Pakistan PK: Age Dependency Ratio: % of Working-Age Population: Old data was reported at 7.402 % in 2017. This records a decrease from the previous number of 7.412 % for 2016. Pakistan PK: Age Dependency Ratio: % of Working-Age Population: Old data is updated yearly, averaging 7.387 % from Dec 1960 (Median) to 2017, with 58 observations. The data reached an all-time high of 7.657 % in 1960 and a record low of 7.080 % in 1970. Pakistan PK: Age Dependency Ratio: % of Working-Age Population: Old data remains active status in CEIC and is reported by World Bank. The data is categorized under Global Database’s Pakistan – Table PK.World Bank.WDI: Population and Urbanization Statistics. Age dependency ratio, old, is the ratio of older dependents--people older than 64--to the working-age population--those ages 15-64. Data are shown as the proportion of dependents per 100 working-age population.; ; World Bank staff estimates based on age distributions of United Nations Population Division's World Population Prospects: 2017 Revision.; Weighted average;

This statistic shows the age structure in Pakistan from 2013 to 2023. In 2023, about 37.04 percent of Pakistan's total population were aged 0 to 14 years.

The median age in Pakistan grew to almost 20 years in 2020, meaning that half of the population was older than that, half younger. This figure was lowest in between 1975 and 2000 but is projected to rise to 37.3 years by 2100. The meaning of age structure Pakistan has one of the largest populations worldwide, and this statistic presents the median age of that group. This suggests that millions of Pakistanis are too young to work and in need of education. At the same time, the rising life expectancy suggests that the median age will shift upward in the future in a way not predicted by the source. This could be due to different interpretations of infant mortality and other factors by differing sources. Economic implications Having a younger workforce can be a challenge for an economy in the short run. If the country can educate the youth, short-term spending can pay off when those youth become more productive workers. This investment can be costly, however, and Pakistan may not be able to finance this spending if its national debt is too high. The success of the youth depends largely on the country’s fiscal priorities, and this success will shape the country’s outcomes in the medium term.

Actual value and historical data chart for Pakistan Age Dependency Ratio Percent Of Working Age Population

Actual value and historical data chart for Pakistan Population Ages 70 74 Male Percent Of Male Population

Pakistan PK: Age Dependency Ratio: % of Working-Age Population: Young data was reported at 57.270 % in 2017. This records a decrease from the previous number of 57.559 % for 2016. Pakistan PK: Age Dependency Ratio: % of Working-Age Population: Young data is updated yearly, averaging 77.791 % from Dec 1960 (Median) to 2017, with 58 observations. The data reached an all-time high of 81.448 % in 1991 and a record low of 57.270 % in 2017. Pakistan PK: Age Dependency Ratio: % of Working-Age Population: Young data remains active status in CEIC and is reported by World Bank. The data is categorized under Global Database’s Pakistan – Table PK.World Bank.WDI: Population and Urbanization Statistics. Age dependency ratio, young, is the ratio of younger dependents--people younger than 15--to the working-age population--those ages 15-64. Data are shown as the proportion of dependents per 100 working-age population.; ; World Bank staff estimates based on age distributions of United Nations Population Division's World Population Prospects: 2017 Revision.; Weighted average;

Pakistan PK: Population: Male: Ages 70-74: % of Male Population data was reported at 1.289 % in 2017. This records a decrease from the previous number of 1.299 % for 2016. Pakistan PK: Population: Male: Ages 70-74: % of Male Population data is updated yearly, averaging 1.202 % from Dec 1960 (Median) to 2017, with 58 observations. The data reached an all-time high of 1.309 % in 2015 and a record low of 1.115 % in 1969. Pakistan PK: Population: Male: Ages 70-74: % of Male Population data remains active status in CEIC and is reported by World Bank. The data is categorized under Global Database’s Pakistan – Table PK.World Bank.WDI: Population and Urbanization Statistics. Male population between the ages 70 to 74 as a percentage of the total male population.; ; World Bank staff estimates based on age/sex distributions of United Nations Population Division's World Population Prospects: 2017 Revision.; ;

Pakistan PK: Population: Female: Ages 30-34: % of Female Population data was reported at 7.691 % in 2017. This records an increase from the previous number of 7.547 % for 2016. Pakistan PK: Population: Female: Ages 30-34: % of Female Population data is updated yearly, averaging 6.426 % from Dec 1960 (Median) to 2017, with 58 observations. The data reached an all-time high of 7.691 % in 2017 and a record low of 5.623 % in 1984. Pakistan PK: Population: Female: Ages 30-34: % of Female Population data remains active status in CEIC and is reported by World Bank. The data is categorized under Global Database’s Pakistan – Table PK.World Bank: Population and Urbanization Statistics. Female population between the ages 30 to 34 as a percentage of the total female population.; ; World Bank staff estimates based on age/sex distributions of United Nations Population Division's World Population Prospects: 2017 Revision.; ;

Graph and download economic data for Age Dependency Ratio: Older Dependents to Working-Age Population for Pakistan (SPPOPDPNDOLPAK) from 1960 to 2024 about 64 years +, Pakistan, working-age, ratio, and population.

Graph and download economic data for Population ages 65 and above for Pakistan (SPPOP65UPTOZSPAK) from 1960 to 2024 about Pakistan, 65-years +, and population.

Employment to population ratio, ages 15-24, male (%) (modeled ILO estimate) in Pakistan was reported at 57.36 % in 2024, according to the World Bank collection of development indicators, compiled from officially recognized sources. Pakistan - Employment to population ratio, ages 15-24, male - actual values, historical data, forecasts and projections were sourced from the World Bank on November of 2025.

Graph and download economic data for Population Ages 15 to 64 for Pakistan (SPPOP1564TOZSPAK) from 1960 to 2024 about Pakistan, 15 to 64 years, and population.

Pakistan PK: Population: Male: Ages 80 and Above: % of Male Population data was reported at 0.696 % in 2017. This records an increase from the previous number of 0.680 % for 2016. Pakistan PK: Population: Male: Ages 80 and Above: % of Male Population data is updated yearly, averaging 0.559 % from Dec 1960 (Median) to 2017, with 58 observations. The data reached an all-time high of 0.696 % in 2017 and a record low of 0.481 % in 1980. Pakistan PK: Population: Male: Ages 80 and Above: % of Male Population data remains active status in CEIC and is reported by World Bank. The data is categorized under Global Database’s Pakistan – Table PK.World Bank.WDI: Population and Urbanization Statistics. Male population between the ages 80 and above as a percentage of the total male population.; ; World Bank staff estimates based on age/sex distributions of United Nations Population Division's World Population Prospects: 2017 Revision.; ;

Graph and download economic data for Population Ages 0 to 14 for Pakistan (SPPOP0014TOZSPAK) from 1960 to 2024 about 0 to 14 years, Pakistan, and population.

Pakistan PK: Population: Female: Ages 25-29: % of Female Population data was reported at 8.911 % in 2017. This records a decrease from the previous number of 8.945 % for 2016. Pakistan PK: Population: Female: Ages 25-29: % of Female Population data is updated yearly, averaging 7.563 % from Dec 1960 (Median) to 2017, with 58 observations. The data reached an all-time high of 8.945 % in 2016 and a record low of 6.610 % in 1979. Pakistan PK: Population: Female: Ages 25-29: % of Female Population data remains active status in CEIC and is reported by World Bank. The data is categorized under Global Database’s Pakistan – Table PK.World Bank.WDI: Population and Urbanization Statistics. Female population between the ages 25 to 29 as a percentage of the total female population.; ; World Bank staff estimates based on age/sex distributions of United Nations Population Division's World Population Prospects: 2017 Revision.; ;

Pakistan PK: Population: Female: Ages 80 and Above: % of Female Population data was reported at 0.667 % in 2017. This records an increase from the previous number of 0.652 % for 2016. Pakistan PK: Population: Female: Ages 80 and Above: % of Female Population data is updated yearly, averaging 0.551 % from Dec 1960 (Median) to 2017, with 58 observations. The data reached an all-time high of 0.898 % in 1960 and a record low of 0.469 % in 1985. Pakistan PK: Population: Female: Ages 80 and Above: % of Female Population data remains active status in CEIC and is reported by World Bank. The data is categorized under Global Database’s Pakistan – Table PK.World Bank: Population and Urbanization Statistics. Female population between the ages 80 and above as a percentage of the total female population.; ; World Bank staff estimates based on age/sex distributions of United Nations Population Division's World Population Prospects: 2017 Revision.; ;

Pakistan PK: Population: Total: Aged 15-64 data was reported at 119,641,808.000 Person in 2017. This records an increase from the previous number of 117,113,479.000 Person for 2016. Pakistan PK: Population: Total: Aged 15-64 data is updated yearly, averaging 54,720,300.500 Person from Dec 1960 (Median) to 2017, with 58 observations. The data reached an all-time high of 119,641,808.000 Person in 2017 and a record low of 25,377,853.000 Person in 1960. Pakistan PK: Population: Total: Aged 15-64 data remains active status in CEIC and is reported by World Bank. The data is categorized under Global Database’s Pakistan – Table PK.World Bank: Population and Urbanization Statistics. Total population between the ages 15 to 64. Population is based on the de facto definition of population, which counts all residents regardless of legal status or citizenship.; ; World Bank staff estimates using the World Bank's total population and age/sex distributions of the United Nations Population Division's World Population Prospects: 2017 Revision.; Sum;

Pakistan PK: Prevalence of Underweight: Weight for Age: Male: % of Children Under 5 data was reported at 34.100 % in 2012. This records an increase from the previous number of 31.400 % for 2011. Pakistan PK: Prevalence of Underweight: Weight for Age: Male: % of Children Under 5 data is updated yearly, averaging 34.100 % from Dec 1991 (Median) to 2012, with 5 observations. The data reached an all-time high of 40.300 % in 1991 and a record low of 31.400 % in 2011. Pakistan PK: Prevalence of Underweight: Weight for Age: Male: % of Children Under 5 data remains active status in CEIC and is reported by World Bank. The data is categorized under Global Database’s Pakistan – Table PK.World Bank: Health Statistics. Prevalence of underweight, male, is the percentage of boys under age 5 whose weight for age is more than two standard deviations below the median for the international reference population ages 0-59 months. The data are based on the WHO's new child growth standards released in 2006.; ; World Health Organization, Global Database on Child Growth and Malnutrition. Country-level data are unadjusted data from national surveys, and thus may not be comparable across countries.; Linear mixed-effect model estimates; Undernourished children have lower resistance to infection and are more likely to die from common childhood ailments such as diarrheal diseases and respiratory infections. Frequent illness saps the nutritional status of those who survive, locking them into a vicious cycle of recurring sickness and faltering growth (UNICEF, www.childinfo.org). Estimates of child malnutrition, based on prevalence of underweight and stunting, are from national survey data. The proportion of underweight children is the most common malnutrition indicator. Being even mildly underweight increases the risk of death and inhibits cognitive development in children. And it perpetuates the problem across generations, as malnourished women are more likely to have low-birth-weight babies. Stunting, or being below median height for age, is often used as a proxy for multifaceted deprivation and as an indicator of long-term changes in malnutrition.

The Pakistan Demographic and Health Survey (PDHS) was fielded on a national basis between the months of December 1990 and May 1991. The survey was carried out by the National Institute of Population Studies with the objective of assisting the Ministry of Population Welfare to evaluate the Population Welfare Programme and maternal and child health services. The PDHS is the latest in a series of surveys, making it possible to evaluate changes in the demographic status of the population and in health conditions nationwide. Earlier surveys include the Pakistan Contraceptive Prevalence Survey of 1984-85 and the Pakistan Fertility Survey of 1975. The primary objective of the Pakistan Demographic and Health Survey (PDHS) was to provide national- and provincial-level data on population and health in Pakistan. The primary emphasis was on the following topics: fertility, nuptiality, family size preferences, knowledge and use of family planning, the potential demand for contraception, the level of unwanted fertility, infant and child mortality, breastfeeding and food supplementation practices, maternal care, child nutrition and health, immunisations and child morbidity. This information is intended to assist policy makers, administrators and researchers in assessing and evaluating population and health programmes and strategies. The PDHS is further intended to serve as a source of demographic data for comparison with earlier surveys, particularly the 1975 Pakistan Fertility Survey (PFS) and the 1984-85 Pakistan Contraceptive Prevalence Survey (PCPS). MAIN RESULTS Until recently, fertility rates had remained high with little evidence of any sustained fertility decline. In recent years, however, fertility has begun to decline due to a rapid increase in the age at marriage and to a modest rise in the prevalence of contraceptive use. The lotal fertility rate is estimated to have fallen from a level of approximately 6.4 children in the early 1980s to 6.0 children in the mid-1980s, to 5.4 children in the late 1980s. The exact magnitude of the change is in dispute and will be the subject of further research. Important differentials of fertility include the degree ofurbanisation and the level of women's education. The total fertility rate is estimated to be nearly one child lower in major cities (4.7) than in rural areas (5.6). Women with at least some secondary schooling have a rate of 3.6, compared to a rate of 5.7 children for women with no formal education. There is a wide disparity between women's knowledge and use of contraceptives in Pakistan. While 78 percent of currently married women report knowing at least one method of contraception, only 21 percent have ever used a method, and only 12 percent are currently doing so. Three-fourths of current users are using a modem method and one-fourth a traditional method. The two most commonly used methods are female sterilisation (4 percent) and the condom (3 percent). Despite the relatively low level of contraceptive use, the gain over time has been significant. Among married non-pregnant women, contraceptive use has almost tripled in 15 years, from 5 percent in 1975 to 14 percent in 1990-91. The contraceptive prevalence among women with secondary education is 38 percent, and among women with no schooling it is only 8 percent. Nearly one-third of women in major cities arc current users of contraception, but contraceptive use is still rare in rural areas (6 percent). The Government of Pakistan plays a major role in providing family planning services. Eighty-five percent of sterilised women and 81 percent of IUD users obtained services from the public sector. Condoms, however, were supplied primarily through the social marketing programme. The use of contraceptives depends on many factors, including the degree of acceptability of the concept of family planning. Among currently married women who know of a contraceptive method, 62 percent approve of family planning. There appears to be a considerable amount of consensus between husbands and wives about family planning use: one-third of female respondents reported that both they and their husbands approve of family planning, while slightly more than one-fifth said they both disapprove. The latter couples constitute a group for which family planning acceptance will require concerted motivational efforts. The educational levels attained by Pakistani women remain low: 79 percent of women have had no formal education, 14 percent have studied at the primary or middle school level, and only 7 percent have attended at least some secondary schooling. The traditional social structure of Pakistan supports a natural fertility pattern in which the majority of women do not use any means of fertility regulation. In such populations, the proximate determinants of fertility (other than contraception) are crucial in determining fertility levels. These include age at marriage, breastfeeding, and the duration of postpartum amenorrhoea and abstinence. The mean age at marriage has risen sharply over the past few decades, from under 17 years in the 1950s to 21.7 years in 1991. Despite this rise, marriage remains virtually universal: among women over the age of 35, only 2 percent have never married. Marriage patterns in Pakistan are characterised by an unusually high degree of consangninity. Half of all women are married to their first cousin and an additional 11 percent are married to their second cousin. Breasffeeding is important because of the natural immune protection it provides to babies, and the protection against pregnancy it gives to mothers. Women in Pakistan breastfeed their children for an average of20months. Themeandurationofpostpartumamenorrhoeais slightly more than 9 months. After tbebirth of a child, women abstain from sexual relations for an average of 5 months. As a result, the mean duration of postpartum insusceptibility (the period immediately following a birth during which the mother is protected from the risk of pregnancy) is 11 months, and the median is 8 months. Because of differentials in the duration of breastfeeding and abstinence, the median duration of insusceptibility varies widely: from 4 months for women with at least some secondary education to 9 months for women with no schooling; and from 5 months for women residing in major cities to 9 months for women in rural areas. In the PDHS, women were asked about their desire for additional sons and daughters. Overall, 40 percent of currently married women do not want to have any more children. This figure increases rapidly depending on the number of children a woman has: from 17 percent for women with two living children, to 52 percent for women with four children, to 71 percent for women with six children. The desire to stop childbearing varies widely across cultural groupings. For example, among women with four living children, the percentage who want no more varies from 47 percent for women with no education to 84 percent for those with at least some secondary education. Gender preference continues to be widespread in Pakistan. Among currently married non-pregnant women who want another child, 49 percent would prefer to have a boy and only 5 percent would prefer a girl, while 46 percent say it would make no difference. The need for family planning services, as measured in the PDHS, takes into account women's statements concerning recent and future intended childbearing and their use of contraceptives. It is estimated that 25 percent of currently married women have a need for family planning to stop childbearing and an additional 12 percent are in need of family planning for spacing children. Thus, the total need for family planning equals 37 percent, while only 12 percent of women are currently using contraception. The result is an unmet need for family planning services consisting of 25 percent of currently married women. This gap presents both an opportunity and a challenge to the Population Welfare Programme. Nearly one-tenth of children in Pakistan die before reaching their first birthday. The infant mortality rate during the six years preceding the survey is estimaled to be 91 per thousand live births; the under-five mortality rate is 117 per thousand. The under-five mortality rates vary from 92 per thousand for major cities to 132 for rural areas; and from 50 per thousand for women with at least some secondary education to 128 for those with no education. The level of infant mortality is influenced by biological factors such as mother's age at birth, birth order and, most importantly, the length of the preceding birth interval. Children born less than two years after their next oldest sibling are subject to an infant mortality rate of 133 per thousand, compared to 65 for those spaced two to three years apart, and 30 for those born at least four years after their older brother or sister. One of the priorities of the Government of Pakistan is to provide medical care during pregnancy and at the time of delivery, both of which are essential for infant and child survival and safe motherhood. Looking at children born in the five years preceding the survey, antenatal care was received during pregnancy for only 30 percent of these births. In rural areas, only 17 percent of births benefited from antenatal care, compared to 71 percent in major cities. Educational differentials in antenatal care are also striking: 22 percent of births of mothers with no education received antenatal care, compared to 85 percent of births of mothers with at least some secondary education. Tetanus, a major cause of neonatal death in Pakistan, can be prevented by immunisation of the mother during pregnancy. For 30 percent of all births in the five years prior to the survey, the mother received a tetanus toxoid vaccination. The differentials are about the same as those for antenatal care generally. Eighty-five percent of the births occurring during the five years preceding the survey were delivered

This scatter chart displays population (people) against median age (year) in Pakistan. The data is about countries per year.