Total dependency ratio in Zimbabwe

Zimbabwe: Total dependency ratio was 81.6% in 2023. ▼ Falling

Latest (2023)
81.6%
Change on year
down 1.1%
World rank
18th
of 236 countries
All-time high
109.7%
in 1979
All-time low
81.0%
in 2002
Years of data
74
1950–2023

Total dependency ratio in Zimbabwe, 1950–2023

0255075100195019862023

Source: UN, World Population Prospects (2024) – processed by Our World in Data. Measured in %.

Analysis

Zimbabwe recorded 81.6% for total dependency ratio in 2023.

The figure is down 1.1% on the previous year and down 7.9% over ten years.

Over the whole period, total dependency ratio in Zimbabwe peaked at 109.7% in 1979 and was at its lowest, 81.0%, in 2002.

Zimbabwe ranks 18th of 236 countries on this measure, in the top 10%.

The long-run direction has been consistently falling across the 74 years of available data.

Averages by decade

DecadeAverage LowestHighest Years
1950s 94.4% 86.1% 101.6% 10
1960s 106.8% 103.0% 108.8% 10
1970s 106.4% 105.4% 109.7% 10
1980s 105.3% 102.7% 108.9% 10
1990s 95.4% 84.6% 101.1% 10
2000s 82.4% 81.0% 84.5% 10
2010s 87.5% 85.4% 88.9% 10
2020s 83.0% 81.6% 84.4% 4

Countries ranked near Zimbabwe

  1. 15 Tanzania 84.4% compare
  2. 16 Afghanistan 83.8% compare
  3. 17 Burkina Faso 81.9% compare
  4. 19 Benin 81.6% compare
  5. 20 Togo 80.9% compare
  6. 21 Guinea 80.8% compare

See the full ranking of 236 places →

More reference data data for Zimbabwe

All data for Zimbabwe →

Frequently asked questions

What is total dependency ratio in Zimbabwe?
Total dependency ratio in Zimbabwe was 81.6% in 2023, according to UN, World Population Prospects (2024) – processed by Our World in Data.
What is the highest total dependency ratio recorded in Zimbabwe?
The highest recorded value was 109.7% in 1979.
What is the lowest total dependency ratio recorded in Zimbabwe?
The lowest recorded value was 81.0% in 2002.
How does Zimbabwe rank for total dependency ratio?
Zimbabwe ranks 18th out of 236 countries with data for 2023.
Is total dependency ratio rising or falling in Zimbabwe?
Over the last ten years it is down 7.9%. The long-run trend across the full record is falling.
Where does this Zimbabwe 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

Indicator
Total dependency ratio
Unit
%
Source
UN, World Population Prospects (2024) – processed by Our World in Data
Licence
CC BY 4.0 (Our World in Data)
Coverage
236 places, 17,464 data points, 1950–2023
Last refreshed

The number of children (under 15) and people aged 65 and over per 100 working-age people (aged 15 to 64).