Countries Ranked by Median age proxy (age dependency ratio) in 1990
Age dependency ratio for each country in 1990, ranked from highest to lowest. Source: The World Bank (CC BY 4.0).
Summary
In 1990, Yemen, Rep. ranks #1 with 116.9 dependants per 100 working-age people. Marshall Islands is second with 112.7 dependants per 100 working-age people, 3.8% behind. The top five are Yemen, Rep., Marshall Islands, Burundi, Kenya and Uganda. The median across all 217 is 68.9 dependants per 100 working-age people; Northern Mariana Islands is last at 35.5 dependants per 100 working-age people.
- #1
- Yemen, Rep. · 116.9 dependants per 100 working-age people
- Median
- 68.9 dependants per 100 working-age people
- Coverage
- 217 countries
- Data year
- 1990
- Last updated
- 2026-11-14
Full ranking
Showing the top 100 of 217. Premium downloads the full list as CSV or JSON.
About the top 10
#1 Yemen, Rep.
Yemen, Rep. ranks #1 on this list with 116.9 dependants per 100 working-age people.
- Capital
- Sanaa, Aden
- Continent
- Asia
- Income group
- Low income
- Population
- 41.77 million people (2025)
- Life expectancy
- 69.4 years (2024)
- Urban population
- 37% of population (2025)
- International tourist arrivals
- 398,000 arrivals (2015)
- CO2 emissions per person
- 0.261 t CO2e per person (2024)
Also ranks #2 in prevalence of stunting (under-5) · #2 in prevalence of wasting (under-5) · #12 in unemployment rate.
#2 Marshall Islands
Marshall Islands ranks #2 on this list with 112.7 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).
#3 Burundi
Burundi ranks #3 on this list with 106.3 dependants per 100 working-age people.
- Capital
- Gitega
- Continent
- Africa
- Income group
- Low income
- Population
- 14.39 million people (2025)
- GDP
- US$3.36 billion (2025)
- GDP per person
- US$233.8 (2025)
- Life expectancy
- 63.8 years (2024)
- Urban population
- 25.7% of population (2025)
Also ranks #1 in prevalence of stunting (under-5) · #3 in forest rents share of gdp · #3 in real effective exchange rate index.
#4 Kenya
Kenya ranks #4 on this list with 105.6 dependants per 100 working-age people.
- Capital
- Nairobi
- Continent
- Africa
- Income group
- Lower middle income
- Population
- 57.53 million people (2025)
- GDP
- US$135.94 billion (2025)
- GDP per person
- US$2,363 (2025)
- Life expectancy
- 63.8 years (2024)
- Urban population
- 32.2% of population (2025)
Largest cities: Nairobi, Mombasa.
Also ranks #8 in prevalence of undernourishment · #8 in deposit interest rate · #12 in poverty headcount ratio.
#5 Uganda
Uganda ranks #5 on this list with 105.3 dependants per 100 working-age people.
- Capital
- Kampala
- Continent
- Africa
- Income group
- Low income
- Population
- 51.39 million people (2025)
- GDP
- US$61.99 billion (2025)
- GDP per person
- US$1,206 (2025)
- Life expectancy
- 68.5 years (2024)
- Urban population
- 31.9% of population (2025)
Largest cities: Kampala.
Also ranks #6 in renewable energy share · #6 in refugee population by asylum · #7 in agricultural land share.
#6 Zambia
Zambia ranks #6 on this list with 105.2 dependants per 100 working-age people.
- Capital
- Lusaka
- Continent
- Africa
- Income group
- Lower middle income
- Population
- 21.91 million people (2025)
- GDP
- US$28.88 billion (2025)
- GDP per person
- US$1,318 (2025)
- Life expectancy
- 66.5 years (2024)
- Urban population
- 45.9% of population (2025)
Largest cities: Lusaka.
Also ranks #2 in mineral rents share of gdp · #3 in gini index · #4 in prevalence of undernourishment.
#7 Rwanda
Rwanda ranks #7 on this list with 105.2 dependants per 100 working-age people.
- Capital
- Kigali
- Continent
- Africa
- Income group
- Low income
- Population
- 14.57 million people (2025)
- GDP
- US$16.37 billion (2025)
- GDP per person
- US$1,124 (2025)
- Life expectancy
- 68 years (2024)
- Urban population
- 30.9% of population (2025)
Largest cities: Kigali.
Also ranks #1 in women in parliament share · #2 in school enrolment (primary) · #2 in pupil-teacher ratio (primary).
#8 West Bank and Gaza
West Bank and Gaza ranks #8 on this list with 104.9 dependants per 100 working-age people.
- Capital
- Ramallah, East Jerusalem
- Continent
- Asia
- Income group
- Lower middle income
- Population
- 5.41 million people (2025)
- GDP
- US$17.17 billion (2025)
- GDP per person
- US$3,171 (2025)
- Life expectancy
- 69.2 years (2024)
- Urban population
- 87.4% of population (2025)
Also ranks #5 in unemployment rate · #10 in crop production index · #12 in population density.
#9 Comoros
Comoros ranks #9 on this list with 104.2 dependants 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.
#10 Guinea-Bissau
Guinea-Bissau ranks #10 on this list with 103.3 dependants per 100 working-age people.
- Capital
- Bissau
- Continent
- Africa
- Income group
- Low income
- Population
- 2.25 million people (2025)
- GDP
- US$2.53 billion (2025)
- GDP per person
- US$1,124 (2025)
- Life expectancy
- 64.3 years (2024)
- Urban population
- 46.7% of population (2025)
Also ranks #3 in agriculture value added share of gdp · #5 in forest rents share of gdp · #7 in low-birthweight babies 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 for each country in 1990, 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.