Dependency ratios are a measure of the age structure of a population. They indicate the proportion of individuals that are likely to be economically "dependent" on the support of others. Dependency ratios relate the numbers of children (ages 0–14) and the elderly (ages 65+) to the number of adults (ages 15–64). Changes in the dependency ratio provide an indication of potential social support requirements resulting from changes in population age structures. When fertility levels decline, the dependency ratio initially falls because the proportion of children decreases while the proportion of the population of working age increases. If fertility levels continue to decline, dependency ratios eventually increase because the proportion of the population of working age starts to decline and the proportion of elderly persons continues to increase.[1][2]
Thetotal dependency ratio is the total numbers of the children (ages 0–14) and elderly (ages 65+) populations per 100 people of adults (ages 15–64). A high total dependency ratio indicates that the adult population and the overall economy face a greater burden to support and provide social services for youth and elderly persons, who are often economically dependent.
Thechildren dependency ratio is the number of the children population (ages 0–14) per 100 people of adults (ages 15–64). A high children dependency ratio indicates that a greater investment needs to be made in schooling and other services for children.
Theelderly dependency ratio is the number of the elderly population (ages 65+) per 100 people of working age (ages 15–64). Increases in the elderly dependency ratio put added pressure on governments to fund pensions and healthcare.
Thepotential support ratio is the number of adults (ages 15–64) per one elderly person (ages 65+). It is thereciprocal of the elderly dependency ratio. As a population ages, the potential support ratio tends to fall, meaning there are fewer potential workers to support the elderly.
All data is for the year 2020. Source is theCIA World Factbook.[3]
| Country | Dependency ratios | Potential support ratio | ||
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Total | Children | Elderly | ||
 Afghanistan | 80.1 | 75.3 | 4.8 | 21.0 |
 Albania | 46.9 | 25.3 | 21.6 | 4.6 |
 Algeria | 60.1 | 49.3 | 10.8 | 9.3 |
 Angola | 94.5 | 90.2 | 4.3 | 23.5 |
 Antigua and Barbuda | 45.4 | 31.8 | 13.6 | 7.4 |
 Argentina | 55.8 | 38.1 | 17.7 | 5.6 |
 Armenia | 48.4 | 30.9 | 17.5 | 5.7 |
 Aruba (Netherlands) | 47.0 | 25.6 | 21.5 | 4.7 |
 Australia | 55.1 | 29.9 | 25.1 | 4.0 |
 Austria | 50.6 | 21.7 | 28.9 | 3.5 |
 Azerbaijan | 43.4 | 33.7 | 9.7 | 10.3 |
 Bahamas | 41.5 | 30.6 | 11.0 | 9.1 |
 Bahrain | 26.5 | 23.1 | 3.4 | 29.8 |
 Bangladesh | 47.0 | 39.3 | 7.7 | 13.0 |
 Barbados | 50.3 | 25.2 | 25.1 | 4.0 |
 Belarus | 48.9 | 25.7 | 23.2 | 4.3 |
 Belgium | 57.0 | 26.7 | 30.2 | 3.3 |
 Belize | 52.0 | 44.4 | 7.6 | 13.1 |
 Benin | 82.6 | 76.6 | 6.0 | 16.7 |
 Bhutan | 45.1 | 36.1 | 9.0 | 11.1 |
 Bolivia | 60.5 | 48.5 | 12.0 | 8.3 |
 Bosnia and Herzegovina | 48.0 | 21.5 | 26.5 | 3.8 |
 Botswana | 61.1 | 53.8 | 7.3 | 13.8 |
 Brazil | 43.5 | 29.7 | 13.8 | 7.3 |
 Brunei | 38.7 | 31.0 | 7.7 | 12.9 |
 Bulgaria | 56.6 | 23.0 | 33.6 | 3.0 |
 Burkina Faso | 87.9 | 83.4 | 4.5 | 22.1 |
 Burundi | 91.0 | 86.4 | 4.5 | 22.0 |
 Cape Verde | 49.0 | 41.8 | 7.1 | 14.0 |
 Cambodia | 55.7 | 48.2 | 7.6 | 13.2 |
 Cameroon | 81.1 | 76.2 | 4.9 | 20.3 |
 Canada | 51.2 | 23.9 | 27.4 | 3.7 |
 Central African Republic | 86.4 | 81.1 | 5.2 | 19.2 |
 Chad | 96.0 | 91.1 | 4.9 | 20.4 |
 Chile | 45.9 | 28.1 | 17.9 | 5.6 |
 China | 42.2 | 25.2 | 17.0 | 5.9 |
 Colombia | 45.4 | 32.3 | 13.2 | 7.6 |
 Comoros | 75.5 | 67.4 | 5.4 | 18.6 |
 Democratic Republic of the Congo | 95.4 | 89.5 | 5.9 | 17.0 |
 Republic of the Congo | 78.7 | 73.7 | 4.9 | 20.3 |
 Costa Rica | 45.1 | 30.2 | 14.9 | 6.7 |
 Croatia | 55.7 | 22.6 | 33.1 | 3.0 |
 Cuba | 46.7 | 23.3 | 23.3 | 4.3 |
 Curaçao | 55.9 | 28.3 | 27.5 | 3.6 |
 Cyprus | 44.9 | 24.0 | 20.9 | 4.8 |
 Czech Republic | 56.0 | 24.6 | 31.4 | 3.2 |
 Denmark | 57.3 | 25.6 | 31.7 | 3.2 |
 Djibouti | 50.6 | 43.6 | 7.1 | 14.1 |
 Dominican Republic | 53.8 | 42.2 | 11.6 | 8.6 |
 Ecuador | 53.8 | 42.1 | 11.7 | 8.6 |
 Egypt | 64.6 | 55.8 | 8.8 | 11.4 |
 El Salvador | 54.4 | 41.1 | 13.4 | 7.5 |
 Equatorial Guinea | 64.4 | 60.5 | 3.9 | 25.5 |
 Eritrea | 83.9 | 75.6 | 8.3 | 12.1 |
 Estonia | 58.4 | 26.1 | 32.3 | 3.1 |
 Eswatini (Swaziland) | 70.8 | 64.0 | 6.9 | 14.6 |
 Ethiopia | 76.8 | 70.6 | 6.3 | 16.0 |
 Fiji | 53.4 | 44.5 | 8.9 | 11.2 |
 Finland | 62.4 | 25.8 | 36.6 | 2.7 |
 France | 62.4 | 28.7 | 33.7 | 3.0 |
 French Polynesia (France) | 45.5 | 32.3 | 13.2 | 7.6 |
 Gabon | 68.9 | 62.9 | 6.0 | 16.8 |
 Gambia | 86.9 | 82.1 | 4.7 | 21.1 |
 Georgia | 55.0 | 31.3 | 23.6 | 4.2 |
 Germany | 55.4 | 21.7 | 33.7 | 3.0 |
 Ghana | 67.4 | 62.2 | 5.3 | 17.1 |
 Greece | 56.1 | 21.3 | 34.8 | 2.9 |
 Grenada | 50.5 | 35.8 | 14.7 | 6.8 |
 Guam (US) | 52.4 | 36.4 | 16.1 | 6.2 |
 Guatemala | 62.3 | 54.1 | 8.2 | 12.2 |
 Guernsey (UK) | 49.0 | 22.3 | 26.7 | 3.7 |
 Guinea | 85.2 | 79.7 | 5.5 | 18.3 |
 Guinea-Bissau | 81.2 | 76.0 | 5.2 | 19.1 |
 Guyana | 53.2 | 42.5 | 10.7 | 9.3 |
 Haiti | 60.4 | 52.1 | 8.3 | 13.3 |
 Honduras | 55.2 | 47.5 | 7.7 | 13.0 |
 Hong Kong | 44.7 | 18.3 | 26.3 | 3.8 |
 Hungary | 46.9 | 22.0 | 30.8 | 3.2 |
 Iceland | 54.0 | 29.9 | 24.1 | 4.2 |
 India | 48.7 | 38.9 | 9.8 | 10.2 |
 Indonesia | 47.5 | 38.3 | 9.2 | 10.8 |
 Iran | 45.6 | 36.0 | 9.6 | 14.2 |
 Iraq | 69.9 | 64.1 | 5.9 | 17.1 |
 Ireland | 54.8 | 32.3 | 22.6 | 4.4 |
 Isle of Man | 58.6 | 23.6 | 34.9 | 2.9 |
 Israel | 67.3 | 46.6 | 20.8 | 4.8 |
 Italy | 57.0 | 20.4 | 36.6 | 2.7 |
 Ivory Coast | 79.8 | 74.6 | 5.2 | 19.3 |
 Jamaica | 48.0 | 34.6 | 13.4 | 7.4 |
 Japan | 69.0 | 21.0 | 48.0 | 2.1 |
 Jordan | 58.2 | 52.0 | 6.3 | 16.0 |
 Kazakhstan | 58.8 | 46.3 | 12.6 | 8.0 |
 Kenya | 69.8 | 65.5 | 4.3 | 23.5 |
 Kiribati | 67.0 | 60.0 | 7.0 | 14.2 |
 North Korea | 41.2 | 28.0 | 13.2 | 7.6 |
 South Korea | 39.5 | 17.5 | 22.0 | 4.5 |
 Kuwait | 32.4 | 28.4 | 4.0 | 24.9 |
 Kyrgyzstan | 59.7 | 52.1 | 7.5 | 13.2 |
 Laos | 56.8 | 50.1 | 6.7 | 15.0 |
 Latvia | 59.0 | 26.1 | 32.9 | 3.0 |
 Lebanon | 48.4 | 37.2 | 11.2 | 8.9 |
 Lesotho | 59.2 | 51.3 | 7.9 | 12.7 |
 Liberia | 77.6 | 71.7 | 5.9 | 17.0 |
 Libya | 47.7 | 41.0 | 6.7 | 15.0 |
 Lithuania | 56.5 | 24.2 | 32.3 | 3.1 |
 Luxembourg | 42.8 | 22.2 | 20.5 | 4.9 |
 Macau | 35.7 | 19.5 | 16.2 | 6.2 |
 Madagascar | 75.9 | 70.5 | 5.5 | 18.3 |
 Malawi | 83.9 | 79.1 | 4.9 | 20.6 |
 Malaysia | 44.2 | 33.8 | 10.4 | 9.7 |
 Maldives | 30.2 | 25.5 | 4.7 | 21.4 |
 Mali | 98.0 | 93.1 | 4.9 | 20.4 |
 Malta | 55.5 | 22.4 | 33.2 | 3.0 |
 Mauritania | 75.0 | 69.5 | 5.6 | 18.0 |
 Mauritius | 41.5 | 23.7 | 17.7 | 5.6 |
 Mexico | 50.3 | 38.8 | 11.4 | 8.7 |
 Federated States of Micronesia | 55.2 | 48.4 | 6.8 | 14.7 |
 Moldova | 39.6 | 22.2 | 17.4 | 5.7 |
 Mongolia | 54.8 | 48.1 | 6.7 | 15.0 |
 Montenegro | 51.1 | 27.3 | 23.8 | 4.2 |
 Morocco | 52.4 | 40.8 | 11.6 | 8.6 |
 Mozambique | 88.4 | 83.0 | 5.4 | 18.5 |
 Myanmar | 46.5 | 37.3 | 9.1 | 10.9 |
 Namibia | 67.9 | 61.8 | 6.0 | 16.6 |
 Nepal | 53.0 | 44.1 | 8.9 | 11.2 |
 Netherlands | 55.6 | 24.4 | 31.2 | 3.2 |
 New Caledonia (France) | 46.6 | 32.4 | 14.2 | 7.0 |
 New Zealand | 55.8 | 30.3 | 25.5 | 3.9 |
 Nicaragua | 54.3 | 45.5 | 8.8 | 11.4 |
 Niger | 109.5 | 104.1 | 5.4 | 18.4 |
 Nigeria | 86.0 | 80.9 | 5.1 | 19.6 |
 North Macedonia | 44.5 | 23.6 | 20.9 | 4.8 |
 Norway | 53.3 | 26.5 | 26.9 | 3.7 |
 Oman | 33.3 | 30.0 | 3.3 | 29.9 |
 Pakistan | 64.4 | 57.2 | 7.1 | 14.0 |
 Palestine | 71.2 | 65.7 | 5.5 | 18.2 |
 Panama | 53.9 | 40.8 | 13.1 | 7.6 |
 Papua New Guinea | 63.2 | 57.4 | 5.8 | 17.2 |
 Paraguay | 55.5 | 49.9 | 10.6 | 9.4 |
 Peru | 50.2 | 37.1 | 13.1 | 7.6 |
 Philippines | 55.2 | 46.6 | 8.6 | 11.7 |
 Poland | 51.4 | 23.0 | 28.4 | 3.5 |
 Portugal | 55.8 | 20.3 | 35.5 | 2.8 |
 Puerto Rico (US) | 57.7 | 24.8 | 32.8 | 3.0 |
 Qatar | 18.1 | 16.1 | 2.0 | 50.1 |
 Romania | 53.3 | 23.8 | 29.5 | 3.4 |
 Russia | 51.2 | 27.8 | 23.5 | 4.3 |
 Rwanda | 74.2 | 68.8 | 5.4 | 18.4 |
 Saint Lucia | 39.4 | 25.0 | 14.4 | 7.0 |
 Saint Vincent and the Grenadines | 46.7 | 32.1 | 14.5 | 6.9 |
 Samoa | 73.3 | 64.5 | 8.8 | 11.4 |
 São Tomé and Príncipe | 81.0 | 75.6 | 5.4 | 18.4 |
 Saudi Arabia | 39.3 | 34.4 | 4.9 | 20.5 |
 Senegal | 84.2 | 78.4 | 5.7 | 17.5 |
 Serbia | 52.5 | 23.4 | 29.1 | 3.4 |
 Seychelles | 46.7 | 34.9 | 11.8 | 8.5 |
 Sierra Leone | 76.3 | 71.1 | 5.2 | 19.4 |
 Singapore | 34.5 | 16.5 | 18.0 | 5.6 |
 Slovakia | 47.6 | 23.0 | 24.6 | 4.1 |
 Slovenia | 55.9 | 23.6 | 32.3 | 3.1 |
 Solomon Islands | 77.6 | 71.1 | 6.5 | 15.3 |
 Somalia | 96.3 | 90.6 | 5.7 | 17.6 |
 South Africa | 52.2 | 43.8 | 8.4 | 11.9 |
 South Sudan | 80.8 | 74.7 | 6.1 | 16.5 |
 Spain | 52.4 | 21.9 | 30.4 | 3.3 |
 Sri Lanka | 53.7 | 36.4 | 17.3 | 5.8 |
 Sudan | 76.9 | 70.4 | 6.5 | 15.4 |
 Suriname | 51.1 | 40.3 | 10.8 | 9.3 |
 Sweden | 61.2 | 28.4 | 32.8 | 3.1 |
 Switzerland | 51.6 | 22.7 | 29.0 | 3.5 |
 Syria | 55.4 | 47.8 | 7.6 | 13.2 |
 Taiwan | 40.0 | 17.8 | 22.2 | 4.5 |
 Tajikistan | 67.9 | 62.6 | 5.3 | 18.7 |
 Tanzania | 85.9 | 81.0 | 4.9 | 20.4 |
 Thailand | 41.9 | 23.5 | 18.4 | 5.4 |
 Timor-Leste | 87.3 | 78.7 | 7.6 | 13.3 |
 Togo | 77.1 | 72.0 | 5.1 | 19.4 |
 Tonga | 68.6 | 58.6 | 10.0 | 10.0 |
 Trinidad and Tobago | 46.1 | 29.3 | 16.8 | 7.4 |
 Tunisia | 49.6 | 36.3 | 13.3 | 7.5 |
 Turkey | 49.1 | 35.7 | 13.4 | 7.5 |
 Turkmenistan | 55.2 | 47.8 | 7.4 | 13.5 |
 Uganda | 92.3 | 88.5 | 3.8 | 26.2 |
 Ukraine | 49.1 | 23.8 | 25.3 | 4.0 |
 United Arab Emirates | 19.2 | 17.7 | 1.5 | 66.4 |
 United Kingdom | 57.1 | 27.8 | 29.3 | 3.4 |
 United States | 53.9 | 28.3 | 25.6 | 3.9 |
 Uruguay | 54.9 | 31.5 | 23.4 | 4.3 |
 Uzbekistan | 50.6 | 43.4 | 7.2 | 13.9 |
 Vanuatu | 72.5 | 66.2 | 12.3 | 8.1 |
 Venezuela | 54.4 | 42.1 | 12.3 | 8.1 |
 Vietnam | 45.1 | 33.6 | 11.4 | 8.8 |
 US Virgin Islands (US) | 66.0 | 32.0 | 34.0 | 2.9 |
 Western Sahara | 44.1 | 39.2 | 4.9 | 20.4 |
 Yemen | 71.7 | 66.7 | 5.0 | 19.9 |
 Zambia | 85.7 | 81.7 | 4.0 | 25.3 |
 Zimbabwe | 81.6 | 76.1 | 5.5 | 18.3 |
| World | 53.3 | 39.0 | 14.3 | 7.0 |