Age dependency ratio in Middle East, North Africa, Afghanistan & Pakistan
Middle East, North Africa, Afghanistan & Pakistan: Age dependency ratio was 59.6% in 2025. ▼ Falling
Age dependency ratio in Middle East, North Africa, Afghanistan & Pakistan, 1960–2025
Source: World Population Prospects, United Nations (UN), publisher: UN Population Division. Measured in % of working-age population.
Analysis
In 2025, age dependency ratio in Middle East, North Africa, Afghanistan & Pakistan stood at 59.6%. That is the lowest value across all 66 years on record.
The figure is down 1.2% on the previous year and down 6.3% over ten years.
Over the whole period, age dependency ratio in Middle East, North Africa, Afghanistan & Pakistan peaked at 90.8% in 1972 and was at its lowest, 59.6%, in 2025.
The long-run direction has been consistently falling across the 66 years of available data.
Averages by decade
| Decade | Average | Lowest | Highest | Years |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1960s | 88.0% | 84.6% | 90.5% | 10 |
| 1970s | 90.5% | 89.8% | 90.8% | 10 |
| 1980s | 88.3% | 87.9% | 89.3% | 10 |
| 1990s | 84.1% | 78.4% | 87.5% | 10 |
| 2000s | 70.1% | 64.5% | 76.6% | 10 |
| 2010s | 63.6% | 63.2% | 64.0% | 10 |
| 2020s | 61.3% | 59.6% | 62.8% | 6 |
More health data for Middle East, North Africa, Afghanistan & Pakistan
- Population ages 65 and above, male 4.7% (2025)
- Age dependency ratio, young 50.3% (2025)
- Population, female 402.22 million (2025)
- Age dependency ratio, old 8.2% (2025)
- Population ages 65 and above 5.2% (2025)
- Population ages 65 and above, total 42.96 million (2025)
- Population ages 65 and above, female 23.10 million (2025)
- Population ages 15-64, male 63.8% (2025)
- Population ages 15-64, total 522.34 million (2025)
- Population ages 15-64, female 250.76 million (2025)
All data for Middle East, North Africa, Afghanistan & Pakistan →
Frequently asked questions
- What is age dependency ratio in Middle East, North Africa, Afghanistan & Pakistan?
- Age dependency ratio in Middle East, North Africa, Afghanistan & Pakistan was 59.6% in 2025, according to World Population Prospects, United Nations (UN), publisher: UN Population Division.
- What is the highest age dependency ratio recorded in Middle East, North Africa, Afghanistan & Pakistan?
- The highest recorded value was 90.8% in 1972.
- What is the lowest age dependency ratio recorded in Middle East, North Africa, Afghanistan & Pakistan?
- The lowest recorded value was 59.6% in 2025.
- Is age dependency ratio rising or falling in Middle East, North Africa, Afghanistan & Pakistan?
- Over the last ten years it is down 6.3%. The long-run trend across the full record is falling.
- Where does this Middle East, North Africa, Afghanistan & Pakistan data come from?
- The figures come from World Population Prospects, United Nations (UN), publisher: UN Population Division, published as part of Age dependency ratio (% of working-age population). Statizoid updates them automatically from the source API.
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About this data
Age dependency ratio is the ratio of dependents--people younger than 15 or older than 64--to the working-age population--those ages 15-64. Data are shown as the proportion of dependents per 100 working-age population.