Age dependency ratio in South Africa
In 2025, South Africa had 48.4 people under 15 or over 64 for every 100 people aged 15 to 64.
South Africa, 2025
48.4
Change from 2024
+0.1per 100 working-age people
World, 2025
54.5 per 100 working-age people
Median of G20 countries, 2025
50.7 per 100 working-age people
Position in 2025
162nd of 217
Age dependency ratio in South Africa over time
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South Africa
World
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The chart loads when you scroll to it. The table below shows the same data.
The chart shows a calculation from the published values. The table below keeps the published values.
Dependants per 100 people aged 15 to 64. Source: World Bank, World Development Indicators. Gaps mean no published value; points are not joined across missing years.
| Period | South Africa | World |
|---|---|---|
| 2025 | 48.4 per 100 working-age people | 54.5 per 100 working-age people |
| 2024 | 48.3 per 100 working-age people | 54.7 per 100 working-age people |
| 2023 | 48.4 per 100 working-age people | 55.0 per 100 working-age people |
| 2022 | 48.6 per 100 working-age people | 55.2 per 100 working-age people |
| 2021 | 48.9 per 100 working-age people | 55.3 per 100 working-age people |
| 2020 | 49.5 per 100 working-age people | 55.4 per 100 working-age people |
| 2019 | 50.1 per 100 working-age people | 55.4 per 100 working-age people |
| 2018 | 50.7 per 100 working-age people | 55.4 per 100 working-age people |
| 2017 | 51.3 per 100 working-age people | 55.3 per 100 working-age people |
| 2016 | 51.1 per 100 working-age people | 55.2 per 100 working-age people |
| 2015 | 50.8 per 100 working-age people | 55.1 per 100 working-age people |
| 2014 | 51.1 per 100 working-age people | 55.0 per 100 working-age people |
| 2013 | 51.5 per 100 working-age people | 55.0 per 100 working-age people |
| 2012 | 51.9 per 100 working-age people | 55.0 per 100 working-age people |
| 2011 | 52.4 per 100 working-age people | 55.0 per 100 working-age people |
| 2010 | 53.0 per 100 working-age people | 55.2 per 100 working-age people |
| 2009 | 53.7 per 100 working-age people | 55.5 per 100 working-age people |
| 2008 | 54.2 per 100 working-age people | 55.8 per 100 working-age people |
| 2007 | 54.8 per 100 working-age people | 56.2 per 100 working-age people |
| 2006 | 55.7 per 100 working-age people | 56.7 per 100 working-age people |
| 2005 | 56.7 per 100 working-age people | 57.3 per 100 working-age people |
| 2004 | 57.9 per 100 working-age people | 58.0 per 100 working-age people |
| 2003 | 59.5 per 100 working-age people | 58.7 per 100 working-age people |
| 2002 | 61.4 per 100 working-age people | 59.4 per 100 working-age people |
| 2001 | 63.5 per 100 working-age people | 60.1 per 100 working-age people |
A dash means no value was published for that period.
In short
- That is a change of +0.1 from 48.3 per 100 working-age people in 2024.
- Since 2015, when it was 50.8 per 100 working-age people, the figure has changed by −2.4.
- Among the 217 countries with data for 2025, South Africa has the 162nd highest value.
- The figure for the world in 2025 was 54.5 per 100 working-age people.
More for South Africa
All statistics for South Africa
Population aged 0 to 14
25.7%
2025 · World Bank
Population estimates and projections
63,212,384 people
2023 · UN Population Division
Median age estimates and projections
28.2 years
2023 · UN Population Division
Fertility rate estimates and projections
2.22 births per woman
2023 · UN Population Division
Population growth estimates and projections
1.32%
2023 · UN Population Division
Population
64,747,319 people
2025 · World Bank