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People > Dependency ratios > Potential support ratio: Countries Compared

DEFINITION: This entry is derived from People > Dependency ratios, which dependency ratios are a measure of the age structure of a population. They relate the number of individuals that are likely to be economically "dependent" on the support of others. Dependency ratios contrast the ratio of youths (ages 0-14) and the elderly (ages 65+) to the number of those in the working-age group (ages 15-64). Changes in the dependency ratio provide an indication of potential social support requirements resulting from changes in population age structures. As fertility levels decline, the dependency ratio initially falls because the proportion of youths decreases while the proportion of the population of working age increases. As 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.
total dependency ratio - The total dependency ratio is the ratio of combined youth population (ages 0-14) and elderly population (ages 65+) per 100 people of working age (ages 15-64). A high total dependency ratio indicates that the working-age 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.
youth dependency ratio - The youth dependency ratio is the ratio of the youth population (ages 0-14) per 100 people of working age (ages 15-64). A high youth dependency ratio indicates that a greater investment needs to be made in schooling and other services for children.
elderly dependency ratio - The elderly dependency ratio is the ratio 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.
potential support ratio - The potential support ratio is the number of working-age people (ages 15-64) per one elderly person (ages 65+). As a population ages, the potential support ratio tends to fall, meaning there are fewer potential workers to support the elderly.

CONTENTS

# COUNTRY AMOUNT DATE GRAPH
1 United Arab Emirates 201.7 2013
2 Qatar 83.9 2013
OPEC countries average (profile) 40.99 2013
3 Bahrain 34.3 2013
4 Kuwait 31.3 2013
Middle Eastern and North Africa average (profile) 31.16 2013
5 Western Sahara 27 2013
6 Oman 26.2 2013
7 Eritrea 24.1 2013
8 Saudi Arabia 23.6 2013
9 Rwanda 23 2013
Muslim countries average (profile) 22.35 2013
10 Burundi 22 2013
11 Afghanistan 21.7 2013
12 The Gambia 21.6 2013
13 Burkina Faso 21.3 2013
14 Equatorial Guinea 21 2013
=15 Sierra Leone 20.9 2013
=15 Angola 20.9 2013
17 Kenya 20.6 2013
18 Chad 20.4 2013
=19 Papua New Guinea 20.3 2013
=19 Uganda 20.3 2013
21 Togo 20.1 2013
22 Yemen 19.8 2013
Former British colonies average (profile) 19.55 2013
23 Madagascar 19.5 2013
24 Zambia 19.4 2013
=25 Nigeria 19.3 2013
=25 Guinea-Bissau 19.3 2013
=25 Comoros 19.3 2013
=28 Gaza Strip 19.2 2013
=28 West Bank 19.2 2013
30 Tajikistan 19.1 2013
31 Benin 18.8 2013
32 Democratic Republic of the Congo 18.2 2013
=33 Mongolia 18.1 2013
=33 Niger 18.1 2013
=35 Senegal 17.9 2013
=35 Mauritania 17.9 2013
=35 Mali 17.9 2013
=38 Liberia 17.8 2013
=38 Iraq 17.8 2013
=40 Somalia 17.7 2013
=40 Guyana 17.7 2013
42 Jordan 17.6 2013
Sub-Saharan Africa average (profile) 17.52 2013
=43 Guinea 17.5 2013
=43 Cote d'Ivoire 17.5 2013
failed states average (profile) 17.43 2013
45 Botswana 17.3 2013
46 Sudan 17.1 2013
47 Namibia 17 2013
=48 Swaziland 16.8 2013
=48 Solomon Islands 16.8 2013
=50 Cameroon 16.7 2013
=50 Ghana 16.7 2013
52 Turkmenistan 16.5 2013
53 Brunei 16.4 2013
54 Sao Tome and Principe 16.3 2013
55 Tanzania 16.2 2013
=56 Malawi 16.1 2013
=56 Laos 16.1 2013
=58 Congo, Republic of the 15.9 2013
=58 Philippines 15.9 2013
60 Ethiopia 15.8 2013
Former French colonies average (profile) 15.74 2013
=61 Uzbekistan 15.7 2013
=61 Djibouti 15.7 2013
=61 Kyrgyzstan 15.7 2013
=64 Belize 15.6 2013
=64 Mozambique 15.6 2013
=64 South Sudan 15.6 2013
=67 East Timor 15.5 2013
=67 Kiribati 15.5 2013
Hot countries average (profile) 15.25 2013
South Asia average (profile) 15.16 2013
=69 Vanuatu 15 2013
=69 Syria 15 2013
71 Federated States of Micronesia 14.9 2013
=72 Central African Republic 14.7 2013
=72 Zimbabwe 14.7 2013
=72 Algeria 14.7 2013
South and Central Asia average (profile) 14.29 2013
=75 Pakistan 14.1 2013
=75 Lesotho 14.1 2013
77 Bhutan 14 2013
Sparsely populated countries average (profile) 13.9 2013
78 Libya 13.7 2013
Landlocked countries average (profile) 13.63 2013
=79 Bangladesh 13.6 2013
=79 Honduras 13.6 2013
=81 Morocco 13.5 2013
=81 Nicaragua 13.5 2013
=83 Maldives 13.4 2013
=83 Iran 13.4 2013
=83 Haiti 13.4 2013
=83 Burma 13.4 2013
87 Azerbaijan 12.9 2013
88 Malaysia 12.8 2013
89 Indonesia 12.6 2013
90 India 12.4 2013
Religious countries average (profile) 12.35 2013
91 Bolivia 12.3 2013
92 Cape Verde 12.2 2013
=93 Fiji 12.1 2013
=93 Guatemala 12.1 2013
95 Cambodia 11.9 2013
East Asia and Pacific average (profile) 11.8 2013
=96 Nepal 11.7 2013
=96 South Africa 11.7 2013
98 Paraguay 11.4 2013
Former Spanish colonies average (profile) 11.36 2013
99 Samoa 11.1 2013
=100 Gabon 10.9 2013
=100 Egypt 10.9 2013
=102 Colombia 10.7 2013
=102 Vietnam 10.7 2013
104 Venezuela 10.6 2013
105 Mexico 10.2 2013
=106 Dominican Republic 10.1 2013
=106 Peru 10.1 2013
=106 Kazakhstan 10.1 2013
Christian countries average (profile) 10.01 2013
=109 Costa Rica 9.9 2013
=109 Suriname 9.9 2013
Latin America and Caribbean average (profile) 9.82 2013
=111 Ecuador 9.8 2013
=111 Macau 9.8 2013
=111 French Polynesia 9.8 2013
=114 Saint Vincent and the Grenadines 9.7 2013
=114 Tonga 9.7 2013
=114 Tunisia 9.7 2013
Catholic countries average (profile) 9.62 2013
117 Antigua and Barbuda 9.5 2013
118 Grenada 9.3 2013
119 The Bahamas 9.2 2013
=120 Turkey 9.1 2013
=120 Brazil 9.1 2013
=120 Seychelles 9.1 2013
Former Soviet republics average (profile) 8.98 2013
123 Panama 8.9 2013
124 El Salvador 8.8 2013
Emerging markets average (profile) 8.26 2013
=125 Mauritius 8.2 2013
=125 Jamaica 8.2 2013
=125 China 8.2 2013
=128 Lebanon 8.1 2013
=128 Guam 8.1 2013
Heavily indebted countries average (profile) 8.01 2013
=130 Trinidad and Tobago 7.8 2013
=130 Sri Lanka 7.8 2013
132 Saint Lucia 7.7 2013
133 Thailand 7.4 2013
134 North Korea 7.3 2013
135 Singapore 7.2 2013
136 Chile 6.9 2013
137 New Caledonia 6.8 2013
138 Armenia 6.7 2013
139 Barbados 6.5 2013
140 Albania 6.4 2013
141 Moldova 6.3 2013
Cold countries average (profile) 6.25 2013
142 Aruba 6.1 2013
143 South Korea 6 2013
144 Argentina 5.9 2013
Non-religious countries average (profile) 5.88 2013
Potential Future EU Members average (profile) 5.83 2013
145 Cyprus 5.8 2013
=146 Israel 5.7 2013
=146 Republic of Macedonia 5.7 2013
148 Slovakia 5.6 2013
=149 Ireland 5.5 2013
=149 Russia 5.5 2013
Eastern Europe average (profile) 5.32 2013
=151 Hong Kong 5.3 2013
=151 Cuba 5.3 2013
=153 Montenegro 5.2 2013
=153 Iceland 5.2 2013
155 Belarus 5.1 2013
156 Poland 4.9 2013
=157 Luxembourg 4.8 2013
=157 Serbia 4.8 2013
=157 United States 4.8 2013
=157 Puerto Rico 4.8 2013
=161 Georgia 4.7 2013
=161 New Zealand 4.7 2013
=161 Ukraine 4.7 2013
Europe average (profile) 4.7 2013
=164 Australia 4.6 2013
=164 Romania 4.6 2013
=166 Canada 4.5 2013
=166 Uruguay 4.5 2013
=168 Bosnia and Herzegovina 4.4 2013
=168 Lithuania 4.4 2013
NATO countries average (profile) 4.27 2013
High income OECD countries average (profile) 4.23 2013
170 Malta 4.2 2013
=171 Jersey 4.1 2013
=171 Norway 4.1 2013
=171 Guernsey 4.1 2013
=171 Czech Republic 4.1 2013
Eurozone average (profile) 4.01 2013
=175 Hungary 4 2013
=175 Slovenia 4 2013
European Union average (profile) 4 2013
=177 Netherlands 3.9 2013
=177 Virgin Islands 3.9 2013
=179 Spain 3.8 2013
=179 Switzerland 3.8 2013
=181 Estonia 3.7 2013
=181 United Kingdom 3.7 2013
=181 Austria 3.7 2013
=181 Croatia 3.7 2013
Group of 7 countries (G7) average (profile) 3.61 2013
=185 France 3.6 2013
=185 Denmark 3.6 2013
=185 Latvia 3.6 2013
=185 Belgium 3.6 2013
=189 Portugal 3.5 2013
=189 Bulgaria 3.5 2013
191 Finland 3.4 2013
=192 Greece 3.3 2013
=192 Sweden 3.3 2013
=194 Italy 3.1 2013
=194 Germany 3.1 2013
196 Japan 2.5 2013

Citation

People > Dependency ratios > Potential support ratio: Countries Compared Map

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