Low income Countries 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
Central African Republic ranks #1 with 103.6 dependants per 100 working-age people. Somalia, Fed. Rep. is second with 96.7 dependants per 100 working-age people, 7.1% behind. The top five are Central African Republic, Somalia, Fed. Rep., Congo, Dem. Rep., Niger and Mali. The median across all 25 is 77.2 dependants per 100 working-age people; Korea, Dem. People's Rep. is last at 46.3 dependants per 100 working-age people. Central African Republic's figure has risen 14% since 2001 (91.2 dependants per 100 working-age people to 103.6 dependants per 100 working-age people in 2025).
- #1
- Central African Republic · 103.6 dependants per 100 working-age people
- Median
- 77.2 dependants per 100 working-age people
- Coverage
- 25 Low income countries
- Data year
- 2025
- Last updated
- 2026-11-14
Full ranking
| Rank | Country | Age dependency ratio (dependants per 100 working-age people) |
|---|---|---|
| 1 | Central African Republic | 103.6 |
| 2 | Somalia, Fed. Rep. | 96.7 |
| 3 | Congo, Dem. Rep. | 96.2 |
| 4 | Niger | 95.5 |
| 5 | Mali | 92.9 |
| 6 | Chad | 92.6 |
| 7 | Mozambique | 88.3 |
| 8 | Burundi | 87 |
| 9 | Uganda | 82.9 |
| 10 | Afghanistan | 81.8 |
| 11 | Burkina Faso | 78.1 |
| 12 | Sudan | 77.3 |
| 13 | Yemen, Rep. | 77.2 |
| 14 | Gambia, The | 75.2 |
| 15 | Malawi | 74.6 |
| 16 | Liberia | 73.7 |
| 17 | Madagascar | 73.6 |
| 18 | Ethiopia | 72.6 |
| 19 | Eritrea | 72 |
| 20 | Guinea-Bissau | 71.1 |
| 21 | South Sudan | 69.7 |
| 22 | Rwanda | 69.6 |
| 23 | Sierra Leone | 69.3 |
| 24 | Syrian Arab Republic | 49.9 |
| 25 | Korea, Dem. People's Rep. | 46.3 |
About the top 10
#1 Central African Republic
Central African Republic ranks #1 on this list with 103.6 dependants per 100 working-age people.
- Capital
- Bangui
- Continent
- Africa
- Income group
- Low income
- Population
- 5.51 million people (2025)
- GDP
- US$3.07 billion (2025)
- GDP per person
- US$556.1 (2025)
- Life expectancy
- 57.7 years (2024)
- Urban population
- 44.6% of population (2025)
Also ranks #1 in population ages 0-14 share · #1 in age dependency ratio · #1 in age dependency ratio (young).
#2 Somalia, Fed. Rep.
Somalia, Fed. Rep. ranks #2 on this list with 96.7 dependants per 100 working-age people.
- Capital
- Mogadishu
- Continent
- Africa
- Income group
- Low income
- Population
- 19.66 million people (2025)
- GDP
- US$13 billion (2025)
- GDP per person
- US$661.2 (2025)
- Life expectancy
- 59 years (2024)
- Urban population
- 55.1% of population (2025)
Largest cities: North East State of Somalia, Mogadishu.
Also ranks #1 in prevalence of undernourishment · #2 in population ages 0-14 share · #2 in age dependency ratio (young).
#3 Congo, Dem. Rep.
Congo, Dem. Rep. ranks #3 on this list with 96.2 dependants per 100 working-age people.
- Capital
- Kinshasa
- Continent
- Africa
- Income group
- Low income
- Population
- 112.83 million people (2025)
- GDP
- US$91.03 billion (2025)
- GDP per person
- US$806.8 (2025)
- Life expectancy
- 62.1 years (2024)
- Urban population
- 45.1% of population (2025)
Largest cities: Kinshasa, Mbuji-Mayi, Kananga.
Also ranks #1 in renewable energy share · #1 in poverty headcount ratio · #1 in mineral rents share of gdp.
#4 Niger
Niger ranks #4 on this list with 95.5 dependants per 100 working-age people.
- Capital
- Niamey
- Continent
- Africa
- Income group
- Low income
- Population
- 27.92 million people (2025)
- GDP
- US$21.65 billion (2025)
- GDP per person
- US$775.4 (2025)
- Life expectancy
- 61.4 years (2024)
- Urban population
- 18.4% of population (2025)
Largest cities: Niamey.
Also ranks #1 in agriculture value added share of gdp · #2 in under-5 mortality rate · #3 in population ages 0-14 share.
#5 Mali
Mali ranks #5 on this list with 92.9 dependants per 100 working-age people.
- Capital
- Bamako
- Continent
- Africa
- Income group
- Low income
- Population
- 25.2 million people (2025)
- GDP
- US$30.07 billion (2025)
- GDP per person
- US$1,193 (2025)
- Life expectancy
- 60.7 years (2024)
- Urban population
- 32.2% of population (2025)
Largest cities: Bamako.
Also ranks #6 in population ages 0-14 share · #6 in age dependency ratio · #6 in age dependency ratio (young).
#6 Chad
Chad ranks #6 on this list with 92.6 dependants per 100 working-age people.
- Capital
- N'Djamena
- Continent
- Africa
- Income group
- Low income
- Population
- 21 million people (2025)
- GDP
- US$21.47 billion (2025)
- GDP per person
- US$1,022 (2025)
- Life expectancy
- 55.2 years (2024)
- Urban population
- 27.6% of population (2025)
Largest cities: N'Djamena.
Also ranks #1 in fertility rate · #2 in birth rate · #2 in maternal mortality ratio.
#7 Mozambique
Mozambique ranks #7 on this list with 88.3 dependants per 100 working-age people.
- Capital
- Maputo
- Continent
- Africa
- Income group
- Low income
- Population
- 35.63 million people (2025)
- GDP
- US$22.34 billion (2025)
- GDP per person
- US$626.9 (2025)
- Life expectancy
- 63.8 years (2024)
- Urban population
- 37.2% of population (2025)
Largest cities: Maputo, Matola.
Also ranks #2 in poverty headcount ratio · #3 in income share of richest 10% · #4 in debt service share of exports.
#8 Burundi
Burundi ranks #8 on this list with 87 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.
#9 Uganda
Uganda ranks #9 on this list with 82.9 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.
#10 Afghanistan
Afghanistan ranks #10 on this list with 81.8 dependants per 100 working-age people.
- Capital
- Kabul
- Continent
- Asia
- Income group
- Low income
- Population
- 43.84 million people (2025)
- GDP
- US$17.78 billion (2024)
- GDP per person
- US$416.9 (2024)
- Life expectancy
- 66.3 years (2024)
- Urban population
- 25.9% of population (2025)
Largest cities: Kabul.
Also ranks #1 in refugee population by origin · #4 in health expenditure share of gdp · #6 in agriculture value added 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.