Median age in Ethiopia
Ethiopia: Median age was 18.73 years in 2023. ▬ Flat
Latest (2023)
18.73 years
Change on year
up 1.1%
World rank
205th
of 236 countries
All-time high
18.73 years
in 2023
All-time low
14.99 years
in 2002
Years of data
74
1950–2023
Median age in Ethiopia, 1950–2023
Source: UN, World Population Prospects (2024) – processed by Our World in Data. Measured in years.
Analysis
In 2023, median age in Ethiopia stood at 18.73 years. That is the highest value across all 74 years on record.
That represents a change of up 1.1% on the previous year and up 13.5% over ten years.
Over the whole period, median age in Ethiopia peaked at 18.73 years in 2023 and was at its lowest, 14.99 years, in 2002.
Ethiopia ranks 205th of 236 countries on this measure, in the bottom quarter.
Median age in Ethiopia, year by year
| Year | years | Change |
|---|---|---|
| 1950 | 16.95 years | — |
| 1951 | 17.06 years | +0.6% |
| 1952 | 17.15 years | +0.5% |
| 1953 | 17.21 years | +0.4% |
| 1954 | 17.26 years | +0.3% |
| 1955 | 17.31 years | +0.3% |
| 1956 | 17.35 years | +0.2% |
| 1957 | 17.42 years | +0.4% |
| 1958 | 17.5 years | +0.5% |
| 1959 | 17.54 years | +0.2% |
| 1960 | 17.54 years | +0.0% |
| 1961 | 17.54 years | +0.0% |
| 1962 | 17.55 years | +0.0% |
| 1963 | 17.55 years | +0.0% |
| 1964 | 17.55 years | -0.0% |
| 1965 | 17.54 years | -0.0% |
| 1966 | 17.53 years | -0.1% |
| 1967 | 17.49 years | -0.2% |
| 1968 | 17.38 years | -0.6% |
| 1969 | 17.2 years | -1.0% |
| 1970 | 17.02 years | -1.1% |
| 1971 | 16.84 years | -1.1% |
| 1972 | 16.66 years | -1.0% |
| 1973 | 16.5 years | -1.0% |
| 1974 | 16.33 years | -1.0% |
| 1975 | 16.18 years | -0.9% |
| 1976 | 16.04 years | -0.8% |
| 1977 | 15.93 years | -0.7% |
| 1978 | 15.84 years | -0.6% |
| 1979 | 15.77 years | -0.5% |
| 1980 | 15.71 years | -0.4% |
| 1981 | 15.65 years | -0.4% |
| 1982 | 15.61 years | -0.2% |
| 1983 | 15.64 years | +0.2% |
| 1984 | 15.72 years | +0.5% |
| 1985 | 15.79 years | +0.5% |
| 1986 | 15.84 years | +0.3% |
| 1987 | 15.86 years | +0.1% |
| 1988 | 15.85 years | -0.1% |
| 1989 | 15.82 years | -0.2% |
| 1990 | 15.77 years | -0.3% |
| 1991 | 15.78 years | +0.1% |
| 1992 | 15.77 years | -0.1% |
| 1993 | 15.69 years | -0.5% |
| 1994 | 15.62 years | -0.5% |
| 1995 | 15.54 years | -0.5% |
| 1996 | 15.46 years | -0.5% |
| 1997 | 15.38 years | -0.6% |
| 1998 | 15.28 years | -0.6% |
| 1999 | 15.17 years | -0.7% |
| 2000 | 15.07 years | -0.7% |
| 2001 | 15.01 years | -0.4% |
| 2002 | 14.99 years | -0.1% |
| 2003 | 15.01 years | +0.1% |
| 2004 | 15.05 years | +0.3% |
| 2005 | 15.11 years | +0.4% |
| 2006 | 15.19 years | +0.5% |
| 2007 | 15.29 years | +0.7% |
| 2008 | 15.43 years | +0.9% |
| 2009 | 15.59 years | +1.1% |
| 2010 | 15.79 years | +1.3% |
| 2011 | 16.01 years | +1.4% |
| 2012 | 16.25 years | +1.5% |
| 2013 | 16.5 years | +1.6% |
| 2014 | 16.76 years | +1.6% |
| 2015 | 17.01 years | +1.5% |
| 2016 | 17.25 years | +1.4% |
| 2017 | 17.49 years | +1.4% |
| 2018 | 17.72 years | +1.3% |
| 2019 | 17.93 years | +1.2% |
| 2020 | 18.13 years | +1.1% |
| 2021 | 18.33 years | +1.1% |
| 2022 | 18.53 years | +1.1% |
| 2023 | 18.73 years | +1.1% |
Ethiopia compared with similar countries
- Ethiopia's 18.73 years is above the median for low income countries, which is 17.97 years, 1.0× the median. (25 countries reporting)
- Ethiopia's 18.73 years is above the median for Sub-Saharan Africa, which is 18.22 years, 1.0× the median. (48 countries reporting)
Averages by decade
| Decade | Average | Lowest | Highest | Years |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1950s | 17.28 years | 16.95 years | 17.54 years | 10 |
| 1960s | 17.49 years | 17.2 years | 17.55 years | 10 |
| 1970s | 16.31 years | 15.77 years | 17.02 years | 10 |
| 1980s | 15.75 years | 15.61 years | 15.86 years | 10 |
| 1990s | 15.55 years | 15.17 years | 15.78 years | 10 |
| 2000s | 15.17 years | 14.99 years | 15.59 years | 10 |
| 2010s | 16.87 years | 15.79 years | 17.93 years | 10 |
| 2020s | 18.43 years | 18.13 years | 18.73 years | 4 |
Countries ranked near Ethiopia
- 202 Sao Tome and Principe 19.05 years compare
- 203 Guinea-Bissau 18.94 years compare
- 204 Madagascar 18.88 years compare
- 206 Eritrea 18.65 years compare
- 207 Liberia 18.36 years compare
- 208 Congo 18.31 years compare
More reference data data for Ethiopia
- Emission Totals - Indirect emissions (N2O) - Manure applied to Soils 0.6564 (2050)
- Emission Totals - Indirect emissions (N2O) - Manure left on Pasture 20.69 (2050)
- Emission Totals - Indirect emissions (N2O) - IPCC Agriculture 25.11 (2050)
- Emission Totals - Indirect emissions (N2O) - Crop Residues 1.37 (2050)
- Emission Totals - Indirect emissions (N2O) - Agricultural Soils 25.11 (2050)
- Emission Totals - Emissions (N2O) - Manure applied to Soils 2.2 (2050)
- Emission Totals - Emissions (N2O) - Manure Management 1.1 (2050)
- Emission Totals - Emissions (N2O) - Manure left on Pasture 100.94 (2050)
- Emission Totals - Emissions (N2O) - IPCC Agriculture 121.79 (2050)
- Emission Totals - Emissions (N2O) - Crop Residues 7.47 (2050)
Frequently asked questions
- What is median age in Ethiopia?
- Median age in Ethiopia was 18.73 years in 2023, according to UN, World Population Prospects (2024) – processed by Our World in Data.
- What is the highest median age recorded in Ethiopia?
- The highest recorded value was 18.73 years in 2023.
- What is the lowest median age recorded in Ethiopia?
- The lowest recorded value was 14.99 years in 2002.
- How does Ethiopia rank for median age?
- Ethiopia ranks 205th out of 236 countries with data for 2023.
- Is median age rising or falling in Ethiopia?
- Over the last ten years it is up 13.5%. The long-run trend across the full record is flat.
- Where does this Ethiopia data come from?
- The figures come from UN, World Population Prospects (2024) – processed by Our World in Data, published as part of Median age. Statizoid updates them automatically from the source API.
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About this data
Age that divides the population into two halves of equal size — half are younger and half are older.