Central and Western Asia vs South Africa: Labour dependency ratio

Central and Western Asia
1.54
in 2027
South Africa
2.58
in 2027
Central and Western Asia rank
23rd
South Africa rank
20th

Labour dependency ratio over time

  • Central and Western Asia
  • South Africa
0123199120092027

How they compare

South Africa currently reports 2.58 against 1.54 in Central and Western Asia, a difference of 1.04.

That makes South Africa's figure about 1.7 times Central and Western Asia's.

Across all 37 years both countries report, South Africa has been ahead every year.

Central and Western Asia ranks 23rd and South Africa ranks 20th of 87 groups.

South Africa has averaged higher in every one of the 4 decades both report.

Head to head by decade

Decade Central and Western Asia South Africa Difference Ahead
1990s 1.73 2.56 0.8298 South Africa
2000s 1.81 2.37 0.5685 South Africa
2010s 1.66 2.5 0.8389 South Africa
2020s 1.6 2.69 1.09 South Africa

Averages of every year both report within each decade.

Frequently asked questions

Which has higher labour dependency ratio, Central and Western Asia or South Africa?
South Africa, at 2.58 against 1.54 in Central and Western Asia as of 2027.
What is the difference in labour dependency ratio between Central and Western Asia and South Africa?
1.04, with South Africa ahead.
How many years of comparable data are there for Central and Western Asia and South Africa?
37 years are reported by both, from 1991 to 2027.
How do Central and Western Asia and South Africa rank globally for labour dependency ratio?
Central and Western Asia ranks 23rd and South Africa ranks 20th of 87 groups.
Where does this data come from?
International Labour Organization, published as Labour dependency ratio (ILO modelled estimates). Statizoid refreshes it automatically from the source and publishes the full history for both places.

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Central and Western Asia vs South Africa: Labour dependency ratio. Statizoid, drawing on International Labour Organization. Retrieved 06 September 2026, from https://labour.statizoid.com/compare/labour-dependency-ratio-ilo-modelled-estimates/central-and-western-asia/south-africa/

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About this data

Indicator
Labour dependency ratio (ILO modelled estimates)
Source
International Labour Organization
Licence
ILO Terms of Use (attribution required)
Coverage
276 places, 10,188 data points, 1991–2027
Last refreshed

Imputed observations are not based on national data, are subject to high uncertainty and should not be used for country comparisons or rankings. This series is based on the 13th ICLS definitions. This indicator provides the ratio of dependents (persons aged 0 to 14 + persons aged 15 and above that are either outside the labour force or unemployed) to total employment. For more information, refer to the ILO Modelled Estimates (ILOEST) database description.