Ethiopia Demographics: Median age, Gender, Race, Religion

Median age history and projection chart in
Ethiopia vs World

Table

Year	Median age
	Ethiopia	World
1960	18.6	22.5
1961	18.6	22.5
1962	18.6	22.4
1963	18.6	22.2
1964	18.6	22
1965	18.6	21.8
1966	18.5	21.7
1967	18.5	21.6
1968	18.4	21.5
1969	18.3	21.5
1970	18.1	21.4
1971	17.9	21.4
1972	17.7	21.5
1973	17.6	21.5
1974	17.5	21.6
1975	17.3	21.7
1976	17.2	21.9
1977	17.1	22
1978	17	22.2
1979	16.9	22.3
1980	16.8	22.5
1981	16.8	22.6
1982	16.7	22.7
1983	16.7	22.9
1984	16.8	23
1985	16.9	23.2
1986	16.9	23.3
1987	16.9	23.4
1988	16.9	23.6
1989	16.9	23.8
1990	16.9	23.9
1991	16.9	24.1
1992	16.9	24.3
1993	16.8	24.5
1994	16.7	24.7
1995	16.6	25
1996	16.5	25.2
1997	16.4	25.4
1998	16.3	25.7
1999	16.2	25.9
2000	16.2	26.1
2001	16.1	26.3
2002	16.1	26.5
2003	16.1	26.7
2004	16.2	27
2005	16.2	27.2
2006	16.3	27.4
2007	16.4	27.6
2008	16.5	27.8
2009	16.7	28
2010	16.9	28.2
2011	17.1	28.4
2012	17.4	28.6
2013	17.6	28.9
2014	17.9	29.1
2015	18.1	29.3
2016	18.3	29.5
2017	18.6	29.8
2018	18.8	30
2019	19	30.3
2020	19.2	30.6
2021	19.4	30.8
2022	19.6	31
2023	19.7	31.3
2024	19.9	31.6
2025	20.1	31.9
2026	20.3	32.1
2027	20.6	32.3
2028	20.8	32.6
2029	21	32.8
2030	21.2	33
2031	21.4	33.2
2032	21.6	33.4
2033	21.7	33.6
2034	21.9	33.8
2035	22.1	34
2036	22.3	34.2
2037	22.5	34.4
2038	22.7	34.6
2039	22.9	34.8
2040	23.1	35
2041	23.3	35.2
2042	23.6	35.4
2043	23.8	35.6
2044	24.1	35.8
2045	24.3	36
2046	24.6	36.2
2047	24.8	36.4
2048	25.1	36.6
2049	25.4	36.8
2050	25.6	37.1

In 1960, the median age in Ethiopia was 18.6 years compared to the world's average of 22.5 years. As of 2024, the median age had increased to 19.9 years compared to the world's average of 31.6 years. Ranked 127th for median age 64 years ago (old to young), Ethiopia ranks 167th currently.

According to the United Nations projections, the median age in Ethiopia is expected to increase to around 25.6 years by 2050. The aging demographics forecast is based on previous years' birth rates and increasing life expectancy.

Ethiopia demographic pyramid: age and gender distribution

Table

Age range	Share of population
	Ethiopia
	Male	Female
0-4	7.51%	7.18%
5-9	6.55%	6.31%
10-14	5.85%	5.67%
15-19	5.61%	5.47%
20-24	5.02%	4.95%
25-29	4.32%	4.28%
30-34	3.58%	3.55%
35-39	2.79%	2.78%
40-44	2.16%	2.17%
45-49	1.79%	1.85%
50-54	1.43%	1.55%
55-59	1.17%	1.31%
60-64	0.89%	1.02%
65-69	0.61%	0.71%
70-74	0.4%	0.49%
75-79	0.26%	0.34%
80+	0.17%	0.25%

The chart above is a variation of the population pyramid and represents the age and gender structure. Ethiopia has high demographic potential with 75.9% of people in the 0-34 age group (ranked 21/196).

Age dependency chart

Table

Year	Age dependency ratio
	Ethiopia			World
	Total	Young	Old	Total	Young	Old
1960	82%	76.9%	5.13%	73.5%	64.9%	8.62%
1961	81.7%	76.6%	5.09%	73.8%	65.1%	8.67%
1962	81.5%	76.5%	5.04%	74.1%	65.4%	8.73%
1963	81.5%	76.5%	4.99%	74.9%	66.1%	8.79%
1964	81.9%	76.9%	4.97%	75.5%	66.6%	8.85%
1965	82.7%	77.7%	4.99%	75.8%	66.8%	8.93%
1966	83.8%	78.8%	5.03%	75.9%	66.9%	9%
1967	84.9%	79.8%	5.08%	75.9%	66.8%	9.07%
1968	86.2%	81%	5.16%	75.8%	66.6%	9.14%
1969	87.4%	82.2%	5.23%	75.7%	66.5%	9.2%
1970	88.6%	83.3%	5.3%	75.5%	66.2%	9.26%
1971	90%	84.6%	5.36%	75.2%	65.9%	9.33%
1972	91.3%	85.9%	5.41%	74.9%	65.6%	9.39%
1973	92.4%	87%	5.44%	74.6%	65.1%	9.46%
1974	93.1%	87.7%	5.45%	74.4%	64.9%	9.54%
1975	93.7%	88.2%	5.45%	74.2%	64.6%	9.64%
1976	94.4%	88.9%	5.46%	74%	64.3%	9.72%
1977	95%	89.6%	5.47%	73.5%	63.7%	9.79%
1978	95.6%	90.1%	5.48%	72.4%	62.5%	9.84%
1979	96%	90.5%	5.48%	71.3%	61.4%	9.88%
1980	96.5%	91%	5.49%	70.4%	60.5%	9.89%
1981	96.8%	91.4%	5.49%	69.5%	59.6%	9.85%
1982	97%	91.6%	5.49%	68.7%	58.9%	9.79%
1983	96.7%	91.2%	5.44%	67.9%	58.1%	9.72%
1984	95.9%	90.5%	5.36%	67%	57.3%	9.68%
1985	95.2%	89.9%	5.3%	66.3%	56.6%	9.68%
1986	94.8%	89.5%	5.27%	65.7%	55.9%	9.71%
1987	94.8%	89.5%	5.28%	65.2%	55.4%	9.75%
1988	95.1%	89.8%	5.32%	64.8%	54.9%	9.81%
1989	95.5%	90.1%	5.35%	64.4%	54.5%	9.89%
1990	95.9%	90.5%	5.36%	64.2%	54.3%	9.97%
1991	95.8%	90.4%	5.39%	64%	53.9%	10.1%
1992	95.9%	90.5%	5.41%	63.7%	53.6%	10.2%
1993	96.5%	91.1%	5.4%	63.5%	53.2%	10.3%
1994	97.1%	91.7%	5.39%	63.1%	52.7%	10.4%
1995	97.6%	92.3%	5.34%	62.7%	52.2%	10.5%
1996	98.2%	93%	5.28%	62.1%	51.5%	10.6%
1997	99.1%	93.8%	5.27%	61.5%	50.8%	10.7%
1998	100%	94.8%	5.27%	60.7%	50%	10.7%
1999	100.9%	95.6%	5.27%	60%	49.2%	10.8%
2000	101.5%	96.2%	5.27%	59.3%	48.4%	10.9%
2001	101.8%	96.5%	5.28%	58.5%	47.6%	11%
2002	101.7%	96.4%	5.27%	57.8%	46.7%	11.1%
2003	101.3%	96.1%	5.27%	57%	45.9%	11.1%
2004	100.9%	95.6%	5.27%	56.3%	45.1%	11.2%
2005	100.3%	95%	5.28%	55.6%	44.3%	11.3%
2006	99.5%	94.2%	5.28%	55%	43.6%	11.4%
2007	98.5%	93.2%	5.28%	54.5%	43.1%	11.4%
2008	97.2%	91.9%	5.29%	54.1%	42.6%	11.5%
2009	95.7%	90.4%	5.3%	53.8%	42.2%	11.6%
2010	94%	88.7%	5.32%	53.5%	41.9%	11.6%
2011	92.2%	86.8%	5.35%	53.4%	41.6%	11.8%
2012	90.2%	84.9%	5.38%	53.3%	41.4%	11.9%
2013	88.3%	82.9%	5.4%	53.4%	41.2%	12.1%
2014	86.3%	80.9%	5.42%	53.5%	41.1%	12.4%
2015	84.5%	79%	5.41%	53.6%	40.9%	12.7%
2016	82.7%	77.3%	5.39%	53.7%	40.7%	13%
2017	81%	75.6%	5.39%	53.9%	40.6%	13.3%
2018	79.5%	74.1%	5.4%	54.1%	40.4%	13.7%
2019	78.2%	72.8%	5.42%	54.2%	40.1%	14%
2020	77.1%	71.6%	5.43%	54.2%	39.8%	14.4%
2021	75.9%	70.5%	5.44%	54.2%	39.5%	14.7%
2022	74.9%	69.5%	5.47%	54%	39%	15%
2023	74%	68.5%	5.52%	53.9%	38.5%	15.4%
2024	73.3%	67.7%	5.6%	53.7%	38%	15.7%

Age dependency is the ratio of people not in the labor force (children under 15 and adults 64+) to people aged 15 to 64. Age dependency in Ethiopia decreased from 100.9% to 73.3% between 2004 and 2024 with a decreased share of children and an increased proportion of people aged 65+

Ethiopia working age demographic chart

Table

Year	Working age population share
	Ethiopia	World
1960	54.9%	57.6%
1961	55%	57.5%
1962	55.1%	57.4%
1963	55.1%	57.2%
1964	55%	57%
1965	54.7%	56.9%
1966	54.4%	56.8%
1967	54.1%	56.9%
1968	53.7%	56.9%
1969	53.4%	56.9%
1970	53%	57%
1971	52.6%	57.1%
1972	52.3%	57.2%
1973	52%	57.3%
1974	51.8%	57.3%
1975	51.6%	57.4%
1976	51.5%	57.5%
1977	51.3%	57.7%
1978	51.1%	58%
1979	51%	58.4%
1980	50.9%	58.7%
1981	50.8%	59%
1982	50.7%	59.3%
1983	50.8%	59.6%
1984	51.1%	59.9%
1985	51.2%	60.1%
1986	51.3%	60.4%
1987	51.3%	60.5%
1988	51.3%	60.7%
1989	51.2%	60.8%
1990	51%	60.9%
1991	51.1%	61%
1992	51%	61.1%
1993	50.9%	61.2%
1994	50.7%	61.3%
1995	50.6%	61.5%
1996	50.4%	61.7%
1997	50.2%	61.9%
1998	50%	62.2%
1999	49.8%	62.5%
2000	49.6%	62.8%
2001	49.6%	63.1%
2002	49.6%	63.4%
2003	49.7%	63.7%
2004	49.8%	64%
2005	49.9%	64.3%
2006	50.1%	64.5%
2007	50.4%	64.7%
2008	50.7%	64.9%
2009	51.1%	65%
2010	51.5%	65.1%
2011	52%	65.2%
2012	52.6%	65.2%
2013	53.1%	65.2%
2014	53.7%	65.2%
2015	54.2%	65.1%
2016	54.7%	65.1%
2017	55.3%	65%
2018	55.7%	64.9%
2019	56.1%	64.9%
2020	56.5%	64.8%
2021	56.8%	64.9%
2022	57.2%	64.9%
2023	57.5%	65%
2024	57.7%	65.1%
2025	57.9%	65.2%
2026	58.1%	65.3%
2027	58.3%	65.4%
2028	58.4%	65.4%
2029	58.6%	65.4%
2030	58.7%	65.4%
2031	58.9%	65.4%
2032	59.2%	65.4%
2033	59.4%	65.4%
2034	59.8%	65.3%
2035	60.1%	65.2%
2036	60.5%	65%
2037	60.8%	64.9%
2038	61.2%	64.7%
2039	61.6%	64.6%
2040	61.9%	64.5%
2041	62.3%	64.4%
2042	62.6%	64.3%
2043	62.9%	64.2%
2044	63.2%	64.1%
2045	63.4%	63.9%
2046	63.7%	63.8%
2047	63.9%	63.7%
2048	64.2%	63.6%
2049	64.4%	63.4%
2050	64.6%	63.3%

The share of working-age demographics aged 15-64 in Ethiopia changed from 49.8% to 57.7% between 2004 and 2024.

Share of young population (0-14 years)

Table

Year	Share of population 0-14 years old
	Ethiopia	World
1960	42.2%	37.4%
1961	42.2%	37.5%
1962	42.1%	37.6%
1963	42.2%	37.8%
1964	42.3%	38%
1965	42.5%	38%
1966	42.9%	38%
1967	43.2%	38%
1968	43.5%	37.9%
1969	43.8%	37.8%
1970	44.2%	37.7%
1971	44.5%	37.6%
1972	44.9%	37.5%
1973	45.2%	37.3%
1974	45.4%	37.2%
1975	45.6%	37.1%
1976	45.7%	36.9%
1977	45.9%	36.7%
1978	46.1%	36.3%
1979	46.2%	35.9%
1980	46.3%	35.5%
1981	46.4%	35.2%
1982	46.5%	34.9%
1983	46.4%	34.6%
1984	46.2%	34.3%
1985	46.1%	34%
1986	46%	33.8%
1987	46%	33.6%
1988	46%	33.4%
1989	46.1%	33.2%
1990	46.2%	33%
1991	46.2%	32.9%
1992	46.2%	32.7%
1993	46.4%	32.5%
1994	46.5%	32.3%
1995	46.7%	32.1%
1996	46.9%	31.8%
1997	47.1%	31.5%
1998	47.4%	31.1%
1999	47.6%	30.8%
2000	47.7%	30.4%
2001	47.8%	30%
2002	47.8%	29.6%
2003	47.7%	29.2%
2004	47.6%	28.8%
2005	47.4%	28.5%
2006	47.2%	28.1%
2007	46.9%	27.9%
2008	46.6%	27.6%
2009	46.2%	27.5%
2010	45.7%	27.3%
2011	45.2%	27.1%
2012	44.6%	27%
2013	44%	26.9%
2014	43.4%	26.8%
2015	42.9%	26.6%
2016	42.3%	26.5%
2017	41.8%	26.4%
2018	41.3%	26.2%
2019	40.9%	26%
2020	40.5%	25.8%
2021	40.1%	25.6%
2022	39.7%	25.3%
2023	39.4%	25%
2024	39.1%	24.7%
2025	38.8%	24.4%
2026	38.5%	24.1%
2027	38.3%	23.8%
2028	38.1%	23.4%
2029	37.8%	23.1%
2030	37.6%	22.8%
2031	37.3%	22.6%
2032	37%	22.3%
2033	36.6%	22.1%
2034	36.2%	21.9%
2035	35.8%	21.7%
2036	35.4%	21.6%
2037	34.9%	21.5%
2038	34.5%	21.4%
2039	34%	21.3%
2040	33.6%	21.2%
2041	33.2%	21.1%
2042	32.8%	21%
2043	32.4%	21%
2044	32%	20.9%
2045	31.7%	20.8%
2046	31.3%	20.7%
2047	31%	20.7%
2048	30.7%	20.6%
2049	30.3%	20.5%
2050	30%	20.4%

The share of children aged 0-14 in Ethiopia decreased from 47.6% to 39.1% between 2004 and 2024 due to changes in birth rates.

Share of old population (65+)

Table

Year	Share of population 65+ years old
	Ethiopia	World
1960	2.82%	4.97%
1961	2.8%	4.99%
1962	2.77%	5.01%
1963	2.75%	5.02%
1964	2.74%	5.04%
1965	2.73%	5.08%
1966	2.73%	5.12%
1967	2.75%	5.16%
1968	2.77%	5.2%
1969	2.79%	5.24%
1970	2.81%	5.28%
1971	2.82%	5.32%
1972	2.83%	5.37%
1973	2.83%	5.42%
1974	2.82%	5.47%
1975	2.81%	5.53%
1976	2.81%	5.59%
1977	2.81%	5.65%
1978	2.8%	5.71%
1979	2.8%	5.77%
1980	2.79%	5.81%
1981	2.79%	5.81%
1982	2.78%	5.8%
1983	2.77%	5.79%
1984	2.74%	5.8%
1985	2.72%	5.82%
1986	2.71%	5.86%
1987	2.71%	5.91%
1988	2.73%	5.95%
1989	2.74%	6.01%
1990	2.74%	6.07%
1991	2.75%	6.14%
1992	2.76%	6.21%
1993	2.75%	6.29%
1994	2.73%	6.37%
1995	2.7%	6.45%
1996	2.67%	6.53%
1997	2.65%	6.61%
1998	2.64%	6.68%
1999	2.62%	6.76%
2000	2.61%	6.84%
2001	2.62%	6.92%
2002	2.62%	7.01%
2003	2.62%	7.1%
2004	2.62%	7.18%
2005	2.63%	7.26%
2006	2.65%	7.34%
2007	2.66%	7.41%
2008	2.68%	7.47%
2009	2.71%	7.52%
2010	2.74%	7.58%
2011	2.78%	7.66%
2012	2.83%	7.78%
2013	2.87%	7.92%
2014	2.91%	8.08%
2015	2.94%	8.26%
2016	2.95%	8.45%
2017	2.98%	8.65%
2018	3.01%	8.88%
2019	3.04%	9.1%
2020	3.07%	9.33%
2021	3.09%	9.53%
2022	3.12%	9.74%
2023	3.17%	9.98%
2024	3.23%	10.2%
2025	3.3%	10.4%
2026	3.37%	10.6%
2027	3.44%	10.8%
2028	3.51%	11.1%
2029	3.59%	11.5%
2030	3.67%	11.7%
2031	3.75%	12%
2032	3.84%	12.3%
2033	3.92%	12.6%
2034	4%	12.8%
2035	4.09%	13.1%
2036	4.16%	13.4%
2037	4.24%	13.7%
2038	4.31%	13.9%
2039	4.39%	14.1%
2040	4.46%	14.3%
2041	4.54%	14.5%
2042	4.63%	14.7%
2043	4.72%	14.9%
2044	4.81%	15%
2045	4.9%	15.2%
2046	4.99%	15.4%
2047	5.08%	15.7%
2048	5.16%	15.9%
2049	5.25%	16.1%
2050	5.36%	16.3%

The share of older people aged 65 and over in Ethiopia increased from 2.62% to 3.23% between 2004 and 2024 due to changes in life expectancy.