Countries in Africa Ranked by Age dependency ratio (old) (2025)
Age dependency ratio (old): each country's latest value (2020–2025), ranked from highest to lowest. Source: The World Bank (CC BY 4.0).
Summary
Mauritius ranks #1 with 19.8 people 65+ per 100 working-age people. Tunisia is second with 14.9 people 65+ per 100 working-age people, 32.4% behind. The top five are Mauritius, Tunisia, Morocco, Seychelles and Algeria. The median across all 54 is 6.02 people 65+ per 100 working-age people; Zambia is last at 3.51 people 65+ per 100 working-age people. Mauritius's figure has risen 118% since 2001 (9.06 people 65+ per 100 working-age people to 19.8 people 65+ per 100 working-age people in 2025).
- #1
- Mauritius · 19.8 people 65+ per 100 working-age people
- Median
- 6.02 people 65+ per 100 working-age people
- Coverage
- 54 countries in Africa
- Data year
- 2025
- Last updated
- 2026-11-14
Full ranking
| Rank | Country | Age dependency ratio (old) (people 65+ per 100 working-age people) |
|---|---|---|
| 1 | Mauritius | 19.8 |
| 2 | Tunisia | 14.9 |
| 3 | Morocco | 12.7 |
| 4 | Seychelles | 12.2 |
| 5 | Algeria | 10.8 |
| 6 | Cabo Verde | 10.5 |
| 7 | South Africa | 10.2 |
| 8 | Egypt, Arab Rep. | 8.34 |
| 9 | Libya | 7.64 |
| 10 | Comoros | 7.59 |
| 11 | Djibouti | 7.51 |
| 12 | Eritrea | 7.32 |
| 13 | Eswatini | 6.94 |
| 14 | Gabon | 6.93 |
| 15 | Rwanda | 6.83 |
| 16 | São Tomé and Principe | 6.73 |
| 17 | Botswana | 6.38 |
| 18 | Namibia | 6.37 |
| 19 | Equatorial Guinea | 6.36 |
| 20 | Zimbabwe | 6.34 |
| 21 | Lesotho | 6.26 |
| 22 | Ghana | 6.23 |
| 23 | Senegal | 6.22 |
| 24 | Guinea | 6.2 |
| 25 | Togo | 6.2 |
| 26 | Congo, Dem. Rep. | 6.05 |
| 27 | Madagascar | 6.03 |
| 28 | Sudan | 6.01 |
| 29 | Mauritania | 5.97 |
| 30 | Liberia | 5.79 |
| 31 | Ethiopia | 5.69 |
| 32 | Benin | 5.67 |
| 33 | Gambia, The | 5.58 |
| 34 | Tanzania | 5.57 |
| 35 | Sierra Leone | 5.56 |
| 36 | Guinea-Bissau | 5.54 |
| 37 | Angola | 5.46 |
| 38 | Nigeria | 5.44 |
| 39 | Congo, Rep. | 5.37 |
| 40 | South Sudan | 5.22 |
| 41 | Somalia, Fed. Rep. | 5.15 |
| 42 | Mozambique | 5.15 |
| 43 | Niger | 5.12 |
| 44 | Cameroon | 5.03 |
| 45 | Kenya | 4.98 |
| 46 | Burkina Faso | 4.78 |
| 47 | Burundi | 4.77 |
| 48 | Côte d'Ivoire | 4.66 |
| 49 | Mali | 4.56 |
| 50 | Malawi | 4.52 |
| 51 | Central African Republic | 4.47 |
| 52 | Chad | 4.08 |
| 53 | Uganda | 4.08 |
| 54 | Zambia | 3.51 |
About the top 10
#1 Mauritius
Mauritius ranks #1 on this list with 19.8 people 65+ per 100 working-age people.
- Capital
- Port Louis
- Continent
- Africa
- Income group
- Upper middle income
- Population
- 1.24 million people (2025)
- GDP
- US$16.16 billion (2025)
- GDP per person
- US$12,991 (2025)
- Life expectancy
- 73.8 years (2024)
- Urban population
- 39% of population (2025)
Also ranks #6 in cereal yield · #11 in low-birthweight babies share · #15 in population density.
#2 Tunisia
Tunisia ranks #2 on this list with 14.9 people 65+ per 100 working-age people.
- Capital
- Tunis
- Continent
- Africa
- Income group
- Lower middle income
- Population
- 12.35 million people (2025)
- GDP
- US$57.5 billion (2025)
- GDP per person
- US$4,657 (2025)
- Life expectancy
- 76.7 years (2024)
- Urban population
- 70.7% of population (2025)
Also ranks #9 in youth unemployment rate · #9 in gender parity index (school enrolment) · #16 in unemployment rate.
#3 Morocco
Morocco ranks #3 on this list with 12.7 people 65+ per 100 working-age people.
- Capital
- Rabat
- Continent
- Africa
- Income group
- Lower middle income
- Population
- 38.43 million people (2025)
- GDP
- US$182.37 billion (2025)
- GDP per person
- US$4,673 (2025)
- Life expectancy
- 75.5 years (2024)
- Urban population
- 63.1% of population (2025)
Largest cities: Casablanca, Tangier, Fez.
Also ranks #15 in firms using banks to finance investment share · #16 in school enrolment (primary) · #16 in remittances received.
#4 Seychelles
Seychelles ranks #4 on this list with 12.2 people 65+ per 100 working-age people.
- Capital
- Victoria
- Continent
- Africa
- Income group
- High income
- Population
- 122,730 people (2025)
- GDP
- US$2.39 billion (2025)
- GDP per person
- US$19,449 (2025)
- Life expectancy
- 76.3 years (2024)
- Urban population
- 45.5% of population (2025)
Also ranks #1 in protected terrestrial area share · #3 in physicians per 1,000 · #8 in male population share.
#5 Algeria
Algeria ranks #5 on this list with 10.8 people 65+ per 100 working-age people.
- Capital
- Algiers
- Continent
- Africa
- Income group
- Upper middle income
- Population
- 47.44 million people (2025)
- GDP
- US$287.03 billion (2025)
- GDP per person
- US$6,051 (2025)
- Life expectancy
- 76.5 years (2024)
- Urban population
- 75.8% of population (2025)
Largest cities: Algiers.
Also ranks #1 in gross capital formation rate · #5 in education expenditure share of gdp · #10 in land area.
#6 Cabo Verde
Cabo Verde ranks #6 on this list with 10.5 people 65+ per 100 working-age people.
- Capital
- Praia
- Continent
- Africa
- Income group
- Upper middle income
- Population
- 527,330 people (2025)
- GDP
- US$3.06 billion (2025)
- GDP per person
- US$5,797 (2025)
- Life expectancy
- 76.2 years (2024)
- Urban population
- 77.6% of population (2025)
Also ranks #10 in bank branches per 100,000 adults · #17 in women in parliament share · #23 in youth unemployment rate.
#7 South Africa
South Africa ranks #7 on this list with 10.2 people 65+ per 100 working-age people.
- Capital
- Pretoria, Cape Town
- Continent
- Africa
- Income group
- Upper middle income
- Population
- 64.75 million people (2025)
- GDP
- US$427.18 billion (2025)
- GDP per person
- US$6,598 (2025)
- Life expectancy
- 66.3 years (2024)
- Urban population
- 63.8% of population (2025)
Largest cities: City of Johannesburg Metropolitan Municipality, Johannesburg, Cape Town.
Also ranks #2 in unemployment rate · #2 in youth unemployment rate · #2 in income share of richest 10%.
#8 Egypt, Arab Rep.
Egypt, Arab Rep. ranks #8 on this list with 8.34 people 65+ per 100 working-age people.
- Capital
- Cairo
- Continent
- Africa
- Income group
- Lower middle income
- Population
- 118.37 million people (2025)
- GDP
- US$365.25 billion (2025)
- GDP per person
- US$3,086 (2025)
- Life expectancy
- 71.8 years (2024)
- Urban population
- 42.9% of population (2025)
Largest cities: Cairo, Alexandria, Giza.
Also ranks #1 in irrigated land share · #3 in deposit interest rate · #5 in remittances received.
#9 Libya
Libya ranks #9 on this list with 7.64 people 65+ per 100 working-age people.
- Capital
- Tripoli
- Continent
- Africa
- Income group
- Upper middle income
- Population
- 7.46 million people (2025)
- GDP
- US$48.1 billion (2025)
- GDP per person
- US$6,449 (2025)
- Life expectancy
- 71.1 years (2024)
- Urban population
- 87.9% of population (2025)
Largest cities: Tripoli.
Also ranks #1 in natural resource rents share of gdp · #1 in oil rents share of gdp · #2 in industry value added share of gdp.
#10 Comoros
Comoros ranks #10 on this list with 7.59 people 65+ per 100 working-age people.
- Capital
- Moroni
- Continent
- Africa
- Income group
- Lower middle income
- Population
- 882,850 people (2025)
- GDP
- US$1.81 billion (2025)
- GDP per person
- US$2,056 (2025)
- Life expectancy
- 67 years (2024)
- Urban population
- 33.9% of population (2025)
Also ranks #3 in low-birthweight babies share · #4 in agriculture value added share of gdp · #10 in agricultural land share.
Profile facts: World Bank (CC BY 4.0) and Wikidata (CC0); weather links go to Purr Weather, another ChowChow Labs site.
Source and method
Age dependency ratio (old): each country's latest value (2020–2025), ranked from highest to lowest.
Source: The World Bank, indicator SP.POP.DPND.OL. Licence: CC BY 4.0. Retrieved: 2026-11-14.
The World Bank: Age dependency ratio, old (% of working-age population): World Population Prospects, United Nations (UN), publisher: UN Population Division (via World Development Indicators)
Original data provider, as recorded by the World Bank: World Population Prospects, United Nations (UN), publisher: UN Population Division; Staff estimates, World Bank (WB).
Values are shown as published. Provider terms: The World Bank. All licences: Sources & licences.