Number of children, working-age adults, and older people in Ethiopia
Ethiopia: Number of children, working-age adults, and older people was 4.08 million people in 2023. ◆ Volatile
Latest (2023)
4.08 million people
Change on year
up 4.2%
World rank
32nd
of 236 countries
All-time high
4.08 million people
in 2023
All-time low
531,838 people
in 1950
Years of data
74
1950–2023
Number of children, working-age adults, and older people in Ethiopia, 1950–2023
Source: UN, World Population Prospects (2024) – processed by Our World in Data. Measured in people.
Analysis
Ethiopia recorded 4.08 million people for number of children, working-age adults, and older people in 2023. That is the highest value across all 74 years on record.
The figure is up 4.2% on the previous year and up 44.5% over ten years.
Over the whole period, number of children, working-age adults, and older people in Ethiopia peaked at 4.08 million people in 2023 and was at its lowest, 531,838 people, in 1950.
Ethiopia ranks 32nd of 236 countries on this measure, in the top quarter.
The series is highly variable year to year, so single readings are best treated with caution.
Number of children, working-age adults, and older people in Ethiopia, year by year
| Year | people | Change |
|---|---|---|
| 1950 | 531,838 people | — |
| 1951 | 540,775 people | +1.7% |
| 1952 | 549,362 people | +1.6% |
| 1953 | 557,536 people | +1.5% |
| 1954 | 565,607 people | +1.4% |
| 1955 | 573,762 people | +1.4% |
| 1956 | 582,226 people | +1.5% |
| 1957 | 586,976 people | +0.8% |
| 1958 | 587,735 people | +0.1% |
| 1959 | 593,071 people | +0.9% |
| 1960 | 603,076 people | +1.7% |
| 1961 | 613,263 people | +1.7% |
| 1962 | 623,183 people | +1.6% |
| 1963 | 633,841 people | +1.7% |
| 1964 | 647,341 people | +2.1% |
| 1965 | 664,161 people | +2.6% |
| 1966 | 682,424 people | +2.7% |
| 1967 | 704,075 people | +3.2% |
| 1968 | 729,780 people | +3.7% |
| 1969 | 755,798 people | +3.6% |
| 1970 | 781,292 people | +3.4% |
| 1971 | 806,315 people | +3.2% |
| 1972 | 829,969 people | +2.9% |
| 1973 | 852,698 people | +2.7% |
| 1974 | 873,808 people | +2.5% |
| 1975 | 892,671 people | +2.2% |
| 1976 | 913,685 people | +2.4% |
| 1977 | 930,564 people | +1.8% |
| 1978 | 945,016 people | +1.6% |
| 1979 | 957,534 people | +1.3% |
| 1980 | 961,429 people | +0.4% |
| 1981 | 984,404 people | +2.4% |
| 1982 | 1.02 million people | +3.8% |
| 1983 | 1.04 million people | +2.2% |
| 1984 | 1.06 million people | +1.6% |
| 1985 | 1.08 million people | +2.1% |
| 1986 | 1.11 million people | +2.6% |
| 1987 | 1.15 million people | +3.6% |
| 1988 | 1.20 million people | +4.6% |
| 1989 | 1.26 million people | +4.3% |
| 1990 | 1.30 million people | +3.8% |
| 1991 | 1.37 million people | +5.0% |
| 1992 | 1.43 million people | +4.6% |
| 1993 | 1.48 million people | +3.1% |
| 1994 | 1.52 million people | +3.0% |
| 1995 | 1.55 million people | +2.3% |
| 1996 | 1.59 million people | +2.0% |
| 1997 | 1.62 million people | +2.5% |
| 1998 | 1.67 million people | +2.8% |
| 1999 | 1.71 million people | +2.6% |
| 2000 | 1.76 million people | +2.8% |
| 2001 | 1.82 million people | +3.1% |
| 2002 | 1.87 million people | +3.1% |
| 2003 | 1.93 million people | +3.2% |
| 2004 | 2.00 million people | +3.3% |
| 2005 | 2.06 million people | +3.4% |
| 2006 | 2.14 million people | +3.5% |
| 2007 | 2.21 million people | +3.5% |
| 2008 | 2.29 million people | +3.7% |
| 2009 | 2.38 million people | +3.9% |
| 2010 | 2.48 million people | +4.2% |
| 2011 | 2.59 million people | +4.4% |
| 2012 | 2.71 million people | +4.5% |
| 2013 | 2.82 million people | +4.3% |
| 2014 | 2.94 million people | +4.1% |
| 2015 | 3.05 million people | +3.7% |
| 2016 | 3.15 million people | +3.4% |
| 2017 | 3.26 million people | +3.6% |
| 2018 | 3.39 million people | +3.7% |
| 2019 | 3.52 million people | +3.8% |
| 2020 | 3.65 million people | +3.8% |
| 2021 | 3.78 million people | +3.5% |
| 2022 | 3.92 million people | +3.7% |
| 2023 | 4.08 million people | +4.2% |
Ethiopia compared with similar countries
- Ethiopia's 4.08 million people is above the median for low income countries, which is 571,728 people, 7.1× the median. (25 countries reporting)
- Ethiopia's 4.08 million people is above the median for Sub-Saharan Africa, which is 418,208 people, 9.8× the median. (48 countries reporting)
Averages by decade
| Decade | Average | Lowest | Highest | Years |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1950s | 566,889 people | 531,838 people | 593,071 people | 10 |
| 1960s | 665,694 people | 603,076 people | 755,798 people | 10 |
| 1970s | 878,355 people | 781,292 people | 957,534 people | 10 |
| 1980s | 1.09 million people | 961,429 people | 1.26 million people | 10 |
| 1990s | 1.52 million people | 1.30 million people | 1.71 million people | 10 |
| 2000s | 2.05 million people | 1.76 million people | 2.38 million people | 10 |
| 2010s | 2.99 million people | 2.48 million people | 3.52 million people | 10 |
| 2020s | 3.86 million people | 3.65 million people | 4.08 million people | 4 |
Countries ranked near Ethiopia
More population data for Ethiopia
- Population regions with projections, annual growth rate 0.4782 % change on previous year (2100)
- Urban and rural population 2050, annual growth rate 1.28 % change on previous year (2050)
- Population long run with projections, annual growth rate 0.4782 % change on previous year (2100)
- Un population 2024 vs 2022, annual growth rate 0.2918 % change on previous year (2100)
- Projected population under age 5, annual growth rate -0.229 % change on previous year (2100)
- World population growth 0.5% (2100)
- Population density 325.45 people per km² (2100)
- Number of children under 5, by world region 23.22 million people (2100)
- Population growth rate, by level of development 0.5% (2100)
- Number of people living in urban and rural areas, annual growth rate 4.7 % change on previous year (2025)
Frequently asked questions
- What is number of children, working-age adults, and older people in Ethiopia?
- Number of children, working-age adults, and older people in Ethiopia was 4.08 million people in 2023, according to UN, World Population Prospects (2024) – processed by Our World in Data.
- What is the highest number of children, working-age adults, and older people recorded in Ethiopia?
- The highest recorded value was 4.08 million people in 2023.
- What is the lowest number of children, working-age adults, and older people recorded in Ethiopia?
- The lowest recorded value was 531,838 people in 1950.
- How does Ethiopia rank for number of children, working-age adults, and older people?
- Ethiopia ranks 32nd out of 236 countries with data for 2023.
- Is number of children, working-age adults, and older people rising or falling in Ethiopia?
- Over the last ten years it is up 44.5%. The long-run trend across the full record is volatile.
- 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 Number of children, working-age adults, and older people. Statizoid updates them automatically from the source API.
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About this data
Total population, measured on 1 July of the year shown. This only includes people aged 65+.