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Indicators · People and labour

Age dependency ratio

People younger than 15 or older than 64 as a share of the working-age population (15 to 64).

Why it matters

A lower ratio means more earners per dependant, which lifts savings, spending power and tax revenue.

Read with care

Says nothing about how many working-age people actually have jobs.

Source

World Bank

% of working-age population. 54 African countries, 1990 to 2025.

Dependency: highest in DRC, lowest in Seychelles

Age dependency ratio, % of working-age population. Latest year available, 2025. 16 of 16 countries have data.

40%
60%
80%
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Source: World Bank· Get the data (Professional)·dotzedw Insights Centre

Ranked: dependencyiWhy it mattersA lower ratio means more earners per dependant, which lifts savings, spending power and tax revenue.

Click a country to highlight it.

0%20%40%60%80%100%DRC96.2%Angola88.7%Mozambique88.3%Tanzania83.1%Zimbabwe78.1%Zambia75.3%Malawi74.6%Madagascar73.6%Comoros70.4%Namibia67.9%Lesotho61.2%Eswatini59.6%Botswana56.3%South Africa48.4%Mauritius40.2%Seychelles39.9%median 72.0%
dotzedw Insights Centre
How spread out SADC is
Median 72.0%Lowest: Seychelles 39.9%Highest: DRC 96.2%

Over time

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Age dependency ratio against income per person

Each bubble is a SADC country, sized by population. Dashed lines mark the SADC medians. Countries far from the pattern are worth a closer look.

0.0%20.0%40.0%60.0%80.0%100.0%$1,000$3,000$10kGDP per person, US$ (log scale)DependencyDRCTanzaniaSouth AfricaAngolaMozambiqueMadagascarZambiaZimbabwe
Source: World Bank, World Bank·dotzedw Insights Centre

Table

The same figures as the map, for screen readers and copying.
RankCountryValueYearFive-year changeGradeDetails
1DRC96.2%2025down 0.4 points since 2020A
2Angola88.7%2025down 2.7 points since 2020A
3Mozambique88.3%2025down 4.0 points since 2020A
4Tanzania83.1%2025down 3.4 points since 2020A
5Zimbabwe78.1%2025down 6.3 points since 2020A
6Zambia75.3%2025down 6.9 points since 2020A
7Malawi74.6%2025down 10.0 points since 2020A
8Madagascar73.6%2025down 3.5 points since 2020A
9Comoros70.4%2025down 4.2 points since 2020A
10Namibia67.9%2025down 0.8 points since 2020A
11Lesotho61.2%2025down 4.4 points since 2020A
12Eswatini59.6%2025down 3.2 points since 2020A
13Botswana56.3%2025down 1.8 point since 2020A
14South Africa48.4%2025down 1.1 point since 2020A
15Mauritius40.2%2025up 1.7 point since 2020A
16Seychelles39.9%2025up 0.7 points since 2020A