Countries in South America 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
Guyana ranks #1 with 56 dependants per 100 working-age people. Bolivia is second with 54.3 dependants per 100 working-age people, 3.3% behind. The top five are Guyana, Bolivia, Paraguay, Venezuela, RB and Uruguay. The median across all 12 is 50.6 dependants per 100 working-age people; Colombia is last at 43.3 dependants per 100 working-age people. Guyana's figure has fallen 17% since 2001 (67.8 dependants per 100 working-age people to 56 dependants per 100 working-age people in 2025).
- #1
- Guyana · 56 dependants per 100 working-age people
- Median
- 50.6 dependants per 100 working-age people
- Coverage
- 12 countries in South America
- Data year
- 2025
- Last updated
- 2026-11-14
Full ranking
| Rank | Country | Age dependency ratio (dependants per 100 working-age people) |
|---|---|---|
| 1 | Guyana | 56 |
| 2 | Bolivia | 54.3 |
| 3 | Paraguay | 54.1 |
| 4 | Venezuela, RB | 53.7 |
| 5 | Uruguay | 51.9 |
| 6 | Argentina | 50.7 |
| 7 | Suriname | 50.4 |
| 8 | Peru | 49.4 |
| 9 | Ecuador | 48.1 |
| 10 | Chile | 45.2 |
| 11 | Brazil | 44.6 |
| 12 | Colombia | 43.3 |
About the top 10
#1 Guyana
Guyana ranks #1 on this list with 56 dependants per 100 working-age people.
- Capital
- Georgetown
- Continent
- South America
- Income group
- High income
- Population
- 835,990 people (2025)
- GDP
- US$27.1 billion (2025)
- GDP per person
- US$32,414 (2025)
- Life expectancy
- 70.3 years (2024)
- Urban population
- 26.5% of population (2025)
Also ranks #1 in gdp growth rate · #1 in industry value added share of gdp · #1 in livestock production index.
#2 Bolivia
Bolivia ranks #2 on this list with 54.3 dependants per 100 working-age people.
- Capital
- La Paz, Sucre
- Continent
- South America
- Income group
- Lower middle income
- Population
- 12.58 million people (2025)
- GDP
- US$64.77 billion (2025)
- GDP per person
- US$5,148 (2025)
- Life expectancy
- 68.7 years (2024)
- Urban population
- 71.6% of population (2025)
Largest cities: Santa Cruz de la Sierra.
Also ranks #2 in real effective exchange rate index · #3 in bank branches per 100,000 adults · #4 in women in parliament share.
#3 Paraguay
Paraguay ranks #3 on this list with 54.1 dependants per 100 working-age people.
- Capital
- Asunción
- Continent
- South America
- Income group
- Upper middle income
- Population
- 7.01 million people (2025)
- GDP
- US$49.28 billion (2025)
- GDP per person
- US$7,027 (2025)
- Life expectancy
- 74 years (2024)
- Urban population
- 70.4% of population (2025)
Also ranks #8 in official exchange rate · #11 in income share of richest 10% · #14 in gini index.
#4 Venezuela, RB
Venezuela, RB ranks #4 on this list with 53.7 dependants per 100 working-age people.
- Capital
- Caracas
- Continent
- South America
- Income group
- Lower middle income
- Population
- 28.52 million people (2025)
- GDP
- US$99.66 billion (2025)
- GDP per person
- US$3,495 (2025)
- Life expectancy
- 72.7 years (2024)
- Urban population
- 89.3% of population (2025)
Largest cities: Caracas, Maracaibo, Valencia.
Also ranks #1 in time to start a business (days) · #3 in protected terrestrial area share · #11 in refugee population by origin.
#5 Uruguay
Uruguay ranks #5 on this list with 51.9 dependants per 100 working-age people.
- Capital
- Montevideo
- Continent
- South America
- Income group
- High income
- Population
- 3.38 million people (2025)
- GDP
- US$85.35 billion (2025)
- GDP per person
- US$25,216 (2025)
- Life expectancy
- 78.3 years (2024)
- Urban population
- 95.7% of population (2025)
Largest cities: Montevideo.
Also ranks #1 in atms per 100,000 adults · #3 in agricultural land share · #5 in suicide mortality rate.
#6 Argentina
Argentina ranks #6 on this list with 50.7 dependants per 100 working-age people.
- Capital
- Buenos Aires
- Continent
- South America
- Income group
- Upper middle income
- Population
- 45.85 million people (2025)
- GDP
- US$683.1 billion (2025)
- GDP per person
- US$14,898 (2025)
- Life expectancy
- 77.5 years (2024)
- Urban population
- 92.4% of population (2025)
Largest cities: Greater Buenos Aires, Buenos Aires, Córdoba.
Also ranks #1 in inflation rate · #2 in access to clean cooking fuels · #2 in deposit interest rate.
#7 Suriname
Suriname ranks #7 on this list with 50.4 dependants per 100 working-age people.
- Capital
- Paramaribo
- Continent
- South America
- Income group
- Upper middle income
- Population
- 639,850 people (2025)
- GDP
- US$4.52 billion (2025)
- GDP per person
- US$7,070 (2025)
- Life expectancy
- 73.8 years (2024)
- Urban population
- 65.8% of population (2025)
Also ranks #2 in forest area share · #3 in irrigated land share · #3 in water resources per capita.
#8 Peru
Peru ranks #8 on this list with 49.4 dependants per 100 working-age people.
- Capital
- Lima
- Continent
- South America
- Income group
- Upper middle income
- Population
- 34.58 million people (2025)
- GDP
- US$334.85 billion (2025)
- GDP per person
- US$9,684 (2025)
- Life expectancy
- 77.9 years (2024)
- Urban population
- 85.6% of population (2025)
Largest cities: Lima, Arequipa.
Also ranks #5 in fish production · #6 in firms using banks to finance investment share · #7 in atms per 100,000 adults.
#9 Ecuador
Ecuador ranks #9 on this list with 48.1 dependants per 100 working-age people.
- Capital
- Quito
- Continent
- South America
- Income group
- Upper middle income
- Population
- 18.29 million people (2025)
- GDP
- US$130.32 billion (2025)
- GDP per person
- US$7,125 (2025)
- Life expectancy
- 77.6 years (2024)
- Urban population
- 63.4% of population (2025)
Largest cities: Guayaquil, Quito.
Also ranks #5 in homicide rate · #9 in gini index · #9 in women in ministerial positions share.
#10 Chile
Chile ranks #10 on this list with 45.2 dependants per 100 working-age people.
- Capital
- Santiago
- Continent
- South America
- Income group
- High income
- Population
- 19.86 million people (2025)
- GDP
- US$357.37 billion (2025)
- GDP per person
- US$17,995 (2025)
- Life expectancy
- 81.4 years (2024)
- Urban population
- 89.2% of population (2025)
Largest cities: Santiago, Santo Domingo.
Also ranks #5 in mineral rents share of gdp · #7 in school enrolment (tertiary) · #10 in fish production.
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.