Total dependency ratio in Zambia
Zambia: Total dependency ratio was 78.1% in 2023. ▼ Falling
Latest (2023)
78.1%
Change on year
down 1.8%
World rank
27th
of 236 countries
All-time high
111.1%
in 1980
All-time low
78.1%
in 2023
Years of data
74
1950–2023
Total dependency ratio in Zambia, 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 Zambia is 78.1%, measured in 2023. That is the lowest value across all 74 years on record.
That represents a change of down 1.8% on the previous year and down 13.6% over ten years.
Over the whole period, total dependency ratio in Zambia peaked at 111.1% in 1980 and was at its lowest, 78.1%, in 2023.
Zambia ranks 27th of 236 countries on this measure, in the top quarter.
The long-run direction has been consistently falling across the 74 years of available data.
Total dependency ratio in Zambia, year by year
| Year | % | Change |
|---|---|---|
| 1950 | 90.6% | — |
| 1951 | 91.1% | +0.5% |
| 1952 | 91.6% | +0.5% |
| 1953 | 92.0% | +0.5% |
| 1954 | 92.5% | +0.5% |
| 1955 | 93.0% | +0.5% |
| 1956 | 93.5% | +0.5% |
| 1957 | 94.0% | +0.5% |
| 1958 | 94.5% | +0.5% |
| 1959 | 95.0% | +0.6% |
| 1960 | 95.6% | +0.6% |
| 1961 | 96.2% | +0.6% |
| 1962 | 96.8% | +0.7% |
| 1963 | 97.7% | +0.9% |
| 1964 | 98.6% | +0.9% |
| 1965 | 99.2% | +0.6% |
| 1966 | 99.5% | +0.3% |
| 1967 | 99.8% | +0.3% |
| 1968 | 100.2% | +0.3% |
| 1969 | 100.7% | +0.5% |
| 1970 | 101.7% | +1.0% |
| 1971 | 103.1% | +1.4% |
| 1972 | 104.5% | +1.3% |
| 1973 | 105.8% | +1.3% |
| 1974 | 107.0% | +1.1% |
| 1975 | 108.1% | +1.1% |
| 1976 | 109.1% | +0.9% |
| 1977 | 109.9% | +0.8% |
| 1978 | 110.6% | +0.6% |
| 1979 | 111.0% | +0.4% |
| 1980 | 111.1% | +0.1% |
| 1981 | 110.8% | -0.2% |
| 1982 | 110.2% | -0.6% |
| 1983 | 109.4% | -0.7% |
| 1984 | 108.8% | -0.6% |
| 1985 | 108.2% | -0.5% |
| 1986 | 107.5% | -0.6% |
| 1987 | 106.8% | -0.6% |
| 1988 | 106.3% | -0.5% |
| 1989 | 105.7% | -0.5% |
| 1990 | 105.2% | -0.5% |
| 1991 | 104.7% | -0.5% |
| 1992 | 104.3% | -0.4% |
| 1993 | 103.9% | -0.4% |
| 1994 | 103.7% | -0.2% |
| 1995 | 103.6% | -0.1% |
| 1996 | 103.4% | -0.1% |
| 1997 | 103.1% | -0.3% |
| 1998 | 102.7% | -0.4% |
| 1999 | 102.2% | -0.5% |
| 2000 | 101.5% | -0.7% |
| 2001 | 100.5% | -1.0% |
| 2002 | 99.4% | -1.1% |
| 2003 | 98.5% | -1.0% |
| 2004 | 97.6% | -0.9% |
| 2005 | 96.8% | -0.9% |
| 2006 | 95.9% | -0.9% |
| 2007 | 95.1% | -0.9% |
| 2008 | 94.2% | -0.9% |
| 2009 | 93.4% | -0.9% |
| 2010 | 92.6% | -0.8% |
| 2011 | 91.9% | -0.7% |
| 2012 | 91.2% | -0.8% |
| 2013 | 90.4% | -0.9% |
| 2014 | 89.4% | -1.1% |
| 2015 | 88.4% | -1.2% |
| 2016 | 87.3% | -1.3% |
| 2017 | 86.1% | -1.4% |
| 2018 | 84.9% | -1.4% |
| 2019 | 83.6% | -1.5% |
| 2020 | 82.3% | -1.6% |
| 2021 | 80.9% | -1.7% |
| 2022 | 79.5% | -1.7% |
| 2023 | 78.1% | -1.8% |
Zambia compared with similar countries
- Zambia's 78.1% is above the median for lower middle income countries, which is 65.5%, 1.2× the median. (47 countries reporting)
- Zambia's 78.1% is above the median for Sub-Saharan Africa, which is 77.8%, 1.0× the median. (48 countries reporting)
Averages by decade
| Decade | Average | Lowest | Highest | Years |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1950s | 92.8% | 90.6% | 95.0% | 10 |
| 1960s | 98.4% | 95.6% | 100.7% | 10 |
| 1970s | 107.1% | 101.7% | 111.0% | 10 |
| 1980s | 108.5% | 105.7% | 111.1% | 10 |
| 1990s | 103.7% | 102.2% | 105.2% | 10 |
| 2000s | 97.3% | 93.4% | 101.5% | 10 |
| 2010s | 88.6% | 83.6% | 92.6% | 10 |
| 2020s | 80.2% | 78.1% | 82.3% | 4 |
Countries ranked near Zambia
More reference data data for Zambia
- Exchange rate, new LCU per USD extended backward, period average 18.94 (2026)
- Exchange rate, old LCU per USD extended forward, period average 18.94 (2026)
- Official exchange rate, LCU per USD, period average 18.94 (2026)
- Global number of reported disasters by size, gaps filled 0 events (2025)
- Annual precipitation, annual growth rate 40.84 % change on previous year (2025)
- Free country, gaps filled 1 (2025)
- Civil liberties rating, gaps filled 4 (2025)
- Civil liberties rating, annual growth rate 0 % change on previous year (2025)
- Civil liberties rating, per capita 0 units per person (2025)
- Consumer price index 483.32 2010 = 100 (2025)
Frequently asked questions
- What is total dependency ratio in Zambia?
- Total dependency ratio in Zambia was 78.1% in 2023, according to UN, World Population Prospects (2024) – processed by Our World in Data.
- What is the highest total dependency ratio recorded in Zambia?
- The highest recorded value was 111.1% in 1980.
- What is the lowest total dependency ratio recorded in Zambia?
- The lowest recorded value was 78.1% in 2023.
- How does Zambia rank for total dependency ratio?
- Zambia ranks 27th out of 236 countries with data for 2023.
- Is total dependency ratio rising or falling in Zambia?
- Over the last ten years it is down 13.6%. The long-run trend across the full record is falling.
- Where does this Zambia 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).