Somalia Demographics: Median age, Gender, Religion

Median age history and projection chart in
Somalia vs World

Table

Year	Median age
	Somalia	World
1960	18.1	22.5
1961	17.9	22.5
1962	17.8	22.4
1963	17.7	22.2
1964	17.6	22
1965	17.5	21.8
1966	17.5	21.7
1967	17.5	21.6
1968	17.5	21.5
1969	17.5	21.5
1970	17.5	21.4
1971	17.6	21.4
1972	17.6	21.5
1973	17.6	21.5
1974	17.7	21.6
1975	17.7	21.7
1976	17.7	21.9
1977	17.7	22
1978	17.7	22.2
1979	17.6	22.3
1980	17.6	22.5
1981	17.5	22.6
1982	17.4	22.7
1983	17.4	22.9
1984	17.3	23
1985	17.2	23.2
1986	17.1	23.3
1987	17	23.4
1988	16.8	23.6
1989	16.7	23.8
1990	16.5	23.9
1991	16.5	24.1
1992	16.7	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	16.4	25.7
1999	16.3	25.9
2000	16.3	26.1
2001	16.2	26.3
2002	16.2	26.5
2003	16.1	26.7
2004	16	27
2005	15.9	27.2
2006	15.7	27.4
2007	15.6	27.6
2008	15.6	27.8
2009	15.6	28
2010	15.7	28.2
2011	15.8	28.4
2012	16	28.6
2013	16	28.9
2014	16	29.1
2015	16.1	29.3
2016	16.1	29.5
2017	16.2	29.8
2018	16.2	30
2019	16.3	30.3
2020	16.3	30.6
2021	16.4	30.8
2022	16.5	31
2023	16.5	31.3
2024	16.6	31.6
2025	16.6	31.9
2026	16.6	32.1
2027	16.7	32.3
2028	16.7	32.6
2029	16.8	32.8
2030	16.9	33
2031	17.1	33.2
2032	17.3	33.4
2033	17.4	33.6
2034	17.6	33.8
2035	17.8	34
2036	18	34.2
2037	18.2	34.4
2038	18.4	34.6
2039	18.6	34.8
2040	18.8	35
2041	19.1	35.2
2042	19.3	35.4
2043	19.5	35.6
2044	19.7	35.8
2045	20	36
2046	20.2	36.2
2047	20.5	36.4
2048	20.7	36.6
2049	20.9	36.8
2050	21.2	37.1

In 1960, the median age in Somalia was 18.1 years compared to the world's average of 22.5 years. As of 2024, the median age had decreased to 16.6 years compared to the world's average of 31.6 years. Ranked 143rd for median age 64 years ago (old to young), Somalia ranks 194th currently.

According to the United Nations projections, the median age in Somalia is expected to increase to around 21.2 years by 2050. The aging demographics forecast is based on previous years' birth rates and increasing life expectancy.

Somalia demographic pyramid: age and gender distribution

Table

Age range	Share of population
	Somalia
	Male	Female
0-4	9.36%	9.06%
5-9	7.89%	7.68%
10-14	6.39%	6.22%
15-19	5.45%	5.32%
20-24	4.6%	4.54%
25-29	3.8%	3.78%
30-34	2.77%	2.79%
35-39	2.39%	2.42%
40-44	1.95%	2%
45-49	1.52%	1.57%
50-54	1.18%	1.26%
55-59	0.92%	1.02%
60-64	0.71%	0.81%
65-69	0.52%	0.62%
70-74	0.35%	0.43%
75-79	0.18%	0.23%
80+	0.11%	0.16%

The chart above is a variation of the population pyramid and represents the age and gender structure. Somalia has high demographic potential with 79.6% of people in the 0-34 age group (ranked 5/196).

Age dependency chart

Table

Year	Age dependency ratio
	Somalia			World
	Total	Young	Old	Total	Young	Old
1960	90.7%	84.7%	6.03%	73.5%	64.9%	8.62%
1961	91.8%	85.6%	6.13%	73.8%	65.1%	8.67%
1962	92.6%	86.4%	6.22%	74.1%	65.4%	8.73%
1963	93.3%	87%	6.29%	74.9%	66.1%	8.79%
1964	93.8%	87.4%	6.36%	75.5%	66.6%	8.85%
1965	93.7%	87.3%	6.4%	75.8%	66.8%	8.93%
1966	93.2%	86.8%	6.42%	75.9%	66.9%	9%
1967	92.8%	86.4%	6.43%	75.9%	66.8%	9.07%
1968	92.5%	86.1%	6.45%	75.8%	66.6%	9.14%
1969	92.2%	85.8%	6.46%	75.7%	66.5%	9.2%
1970	92%	85.5%	6.47%	75.5%	66.2%	9.26%
1971	91.8%	85.3%	6.47%	75.2%	65.9%	9.33%
1972	91.7%	85.2%	6.48%	74.9%	65.6%	9.39%
1973	91.6%	85.1%	6.47%	74.6%	65.1%	9.46%
1974	91.4%	85%	6.46%	74.4%	64.9%	9.54%
1975	91.2%	84.8%	6.44%	74.2%	64.6%	9.64%
1976	91.1%	84.7%	6.42%	74%	64.3%	9.72%
1977	91.1%	84.7%	6.4%	73.5%	63.7%	9.79%
1978	91.4%	85%	6.4%	72.4%	62.5%	9.84%
1979	91.8%	85.4%	6.4%	71.3%	61.4%	9.88%
1980	92.2%	85.8%	6.39%	70.4%	60.5%	9.89%
1981	92.7%	86.3%	6.38%	69.5%	59.6%	9.85%
1982	93.3%	86.9%	6.36%	68.7%	58.9%	9.79%
1983	93.9%	87.6%	6.34%	67.9%	58.1%	9.72%
1984	94.6%	88.3%	6.32%	67%	57.3%	9.68%
1985	95.3%	89%	6.3%	66.3%	56.6%	9.68%
1986	96.1%	89.8%	6.27%	65.7%	55.9%	9.71%
1987	96.9%	90.6%	6.24%	65.2%	55.4%	9.75%
1988	97.9%	91.7%	6.2%	64.8%	54.9%	9.81%
1989	99.1%	92.9%	6.16%	64.4%	54.5%	9.89%
1990	100.3%	94.2%	6.13%	64.2%	54.3%	9.97%
1991	99.7%	93.8%	5.94%	64%	53.9%	10.1%
1992	97.4%	91.8%	5.61%	63.7%	53.6%	10.2%
1993	96.6%	91.1%	5.44%	63.5%	53.2%	10.3%
1994	97.2%	91.8%	5.42%	63.1%	52.7%	10.4%
1995	97.8%	92.4%	5.39%	62.7%	52.2%	10.5%
1996	98.3%	92.9%	5.36%	62.1%	51.5%	10.6%
1997	98.7%	93.4%	5.31%	61.5%	50.8%	10.7%
1998	99.1%	93.8%	5.27%	60.7%	50%	10.7%
1999	99.5%	94.2%	5.23%	60%	49.2%	10.8%
2000	99.8%	94.6%	5.2%	59.3%	48.4%	10.9%
2001	100.2%	95%	5.18%	58.5%	47.6%	11%
2002	100.6%	95.4%	5.17%	57.8%	46.7%	11.1%
2003	101.1%	95.9%	5.16%	57%	45.9%	11.1%
2004	101.7%	96.6%	5.15%	56.3%	45.1%	11.2%
2005	102.9%	97.7%	5.14%	55.6%	44.3%	11.3%
2006	104.4%	99.3%	5.14%	55%	43.6%	11.4%
2007	105.6%	100.5%	5.12%	54.5%	43.1%	11.4%
2008	105.7%	100.6%	5.07%	54.1%	42.6%	11.5%
2009	105.2%	100.2%	5.02%	53.8%	42.2%	11.6%
2010	104.6%	99.6%	4.96%	53.5%	41.9%	11.6%
2011	102.8%	98%	4.83%	53.4%	41.6%	11.8%
2012	101%	96.3%	4.72%	53.3%	41.4%	11.9%
2013	100.6%	95.8%	4.71%	53.4%	41.2%	12.1%
2014	100.3%	95.5%	4.73%	53.5%	41.1%	12.4%
2015	100.1%	95.3%	4.79%	53.6%	40.9%	12.7%
2016	99.9%	95%	4.86%	53.7%	40.7%	13%
2017	99.5%	94.6%	4.91%	53.9%	40.6%	13.3%
2018	99%	94.1%	4.95%	54.1%	40.4%	13.7%
2019	98.6%	93.6%	5%	54.2%	40.1%	14%
2020	98.3%	93.3%	5.03%	54.2%	39.8%	14.4%
2021	98%	92.9%	5.02%	54.2%	39.5%	14.7%
2022	97.5%	92.5%	5.02%	54%	39%	15%
2023	97%	92%	5.05%	53.9%	38.5%	15.4%
2024	96.8%	91.7%	5.1%	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 Somalia decreased from 101.7% to 96.8% between 2004 and 2024 with a decreased share of children and an increased proportion of people aged 65+

Somalia working age demographic chart

Table

Year	Working age population share
	Somalia	World
1960	52.4%	57.6%
1961	52.1%	57.5%
1962	51.9%	57.4%
1963	51.7%	57.2%
1964	51.6%	57%
1965	51.6%	56.9%
1966	51.8%	56.8%
1967	51.9%	56.9%
1968	51.9%	56.9%
1969	52%	56.9%
1970	52.1%	57%
1971	52.1%	57.1%
1972	52.2%	57.2%
1973	52.2%	57.3%
1974	52.2%	57.3%
1975	52.3%	57.4%
1976	52.3%	57.5%
1977	52.3%	57.7%
1978	52.2%	58%
1979	52.1%	58.4%
1980	52%	58.7%
1981	51.9%	59%
1982	51.7%	59.3%
1983	51.6%	59.6%
1984	51.4%	59.9%
1985	51.2%	60.1%
1986	51%	60.4%
1987	50.8%	60.5%
1988	50.5%	60.7%
1989	50.2%	60.8%
1990	49.9%	60.9%
1991	50.1%	61%
1992	50.7%	61.1%
1993	50.9%	61.2%
1994	50.7%	61.3%
1995	50.6%	61.5%
1996	50.4%	61.7%
1997	50.3%	61.9%
1998	50.2%	62.2%
1999	50.1%	62.5%
2000	50%	62.8%
2001	50%	63.1%
2002	49.9%	63.4%
2003	49.7%	63.7%
2004	49.6%	64%
2005	49.3%	64.3%
2006	48.9%	64.5%
2007	48.6%	64.7%
2008	48.6%	64.9%
2009	48.7%	65%
2010	48.9%	65.1%
2011	49.3%	65.2%
2012	49.7%	65.2%
2013	49.9%	65.2%
2014	49.9%	65.2%
2015	50%	65.1%
2016	50%	65.1%
2017	50.1%	65%
2018	50.2%	64.9%
2019	50.3%	64.9%
2020	50.4%	64.8%
2021	50.5%	64.9%
2022	50.6%	64.9%
2023	50.8%	65%
2024	50.8%	65.1%
2025	50.8%	65.2%
2026	50.8%	65.3%
2027	51%	65.4%
2028	51.2%	65.4%
2029	51.5%	65.4%
2030	51.8%	65.4%
2031	52.2%	65.4%
2032	52.5%	65.4%
2033	52.9%	65.4%
2034	53.3%	65.3%
2035	53.7%	65.2%
2036	54.1%	65%
2037	54.5%	64.9%
2038	54.9%	64.7%
2039	55.4%	64.6%
2040	55.8%	64.5%
2041	56.3%	64.4%
2042	56.7%	64.3%
2043	57%	64.2%
2044	57.4%	64.1%
2045	57.8%	63.9%
2046	58.2%	63.8%
2047	58.5%	63.7%
2048	58.9%	63.6%
2049	59.2%	63.4%
2050	59.5%	63.3%

The share of working-age demographics aged 15-64 in Somalia changed from 49.6% to 50.8% between 2004 and 2024.

Share of young population (0-14 years)

Table

Year	Share of population 0-14 years old
	Somalia	World
1960	44.4%	37.4%
1961	44.7%	37.5%
1962	44.8%	37.6%
1963	45%	37.8%
1964	45.1%	38%
1965	45.1%	38%
1966	44.9%	38%
1967	44.8%	38%
1968	44.7%	37.9%
1969	44.6%	37.8%
1970	44.5%	37.7%
1971	44.5%	37.6%
1972	44.4%	37.5%
1973	44.4%	37.3%
1974	44.4%	37.2%
1975	44.3%	37.1%
1976	44.3%	36.9%
1977	44.3%	36.7%
1978	44.4%	36.3%
1979	44.5%	35.9%
1980	44.6%	35.5%
1981	44.8%	35.2%
1982	45%	34.9%
1983	45.2%	34.6%
1984	45.4%	34.3%
1985	45.6%	34%
1986	45.8%	33.8%
1987	46%	33.6%
1988	46.3%	33.4%
1989	46.7%	33.2%
1990	47%	33%
1991	47%	32.9%
1992	46.5%	32.7%
1993	46.4%	32.5%
1994	46.5%	32.3%
1995	46.7%	32.1%
1996	46.9%	31.8%
1997	47%	31.5%
1998	47.1%	31.1%
1999	47.2%	30.8%
2000	47.4%	30.4%
2001	47.5%	30%
2002	47.6%	29.6%
2003	47.7%	29.2%
2004	47.9%	28.8%
2005	48.2%	28.5%
2006	48.6%	28.1%
2007	48.9%	27.9%
2008	48.9%	27.6%
2009	48.8%	27.5%
2010	48.7%	27.3%
2011	48.3%	27.1%
2012	47.9%	27%
2013	47.8%	26.9%
2014	47.7%	26.8%
2015	47.6%	26.6%
2016	47.5%	26.5%
2017	47.4%	26.4%
2018	47.3%	26.2%
2019	47.1%	26%
2020	47%	25.8%
2021	47%	25.6%
2022	46.8%	25.3%
2023	46.7%	25%
2024	46.6%	24.7%
2025	46.6%	24.4%
2026	46.5%	24.1%
2027	46.4%	23.8%
2028	46.1%	23.4%
2029	45.8%	23.1%
2030	45.4%	22.8%
2031	45.1%	22.6%
2032	44.7%	22.3%
2033	44.3%	22.1%
2034	43.9%	21.9%
2035	43.5%	21.7%
2036	43.1%	21.6%
2037	42.6%	21.5%
2038	42.1%	21.4%
2039	41.7%	21.3%
2040	41.2%	21.2%
2041	40.8%	21.1%
2042	40.3%	21%
2043	39.9%	21%
2044	39.4%	20.9%
2045	39%	20.8%
2046	38.6%	20.7%
2047	38.2%	20.7%
2048	37.8%	20.6%
2049	37.4%	20.5%
2050	37%	20.4%

The share of children aged 0-14 in Somalia decreased from 47.9% to 46.6% between 2004 and 2024 due to changes in birth rates.

Share of old population (65+)

Table

Year	Share of population 65+ years old
	Somalia	World
1960	3.16%	4.97%
1961	3.2%	4.99%
1962	3.23%	5.01%
1963	3.26%	5.02%
1964	3.28%	5.04%
1965	3.3%	5.08%
1966	3.32%	5.12%
1967	3.34%	5.16%
1968	3.35%	5.2%
1969	3.36%	5.24%
1970	3.37%	5.28%
1971	3.38%	5.32%
1972	3.38%	5.37%
1973	3.38%	5.42%
1974	3.38%	5.47%
1975	3.37%	5.53%
1976	3.36%	5.59%
1977	3.35%	5.65%
1978	3.34%	5.71%
1979	3.34%	5.77%
1980	3.32%	5.81%
1981	3.31%	5.81%
1982	3.29%	5.8%
1983	3.27%	5.79%
1984	3.25%	5.8%
1985	3.22%	5.82%
1986	3.2%	5.86%
1987	3.17%	5.91%
1988	3.13%	5.95%
1989	3.09%	6.01%
1990	3.06%	6.07%
1991	2.98%	6.14%
1992	2.84%	6.21%
1993	2.77%	6.29%
1994	2.75%	6.37%
1995	2.73%	6.45%
1996	2.7%	6.53%
1997	2.67%	6.61%
1998	2.65%	6.68%
1999	2.62%	6.76%
2000	2.6%	6.84%
2001	2.59%	6.92%
2002	2.58%	7.01%
2003	2.57%	7.1%
2004	2.55%	7.18%
2005	2.53%	7.26%
2006	2.51%	7.34%
2007	2.49%	7.41%
2008	2.47%	7.47%
2009	2.45%	7.52%
2010	2.43%	7.58%
2011	2.38%	7.66%
2012	2.35%	7.78%
2013	2.35%	7.92%
2014	2.36%	8.08%
2015	2.39%	8.26%
2016	2.43%	8.45%
2017	2.46%	8.65%
2018	2.49%	8.88%
2019	2.52%	9.1%
2020	2.54%	9.33%
2021	2.54%	9.53%
2022	2.54%	9.74%
2023	2.56%	9.98%
2024	2.59%	10.2%
2025	2.62%	10.4%
2026	2.64%	10.6%
2027	2.66%	10.8%
2028	2.68%	11.1%
2029	2.7%	11.5%
2030	2.72%	11.7%
2031	2.74%	12%
2032	2.76%	12.3%
2033	2.78%	12.6%
2034	2.8%	12.8%
2035	2.83%	13.1%
2036	2.85%	13.4%
2037	2.87%	13.7%
2038	2.9%	13.9%
2039	2.93%	14.1%
2040	2.96%	14.3%
2041	2.99%	14.5%
2042	3.03%	14.7%
2043	3.08%	14.9%
2044	3.13%	15%
2045	3.18%	15.2%
2046	3.24%	15.4%
2047	3.3%	15.7%
2048	3.37%	15.9%
2049	3.44%	16.1%
2050	3.51%	16.3%

The share of older people aged 65 and over in Somalia increased from 2.55% to 2.59% between 2004 and 2024 due to changes in life expectancy.