Not just the size but also the age of the population in every country is a key factor in determining its social health and economic development.
With this in mind, 24/7 Wall St. has identified the countries with the youngest populations. Most, it turns out, are in sub-Saharan Africa — the notable exception being Afghanistan, a country that has faced a unique set of challenges in the last two decades. (Some of these are among the 29 countries the U.S. government doesn’t want you to visit.)
These countries are typically economically challenged, and lack the safety valve of emigration, as their citizens are rarely welcomed elsewhere. (Many are among the poorest countries in the world.)
Click here to see the countries with the youngest populations in the world.
To identify the countries with the youngest populations in the world, 24/7 Wall St. reviewed the percentage of each country’s population ages 65 and older, total population, and age dependency ratio (the ratio of those older than 65 to the working age population) from the World Bank’s World Development Indicators for 2019.Â
In addition to their economic struggles, many of the countries on this list are plagued with civil unrest and sometimes outright war, as well as environmental issues such as drought and desertification, and many have suffered substantially from COVID-19. But it would be wrong to see only the challenges they face: Countries with young populations can be vibrant and energetic and quick to seize the opportunities that come their way.
25. Côte d’Ivoire
> Population 14 and under in 2019: 10,727,580
> Percentage of population 14 and under in 2019: 41.7%
> Total population: 25,716,544
> Age dependency ratio, young: 75.3 younger individuals per 100 working-age residents — #26 out of 193 countries
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Source: atosan / iStock via Getty Images
24. São Tomé and Principe
> Population 14 and under in 2019: 90,639
> Percentage of population 14 and under in 2019: 42.1%
> Total population: 215,056
> Age dependency ratio, young: 76.8 younger individuals per 100 working-age residents — #23 out of 193 countries
Source: Virginia Yunes / Getty Images
23. Guinea-Bissau
> Population 14 and under in 2019: 809,739
> Percentage of population 14 and under in 2019: 42.2%
> Total population: 1,920,922
> Age dependency ratio, young: 76.7 younger individuals per 100 working-age residents — #24 out of 193 countries
Source: Sproetniek / iStock via Getty Images
22. Zimbabwe
> Population 14 and under in 2019: 6,174,255
> Percentage of population 14 and under in 2019: 42.2%
> Total population: 14,645,468
> Age dependency ratio, young: 76.8 younger individuals per 100 working-age residents — #22 out of 193 countries
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Source: peeterv / Getty Images
21. Benin
> Population 14 and under in 2019: 4,980,737
> Percentage of population 14 and under in 2019: 42.2%
> Total population: 11,801,151
> Age dependency ratio, young: 77.4 younger individuals per 100 working-age residents — #19 out of 193 countries
Source: HomoCosmicos / Getty Images
20. Cameroon
> Population 14 and under in 2019: 10,961,786
> Percentage of population 14 and under in 2019: 42.4%
> Total population: 25,876,380
> Age dependency ratio, young: 77.1 younger individuals per 100 working-age residents — #21 out of 193 countries
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Source: sasacvetkovic33 / Getty Images
19. Afghanistan
> Population 14 and under in 2019: 16,157,197
> Percentage of population 14 and under in 2019: 42.5%
> Total population: 38,041,754
> Age dependency ratio, young: 77.3 younger individuals per 100 working-age residents — #20 out of 193 countries
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Source: effevi / Getty Images
18. Senegal
> Population 14 and under in 2019: 6,981,341
> Percentage of population 14 and under in 2019: 42.8%
> Total population: 16,296,364
> Age dependency ratio, young: 79.2 younger individuals per 100 working-age residents — #18 out of 193 countries
Source: viti / Getty Images
17. Guinea
> Population 14 and under in 2019: 5,549,105
> Percentage of population 14 and under in 2019: 43.4%
> Total population: 12,771,246
> Age dependency ratio, young: 81.1 younger individuals per 100 working-age residents — #16 out of 193 countries
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Source: Robert_Ford / Getty Images
16. Malawi
> Population 14 and under in 2019: 8,097,672
> Percentage of population 14 and under in 2019: 43.5%
> Total population: 18,628,747
> Age dependency ratio, young: 80.7 younger individuals per 100 working-age residents — #17 out of 193 countries
Source: Jaxons / Getty Images
15. Nigeria
> Population 14 and under in 2019: 87,796,033
> Percentage of population 14 and under in 2019: 43.7%
> Total population: 200,963,599
> Age dependency ratio, young: 81.6 younger individuals per 100 working-age residents — #15 out of 193 countries
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Source: borchee / Getty Images
14. Tanzania
> Population 14 and under in 2019: 25,431,803
> Percentage of population 14 and under in 2019: 43.8%
> Total population: 58,005,463
> Age dependency ratio, young: 81.9 younger individuals per 100 working-age residents — #14 out of 193 countries
Source: Afrika Force from South Africa / Wikimedia Commons
13. Central African Republic
> Population 14 and under in 2019: 2,084,086
> Percentage of population 14 and under in 2019: 43.9%
> Total population: 4,745,185
> Age dependency ratio, young: 82.5 younger individuals per 100 working-age residents — #13 out of 193 countries
Source: mtcurado / Getty Images
12. The Gambia
> Population 14 and under in 2019: 1,035,975
> Percentage of population 14 and under in 2019: 44.1%
> Total population: 2,347,706
> Age dependency ratio, young: 82.8 younger individuals per 100 working-age residents — #12 out of 193 countries
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Source: Isono / Getty Images
11. Mozambique
> Population 14 and under in 2019: 13,472,803
> Percentage of population 14 and under in 2019: 44.4%
> Total population: 30,366,036
> Age dependency ratio, young: 84.1 younger individuals per 100 working-age residents — #10 out of 193 countries
Source: Jason J Mulikita / Getty Images
10. Zambia
> Population 14 and under in 2019: 7,941,462
> Percentage of population 14 and under in 2019: 44.5%
> Total population: 17,861,030
> Age dependency ratio, young: 83.2 younger individuals per 100 working-age residents — #11 out of 193 countries
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Source: Jeff Attaway from Dakar, Senegal / Wikimedia Commons
9. Burkina Faso
> Population 14 and under in 2019: 9,079,149
> Percentage of population 14 and under in 2019: 44.7%
> Total population: 20,321,378
> Age dependency ratio, young: 84.4 younger individuals per 100 working-age residents — #9 out of 193 countries
Source: mbrand85 / Getty Images
8. Burundi
> Population 14 and under in 2019: 5,234,958
> Percentage of population 14 and under in 2019: 45.4%
> Total population: 11,530,580
> Age dependency ratio, young: 86.8 younger individuals per 100 working-age residents — #8 out of 193 countries
Source: © MONUSCO/Sylvain Liechti / Wikimedia Commons
7. Democratic Republic of the Congo
> Population 14 and under in 2019: 39,924,875
> Percentage of population 14 and under in 2019: 46.0%
> Total population: 86,790,567
> Age dependency ratio, young: 90.2 younger individuals per 100 working-age residents — #6 out of 193 countries
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Source: HomoCosmicos / Getty Images
6. Somalia
> Population 14 and under in 2019: 7,162,343
> Percentage of population 14 and under in 2019: 46.4%
> Total population: 15,442,905
> Age dependency ratio, young: 91.4 younger individuals per 100 working-age residents — #4 out of 193 countries
Source: mtcurado / Getty Images
5. Uganda
> Population 14 and under in 2019: 20,585,368
> Percentage of population 14 and under in 2019: 46.5%
> Total population: 44,269,594
> Age dependency ratio, young: 90.2 younger individuals per 100 working-age residents — #7 out of 193 countries
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Source: AdemarRangel / Getty Images
4. Angola
> Population 14 and under in 2019: 14,837,597
> Percentage of population 14 and under in 2019: 46.6%
> Total population: 31,825,295
> Age dependency ratio, young: 91.1 younger individuals per 100 working-age residents — #5 out of 193 countries
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Source: giancarlo salvador / Getty Images
3. Chad
> Population 14 and under in 2019: 7,466,478
> Percentage of population 14 and under in 2019: 46.8%
> Total population: 15,946,876
> Age dependency ratio, young: 92.4 younger individuals per 100 working-age residents — #3 out of 193 countries
Source: dutourdumonde / Getty Images
2. Mali
> Population 14 and under in 2019: 9,299,172
> Percentage of population 14 and under in 2019: 47.3%
> Total population: 19,658,031
> Age dependency ratio, young: 94.2 younger individuals per 100 working-age residents — #2 out of 193 countries
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Source: HomoCosmicos / Getty Images
1. Niger
> Population 14 and under in 2019: 11,618,566
> Percentage of population 14 and under in 2019: 49.8%
> Total population: 23,310,715
> Age dependency ratio, young: 104.8 younger individuals per 100 working-age residents — #1 out of 193 countries
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