Labour dependency ratio in Southern Asia
Southern Asia: Labour dependency ratio was 1.59 in 2027. ▼ Falling
Labour dependency ratio in Southern Asia, 1991–2027
Source: International Labour Organization.
Analysis
In 2027, labour dependency ratio in Southern Asia stood at 1.59. That is the lowest value across all 37 years on record.
Compared with earlier readings it is down 0.9% on the previous year and down 16.7% over ten years.
Over the whole period, labour dependency ratio in Southern Asia peaked at 2.16 in 1991 and was at its lowest, 1.59, in 2027.
Southern Asia ranks 21st of 87 groups on this measure, in the top quarter.
The long-run direction has been consistently falling across the 37 years of available data.
Labour dependency ratio in Southern Asia, year by year
| Year | Value | Change |
|---|---|---|
| 1991 | 2.16 | — |
| 1992 | 2.15 | -0.4% |
| 1993 | 2.14 | -0.4% |
| 1994 | 2.12 | -0.7% |
| 1995 | 2.1 | -1.1% |
| 1996 | 2.06 | -1.8% |
| 1997 | 2.03 | -1.7% |
| 1998 | 2 | -1.7% |
| 1999 | 1.96 | -1.6% |
| 2000 | 1.93 | -1.6% |
| 2001 | 1.92 | -0.6% |
| 2002 | 1.91 | -0.4% |
| 2003 | 1.9 | -0.8% |
| 2004 | 1.88 | -0.9% |
| 2005 | 1.87 | -0.6% |
| 2006 | 1.89 | +1.0% |
| 2007 | 1.9 | +0.8% |
| 2008 | 1.93 | +1.3% |
| 2009 | 1.94 | +0.8% |
| 2010 | 1.95 | +0.6% |
| 2011 | 1.97 | +0.8% |
| 2012 | 1.98 | +0.8% |
| 2013 | 1.97 | -0.6% |
| 2014 | 1.96 | -0.5% |
| 2015 | 1.95 | -0.8% |
| 2016 | 1.93 | -0.7% |
| 2017 | 1.91 | -1.0% |
| 2018 | 1.91 | -0.2% |
| 2019 | 1.87 | -2.0% |
| 2020 | 1.93 | +3.2% |
| 2021 | 1.83 | -5.1% |
| 2022 | 1.74 | -5.0% |
| 2023 | 1.67 | -4.0% |
| 2024 | 1.63 | -2.3% |
| 2025 | 1.62 | -0.8% |
| 2026 | 1.61 | -0.8% |
| 2027 | 1.59 | -0.9% |
Averages by decade
| Decade | Average | Lowest | Highest | Years |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1990s | 2.08 | 1.96 | 2.16 | 9 |
| 2000s | 1.91 | 1.87 | 1.94 | 10 |
| 2010s | 1.94 | 1.87 | 1.98 | 10 |
| 2020s | 1.7 | 1.59 | 1.93 | 8 |
Countries ranked near Southern Asia
- 18 Gambia 2.69 compare
- 19 Turkmenistan 2.6 compare
- 20 South Africa 2.58 compare
- 21 Lebanon 2.53 compare
- 22 Libya 2.5 compare
- 23 Egypt 2.47 compare
- 24 Iran, Islamic Republic of 2.43 compare
More work & labour data for Southern Asia
- Population - Est. & Proj. — Total Population - Male, annual growth -0.3261 % change on previous year (2100)
- Population - Est. & Proj. — Total Population - Both sexes, annual -0.3247 % change on previous year (2100)
- Population - Est. & Proj. — Urban population, annual growth rate 1.48 % change on previous year (2050)
- Population - Est. & Proj. — Rural population, annual growth rate -1.02 % change on previous year (2050)
- Population - Est. & Proj. — Total Population - Female, annual growth -0.3226 % change on previous year (2100)
- Population - Est. & Proj. — Total Population - Both sexes 2.49 million 1000 No (2100)
- Population - Est. & Proj. — Total Population - Female 1.24 million 1000 No (2100)
- Population - Est. & Proj. — Rural population 1.10 million 1000 No (2050)
- Population - Est. & Proj. — Urban population 1.28 million 1000 No (2050)
- Population - Est. & Proj. — Total Population - Male 1.25 million 1000 No (2100)
Frequently asked questions
- What is labour dependency ratio in Southern Asia?
- Labour dependency ratio in Southern Asia was 1.59 in 2027, according to International Labour Organization.
- What is the highest labour dependency ratio recorded in Southern Asia?
- The highest recorded value was 2.16 in 1991.
- What is the lowest labour dependency ratio recorded in Southern Asia?
- The lowest recorded value was 1.59 in 2027.
- How does Southern Asia rank for labour dependency ratio?
- Southern Asia ranks 21st out of 87 groups with data for 2027.
- Is labour dependency ratio rising or falling in Southern Asia?
- Over the last ten years it is down 16.7%. The long-run trend across the full record is falling.
- Where does this Southern Asia data come from?
- The figures come from International Labour Organization, published as part of Labour dependency ratio (ILO modelled estimates). Statizoid updates them automatically from the source API.
Download this data
CSV · JSON — 37 observations, free to reuse under ILO Terms of Use (attribution required).
About this data
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.