Age dependency ratio of working age population in South Africa
South Africa: Age dependency ratio of working age population was 48.35 in 2023. ▼ Falling
Latest (2023)
48.35
Change on year
down 0.4%
World rank
173rd
of 229 countries
All-time high
84.66
in 1971
All-time low
48.35
in 2023
Years of data
74
1950–2023
Age dependency ratio of working age population in South Africa, 1950–2023
Source: Our World in Data.
Analysis
South Africa recorded 48.35 for age dependency ratio of working age population in 2023. That is the lowest value across all 74 years on record.
The figure is down 0.4% on the previous year and down 6.0% over ten years.
Over the whole period, age dependency ratio of working age population in South Africa peaked at 84.66 in 1971 and was at its lowest, 48.35, in 2023.
That places South Africa 173rd out of 229 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 South Africa, year by year
| Year | Value | Change |
|---|---|---|
| 1950 | 79.13 | — |
| 1951 | 79.5 | +0.5% |
| 1952 | 79.97 | +0.6% |
| 1953 | 80.56 | +0.7% |
| 1954 | 81.16 | +0.8% |
| 1955 | 81.73 | +0.7% |
| 1956 | 82.24 | +0.6% |
| 1957 | 82.67 | +0.5% |
| 1958 | 83.08 | +0.5% |
| 1959 | 83.37 | +0.3% |
| 1960 | 83.43 | +0.1% |
| 1961 | 83.42 | -0.0% |
| 1962 | 83.39 | -0.0% |
| 1963 | 83.28 | -0.1% |
| 1964 | 83.29 | +0.0% |
| 1965 | 83.51 | +0.3% |
| 1966 | 83.78 | +0.3% |
| 1967 | 84.04 | +0.3% |
| 1968 | 84.27 | +0.3% |
| 1969 | 84.46 | +0.2% |
| 1970 | 84.61 | +0.2% |
| 1971 | 84.66 | +0.1% |
| 1972 | 84.59 | -0.1% |
| 1973 | 84.46 | -0.2% |
| 1974 | 84.27 | -0.2% |
| 1975 | 84.02 | -0.3% |
| 1976 | 83.72 | -0.4% |
| 1977 | 83.25 | -0.6% |
| 1978 | 82.61 | -0.8% |
| 1979 | 81.97 | -0.8% |
| 1980 | 80.93 | -1.3% |
| 1981 | 79.56 | -1.7% |
| 1982 | 78.41 | -1.4% |
| 1983 | 77.49 | -1.2% |
| 1984 | 76.72 | -1.0% |
| 1985 | 75.97 | -1.0% |
| 1986 | 75.19 | -1.0% |
| 1987 | 74.4 | -1.1% |
| 1988 | 73.55 | -1.1% |
| 1989 | 72.59 | -1.3% |
| 1990 | 71.48 | -1.5% |
| 1991 | 70.85 | -0.9% |
| 1992 | 71.1 | +0.4% |
| 1993 | 70.2 | -1.3% |
| 1994 | 70.18 | -0.0% |
| 1995 | 71.47 | +1.8% |
| 1996 | 72.03 | +0.8% |
| 1997 | 71.62 | -0.6% |
| 1998 | 69.84 | -2.5% |
| 1999 | 67.82 | -2.9% |
| 2000 | 65.7 | -3.1% |
| 2001 | 63.54 | -3.3% |
| 2002 | 61.4 | -3.4% |
| 2003 | 59.45 | -3.2% |
| 2004 | 57.86 | -2.7% |
| 2005 | 56.65 | -2.1% |
| 2006 | 55.68 | -1.7% |
| 2007 | 54.84 | -1.5% |
| 2008 | 54.2 | -1.2% |
| 2009 | 53.66 | -1.0% |
| 2010 | 53.02 | -1.2% |
| 2011 | 52.36 | -1.2% |
| 2012 | 51.86 | -0.9% |
| 2013 | 51.46 | -0.8% |
| 2014 | 51.13 | -0.6% |
| 2015 | 50.78 | -0.7% |
| 2016 | 51.05 | +0.5% |
| 2017 | 51.26 | +0.4% |
| 2018 | 50.67 | -1.2% |
| 2019 | 50.08 | -1.2% |
| 2020 | 49.48 | -1.2% |
| 2021 | 48.9 | -1.2% |
| 2022 | 48.54 | -0.7% |
| 2023 | 48.35 | -0.4% |
Averages by decade
| Decade | Average | Lowest | Highest | Years |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1950s | 81.34 | 79.13 | 83.37 | 10 |
| 1960s | 83.69 | 83.28 | 84.46 | 10 |
| 1970s | 83.82 | 81.97 | 84.66 | 10 |
| 1980s | 76.48 | 72.59 | 80.93 | 10 |
| 1990s | 70.66 | 67.82 | 72.03 | 10 |
| 2000s | 58.3 | 53.66 | 65.7 | 10 |
| 2010s | 51.37 | 50.08 | 53.02 | 10 |
| 2020s | 48.82 | 48.35 | 49.48 | 4 |
Countries ranked near South Africa
More population data for South Africa
- Un population 2024 vs 2022, annual growth rate -0.1847 % change on previous year (2100)
- Africa's Development Dynamics (AfDD) Table 05 - Demographic estimates 73,530 Persons (2050)
- Africa's Development Dynamics (AfDD) Table 03 - Annual population 0.8824 Percent per annum (2030)
- Projected population under age 5, annual growth rate -0.0148 % change on previous year (2100)
- Population growth rate 0.23 (2100)
- Population density 77.75 (2100)
- Projected population under age 5 5.55 million (2100)
- Population growth rate by level of development 0.23 (2100)
- Africa's Development Dynamics (AfDD) Table 05 - Demographic estimates 0.8825 % change on previous year (2030)
- Fertility and wanted fertility, annual growth rate -0.4964 % change on previous year (2024)
Frequently asked questions
- What is age dependency ratio of working age population in South Africa?
- Age dependency ratio of working age population in South Africa was 48.35 in 2023, according to Our World in Data.
- What is the highest age dependency ratio of working age population recorded in South Africa?
- The highest recorded value was 84.66 in 1971.
- What is the lowest age dependency ratio of working age population recorded in South Africa?
- The lowest recorded value was 48.35 in 2023.
- How does South Africa rank for age dependency ratio of working age population?
- South Africa ranks 173rd out of 229 countries with data for 2023.
- Is age dependency ratio of working age population rising or falling in South Africa?
- Over the last ten years it is down 6.0%. The long-run trend across the full record is falling.
- Where does this South Africa 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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