Age dependency ratio of working age population in China
China: Age dependency ratio of working age population was 44.73 in 2023. ▼ Falling
Latest (2023)
44.73
Change on year
up 0.0%
World rank
196th
of 236 countries
All-time high
82.3
in 1966
All-time low
37.24
in 2010
Years of data
74
1950–2023
Age dependency ratio of working age population in China, 1950–2023
Source: Our World in Data.
Analysis
In 2023, age dependency ratio of working age population in China stood at 44.73.
Compared with earlier readings it is up 17.0% over ten years.
Over the whole period, age dependency ratio of working age population in China peaked at 82.3 in 1966 and was at its lowest, 37.24, in 2010.
That places China 196th out of 236 countries with data for 2023, putting it in the bottom quarter.
The long-run direction has been consistently falling across the 74 years of available data.
Age dependency ratio of working age population in China, year by year
| Year | Value | Change |
|---|---|---|
| 1950 | 66.2 | — |
| 1951 | 67.22 | +1.5% |
| 1952 | 68.72 | +2.2% |
| 1953 | 70.52 | +2.6% |
| 1954 | 72.38 | +2.6% |
| 1955 | 74.37 | +2.7% |
| 1956 | 75.99 | +2.2% |
| 1957 | 77.83 | +2.4% |
| 1958 | 79.77 | +2.5% |
| 1959 | 80.38 | +0.8% |
| 1960 | 79.53 | -1.0% |
| 1961 | 78.05 | -1.9% |
| 1962 | 77.89 | -0.2% |
| 1963 | 79.69 | +2.3% |
| 1964 | 81.45 | +2.2% |
| 1965 | 82.16 | +0.9% |
| 1966 | 82.3 | +0.2% |
| 1967 | 81.55 | -0.9% |
| 1968 | 80.83 | -0.9% |
| 1969 | 80.63 | -0.3% |
| 1970 | 80.18 | -0.6% |
| 1971 | 79.84 | -0.4% |
| 1972 | 79.12 | -0.9% |
| 1973 | 78.47 | -0.8% |
| 1974 | 78.71 | +0.3% |
| 1975 | 79.2 | +0.6% |
| 1976 | 79.54 | +0.4% |
| 1977 | 78.28 | -1.6% |
| 1978 | 74.66 | -4.6% |
| 1979 | 70.98 | -4.9% |
| 1980 | 68.05 | -4.1% |
| 1981 | 65.46 | -3.8% |
| 1982 | 63.5 | -3.0% |
| 1983 | 61.27 | -3.5% |
| 1984 | 58.69 | -4.2% |
| 1985 | 56.47 | -3.8% |
| 1986 | 54.7 | -3.1% |
| 1987 | 53.49 | -2.2% |
| 1988 | 52.55 | -1.8% |
| 1989 | 51.93 | -1.2% |
| 1990 | 51.84 | -0.2% |
| 1991 | 51.75 | -0.2% |
| 1992 | 51.47 | -0.5% |
| 1993 | 51.24 | -0.4% |
| 1994 | 50.88 | -0.7% |
| 1995 | 50.35 | -1.0% |
| 1996 | 49.65 | -1.4% |
| 1997 | 48.68 | -2.0% |
| 1998 | 47.79 | -1.8% |
| 1999 | 47.03 | -1.6% |
| 2000 | 46.12 | -1.9% |
| 2001 | 44.97 | -2.5% |
| 2002 | 43.53 | -3.2% |
| 2003 | 42.09 | -3.3% |
| 2004 | 40.69 | -3.3% |
| 2005 | 39.24 | -3.6% |
| 2006 | 38.21 | -2.6% |
| 2007 | 37.71 | -1.3% |
| 2008 | 37.4 | -0.8% |
| 2009 | 37.26 | -0.4% |
| 2010 | 37.24 | -0.0% |
| 2011 | 37.36 | +0.3% |
| 2012 | 37.71 | +0.9% |
| 2013 | 38.24 | +1.4% |
| 2014 | 38.88 | +1.7% |
| 2015 | 39.61 | +1.9% |
| 2016 | 40.44 | +2.1% |
| 2017 | 41.51 | +2.6% |
| 2018 | 42.54 | +2.5% |
| 2019 | 43.38 | +2.0% |
| 2020 | 44.09 | +1.6% |
| 2021 | 44.48 | +0.9% |
| 2022 | 44.72 | +0.5% |
| 2023 | 44.73 | +0.0% |
China compared with similar countries
- China's 44.73 is below the median for upper middle income countries, which is 50.28, 89% of the median. (58 countries reporting)
- China's 44.73 is below the median for East Asia & Pacific, which is 54, 83% of the median. (37 countries reporting)
Averages by decade
| Decade | Average | Lowest | Highest | Years |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1950s | 73.34 | 66.2 | 80.38 | 10 |
| 1960s | 80.41 | 77.89 | 82.3 | 10 |
| 1970s | 77.9 | 70.98 | 80.18 | 10 |
| 1980s | 58.61 | 51.93 | 68.05 | 10 |
| 1990s | 50.07 | 47.03 | 51.84 | 10 |
| 2000s | 40.72 | 37.26 | 46.12 | 10 |
| 2010s | 39.69 | 37.24 | 43.38 | 10 |
| 2020s | 44.5 | 44.09 | 44.73 | 4 |
Countries ranked near China
More population data for China
- Population regions with projections, annual growth rate -1.66 % change on previous year (2100)
- Urban and rural population 2050, annual growth rate -12.97 % change on previous year (2050)
- Population long run with projections, annual growth rate -1.66 % change on previous year (2100)
- Un population 2024 vs 2022, annual growth rate -1.19 % change on previous year (2100)
- Africa's Development Dynamics (AfDD) Table 05 - Demographic estimates 1.31 million Persons (2050)
- Africa's Development Dynamics (AfDD) Table 03 - Annual population -0.1671 Percent per annum (2030)
- Projected population under age 5, annual growth rate -0.3489 % change on previous year (2100)
- Population growth rate -1.68 (2100)
- Population density 67.46 (2100)
- Projected population under age 5 15.54 million (2100)
Frequently asked questions
- What is age dependency ratio of working age population in China?
- Age dependency ratio of working age population in China was 44.73 in 2023, according to Our World in Data.
- What is the highest age dependency ratio of working age population recorded in China?
- The highest recorded value was 82.3 in 1966.
- What is the lowest age dependency ratio of working age population recorded in China?
- The lowest recorded value was 37.24 in 2010.
- How does China rank for age dependency ratio of working age population?
- China ranks 196th out of 236 countries with data for 2023.
- Is age dependency ratio of working age population rising or falling in China?
- Over the last ten years it is up 17.0%. The long-run trend across the full record is falling.
- Where does this China data come from?
- The figures come from Our World in Data, published as part of Age dependency ratio of working age population. Statizoid updates them automatically from the source API.
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