dependency ratio in Sri Lanka stood at 51.7%.
The figure is up 0.1% on the previous year and up 3.6% over ten years.
Over the whole period, total dependency ratio in Sri Lanka peaked at 86.8% in 1950 and was at its lowest, 48.1%, in 2005.
Sri Lanka ranks 154th 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 Sri Lanka, year by year
| Year | % | Change |
|---|---|---|
| 1950 | 86.8% | — |
| 1951 | 85.8% | -1.2% |
| 1952 | 84.9% | -1.0% |
| 1953 | 84.2% | -0.8% |
| 1954 | 83.7% | -0.7% |
| 1955 | 83.3% | -0.4% |
| 1956 | 83.1% | -0.3% |
| 1957 | 82.9% | -0.2% |
| 1958 | 82.8% | -0.1% |
| 1959 | 82.7% | -0.1% |
| 1960 | 82.4% | -0.3% |
| 1961 | 82.0% | -0.6% |
| 1962 | 81.3% | -0.8% |
| 1963 | 80.6% | -0.9% |
| 1964 | 80.0% | -0.6% |
| 1965 | 79.7% | -0.4% |
| 1966 | 79.3% | -0.5% |
| 1967 | 78.8% | -0.6% |
| 1968 | 78.3% | -0.6% |
| 1969 | 77.7% | -0.7% |
| 1970 | 77.1% | -0.8% |
| 1971 | 76.5% | -0.8% |
| 1972 | 75.7% | -1.0% |
| 1973 | 74.7% | -1.3% |
| 1974 | 73.6% | -1.5% |
| 1975 | 72.5% | -1.5% |
| 1976 | 71.6% | -1.3% |
| 1977 | 70.7% | -1.1% |
| 1978 | 70.1% | -0.9% |
| 1979 | 69.6% | -0.7% |
| 1980 | 69.1% | -0.6% |
| 1981 | 68.8% | -0.5% |
| 1982 | 68.5% | -0.4% |
| 1983 | 68.2% | -0.4% |
| 1984 | 67.9% | -0.4% |
| 1985 | 67.2% | -1.0% |
| 1986 | 66.0% | -1.8% |
| 1987 | 64.8% | -1.9% |
| 1988 | 63.6% | -1.8% |
| 1989 | 62.5% | -1.7% |
| 1990 | 61.7% | -1.2% |
| 1991 | 60.8% | -1.5% |
| 1992 | 59.3% | -2.5% |
| 1993 | 57.6% | -2.8% |
| 1994 | 56.0% | -2.8% |
| 1995 | 54.5% | -2.6% |
| 1996 | 53.2% | -2.3% |
| 1997 | 52.2% | -2.0% |
| 1998 | 51.3% | -1.6% |
| 1999 | 50.5% | -1.6% |
| 2000 | 49.7% | -1.6% |
| 2001 | 49.0% | -1.4% |
| 2002 | 48.5% | -1.0% |
| 2003 | 48.3% | -0.6% |
| 2004 | 48.1% | -0.3% |
| 2005 | 48.1% | -0.1% |
| 2006 | 48.1% | +0.1% |
| 2007 | 48.2% | +0.3% |
| 2008 | 48.4% | +0.4% |
| 2009 | 48.6% | +0.5% |
| 2010 | 48.9% | +0.6% |
| 2011 | 49.2% | +0.7% |
| 2012 | 49.6% | +0.7% |
| 2013 | 50.0% | +0.8% |
| 2014 | 50.4% | +0.9% |
| 2015 | 50.8% | +0.8% |
| 2016 | 51.1% | +0.6% |
| 2017 | 51.3% | +0.4% |
| 2018 | 51.5% | +0.3% |
| 2019 | 51.6% | +0.2% |
| 2020 | 51.6% | +0.1% |
| 2021 | 51.7% | +0.0% |
| 2022 | 51.7% | +0.0% |
| 2023 | 51.7% | +0.1% |
Sri Lanka compared with similar countries
- Sri Lanka's 51.7% is above the median for upper middle income countries, which is 50.3%, 1.0× the median. (58 countries reporting)
- Sri Lanka's 51.7% is above the median for South Asia, which is 49.4%, 1.0× the median. (6 countries reporting)
Averages by decade
| Decade | Average | Lowest | Highest | Years |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1950s | 84.0% | 82.7% | 86.8% | 10 |
| 1960s | 80.0% | 77.7% | 82.4% | 10 |
| 1970s | 73.2% | 69.6% | 77.1% | 10 |
| 1980s | 66.7% | 62.5% | 69.1% | 10 |
| 1990s | 55.7% | 50.5% | 61.7% | 10 |
| 2000s | 48.5% | 48.1% | 49.7% | 10 |
| 2010s | 50.4% | 48.9% | 51.6% | 10 |
| 2020s | 51.7% | 51.6% | 51.7% | 4 |
Countries ranked near Sri Lanka
More reference data data for Sri Lanka
- Emission Totals - Indirect emissions (N2O) - Manure applied to Soils 0.1608 (2050)
- Emission Totals - Indirect emissions (N2O) - Manure left on Pasture 0.316 (2050)
- Emission Totals - Indirect emissions (N2O) - IPCC Agriculture 2.33 (2050)
- Emission Totals - Indirect emissions (N2O) - Crop Residues 0.1784 (2050)
- Emission Totals - Indirect emissions (N2O) - Agricultural Soils 2.33 (2050)
- Emission Totals - Emissions (N2O) - Manure applied to Soils 0.539 (2050)
- Emission Totals - Emissions (N2O) - Manure Management 0.1604 (2050)
- Emission Totals - Emissions (N2O) - Manure left on Pasture 1.63 (2050)
- Emission Totals - Emissions (N2O) - IPCC Agriculture 10.15 (2050)
- Emission Totals - Emissions (N2O) - Crop Residues 0.9713 (2050)
Frequently asked questions
- What is total dependency ratio in Sri Lanka?
- Total dependency ratio in Sri Lanka was 51.7% in 2023, according to UN, World Population Prospects (2024) – processed by Our World in Data.
- What is the highest total dependency ratio recorded in Sri Lanka?
- The highest recorded value was 86.8% in 1950.
- What is the lowest total dependency ratio recorded in Sri Lanka?
- The lowest recorded value was 48.1% in 2005.
- How does Sri Lanka rank for total dependency ratio?
- Sri Lanka ranks 154th out of 236 countries with data for 2023.
- Is total dependency ratio rising or falling in Sri Lanka?
- Over the last ten years it is up 3.6%. The long-run trend across the full record is falling.
- Where does this Sri Lanka 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).