Countries in Oceania Ranked by Median age proxy (age dependency ratio) (2025)
Age dependency ratio: each country's latest value (2020–2025), ranked from highest to lowest. Source: The World Bank (CC BY 4.0).
Summary
Samoa ranks #1 with 79 dependants per 100 working-age people. Vanuatu is second with 73.4 dependants per 100 working-age people, 7.6% behind. The top five are Samoa, Vanuatu, Tonga, Solomon Islands and Naoero. The median across all 19 is 60.5 dependants per 100 working-age people; Palau is last at 42.4 dependants per 100 working-age people. Samoa's figure has fallen 4% since 2001 (82.3 dependants per 100 working-age people to 79 dependants per 100 working-age people in 2025).
- #1
- Samoa · 79 dependants per 100 working-age people
- Median
- 60.5 dependants per 100 working-age people
- Coverage
- 19 countries in Oceania
- Data year
- 2025
- Last updated
- 2026-11-14
Full ranking
| Rank | Country | Age dependency ratio (dependants per 100 working-age people) |
|---|---|---|
| 1 | Samoa | 79 |
| 2 | Vanuatu | 73.4 |
| 3 | Tonga | 71.7 |
| 4 | Solomon Islands | 67.3 |
| 5 | Naoero | 67.1 |
| 6 | Tuvalu | 66.8 |
| 7 | Guam | 63.8 |
| 8 | Marshall Islands | 63.3 |
| 9 | Kiribati | 63.2 |
| 10 | Micronesia, Fed. Sts. | 60.5 |
| 11 | Papua New Guinea | 58.1 |
| 12 | Australia | 55.7 |
| 13 | New Zealand | 55 |
| 14 | American Samoa | 53.6 |
| 15 | Fiji | 50.3 |
| 16 | New Caledonia | 49 |
| 17 | Northern Mariana Islands | 47.1 |
| 18 | French Polynesia | 43.7 |
| 19 | Palau | 42.4 |
About the top 10
#1 Samoa
Samoa ranks #1 on this list with 79 dependants per 100 working-age people.
- Capital
- Apia
- Continent
- Oceania
- Income group
- Upper middle income
- Population
- 219,310 people (2025)
- GDP
- US$1.29 billion (2025)
- GDP per person
- US$5,873 (2025)
- Life expectancy
- 71.8 years (2024)
- Urban population
- 17.5% of population (2025)
Also ranks #3 in rural population share · #4 in diabetes prevalence · #16 in age dependency ratio.
#2 Vanuatu
Vanuatu ranks #2 on this list with 73.4 dependants per 100 working-age people.
- Capital
- Port Vila
- Continent
- Oceania
- Income group
- Lower middle income
- Population
- 335,170 people (2025)
- GDP
- US$1.35 billion (2025)
- GDP per person
- US$4,039 (2025)
- Life expectancy
- 71.7 years (2024)
- Urban population
- 22.3% of population (2025)
Also ranks #6 in school enrolment (secondary) · #6 in completion rate (primary) · #9 in rural population share.
#3 Tonga
Tonga ranks #3 on this list with 71.7 dependants per 100 working-age people.
- Capital
- Nukuʻalofa
- Continent
- Oceania
- Income group
- Upper middle income
- Population
- 103,740 people (2025)
- GDP
- US$679.22 million (2025)
- GDP per person
- US$6,547 (2025)
- Life expectancy
- 73.1 years (2024)
- Urban population
- 21.2% of population (2025)
Also ranks #7 in rural population share · #10 in completion rate (primary) · #11 in income share of poorest 10%.
#4 Solomon Islands
Solomon Islands ranks #4 on this list with 67.3 dependants per 100 working-age people.
- Capital
- Honiara
- Continent
- Oceania
- Income group
- Lower middle income
- Population
- 838,650 people (2025)
- GDP
- US$1.75 billion (2025)
- GDP per person
- US$2,086 (2025)
- Life expectancy
- 70.7 years (2024)
- Urban population
- 31.3% of population (2025)
Also ranks #1 in forest rents share of gdp · #2 in female labour force participation · #3 in labour force participation rate.
#5 Naoero
Naoero ranks #5 on this list with 67.1 dependants per 100 working-age people.
- Capital
- Yaren District
- Continent
- Oceania
- Income group
- High income
- Population
- 12,025 people (2025)
- GDP
- US$176.04 million (2025)
- GDP per person
- US$14,640 (2025)
- Life expectancy
- 62.3 years (2024)
- Urban population
- 100% of population (2025)
Also ranks #1 in government revenue share of gdp · #2 in health expenditure share of gdp · #8 in atms per 100,000 adults.
#6 Tuvalu
Tuvalu ranks #6 on this list with 66.8 dependants per 100 working-age people.
- Capital
- Funafuti
- Continent
- Oceania
- Income group
- Upper middle income
- Population
- 9,492 people (2025)
- GDP
- US$57.35 million (2025)
- GDP per person
- US$6,041 (2025)
- Life expectancy
- 67.3 years (2024)
- Urban population
- 65.4% of population (2025)
Also ranks #1 in agricultural land share · #1 in health expenditure share of gdp · #1 in literacy rate.
#7 Guam
Guam ranks #7 on this list with 63.8 dependants per 100 working-age people.
- Capital
- Hagåtña
- Continent
- Oceania
- Income group
- High income
- Population
- 169,000 people (2025)
- GDP
- US$6.91 billion (2022)
- GDP per person
- US$41,833 (2022)
- Life expectancy
- 77.4 years (2024)
- Urban population
- 94.2% of population (2025)
Also ranks #1 in voice and accountability score · #16 in nurses and midwives per 1,000 · #16 in diabetes prevalence.
#8 Marshall Islands
Marshall Islands ranks #8 on this list with 63.3 dependants per 100 working-age people.
- Capital
- Majuro
- Continent
- Oceania
- Income group
- Upper middle income
- Population
- 36,282 people (2025)
- GDP
- US$308 million (2025)
- GDP per person
- US$8,489 (2025)
- Life expectancy
- 67.1 years (2024)
- Urban population
- 79.1% of population (2025)
Also ranks #2 in diabetes prevalence · #5 in health expenditure share of gdp · #5 in completion rate (lower secondary).
#9 Kiribati
Kiribati ranks #9 on this list with 63.2 dependants per 100 working-age people.
- Capital
- South Tarawa
- Continent
- Oceania
- Income group
- Lower middle income
- Population
- 136,490 people (2025)
- GDP
- US$349.23 million (2025)
- GDP per person
- US$2,559 (2025)
- Life expectancy
- 66.6 years (2024)
- Urban population
- 63.4% of population (2025)
Also ranks #1 in education expenditure share of gdp · #2 in government revenue share of gdp · #3 in income share of poorest 10%.
#10 Micronesia, Fed. Sts.
Micronesia, Fed. Sts. ranks #10 on this list with 60.5 dependants per 100 working-age people.
- Capital
- Palikir
- Continent
- Oceania
- Income group
- Upper middle income
- Population
- 113,680 people (2025)
- GDP
- US$501.8 million (2025)
- GDP per person
- US$4,414 (2025)
- Life expectancy
- 67.4 years (2024)
- Urban population
- 22.5% of population (2025)
Also ranks #1 in forest area share · #3 in education expenditure share of gdp · #7 in health expenditure share of gdp.
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: each country's latest value (2020–2025), ranked from highest to lowest.
Source: The World Bank, indicator SP.POP.DPND. Licence: CC BY 4.0. Retrieved: 2026-11-14.
The World Bank: Age dependency ratio (% 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.