This statistic shows the median age of the world population from 1950 to 2100. By 2100, the global median age is projected to be 41.9 years of age.

This statistic presents the median age of the world population from 1990 to 2015 and a forecast until 2100, by fertility variant. In 2100, the median age of the world population is predicted to be 26 years old at a constant fertility variant.

Globally, about 25 percent of the population is under 15 years of age and 10 percent is over 65 years of age. Africa has the youngest population worldwide. In Sub-Saharan Africa, more than 40 percent of the population is below 15 years, and only three percent are above 65, indicating the low life expectancy in several of the countries. In Europe, on the other hand, a higher share of the population is above 65 years than the population under 15 years. Fertility rates The high share of children and youth in Africa is connected to the high fertility rates on the continent. For instance, South Sudan and Niger have the highest population growth rates globally. However, about 50 percent of the world’s population live in countries with low fertility, where women have less than 2.1 children. Some countries in Europe, like Latvia and Lithuania, have experienced a population decline of one percent, and in the Cook Islands, it is even above two percent. In Europe, the majority of the population was previously working-aged adults with few dependents, but this trend is expected to reverse soon, and it is predicted that by 2050, the older population will outnumber the young in many developed countries. Growing global population As of 2025, there are 8.1 billion people living on the planet, and this is expected to reach more than nine billion before 2040. Moreover, the global population is expected to reach 10 billions around 2060, before slowing and then even falling slightly by 2100. As the population growth rates indicate, a significant share of the population increase will happen in Africa.

According to 2023 estimations, Monaco's population had the highest median age of **** years worldwide. Furthermore, the lowest listed countries are all from the African continent, with Niger recording a median age of nearly 15 years old.

The ranking of countries by average age of the population shows at one end of the spectrum the countries with the highest average age of the population. At the other end are the countries with the youngest populations: they usually have high birth rates and not very long life expectancy.

Monaco is the country with the highest median age in the world. The population has a median age of around 57 years, which is around six years more than in Japan and Saint Pierre and Miquelon – the other countries that make up the top three. Southern European countries make up a large part of the top 20, with Italy, Slovenia, Greece, San Marino, Andorra, and Croatia all making the list. Low infant mortality means higher life expectancy Monaco and Japan also have the lowest infant mortality rates in the world, which contributes to the calculation of a higher life expectancy because fewer people are dying in the first years of life. Indeed, many of the nations with a high median age also feature on the list of countries with the highest average life expectancy, such as San Marino, Japan, Italy, and Lichtenstein. Demographics of islands and small countries Many smaller countries and island nations have populations with a high median age, such as Guernsey and the Isle of Man, which are both island territories within the British Isles. An explanation for this could be that younger people leave to seek work or education opportunities, while others choose to relocate there for retirement.

This list includes both countries and dependent territories. Data based on the latest United Nations Population Division estimates.

• Country - Name of countries and dependent territories.
• Population2023 - Population in the year 2023
• YearlyChange - Percentage Yearly Change in Population
• NetChange - Net Change in Population
• Density(P/Km²)- Population density (population per square km)
• Land Area(Km²) - Land area of countries / dependent territories.
• Migrants(net) - Total number of migrants
• Fert.Rate - Fertility rate
• Med.Age - Median age of the population
• UrbanPop%- Percentage of urban population
• WorldShare - Population share

Albania Population: Average: Age 60 to 64 data was reported at 193.926 Person th in 2022. This records an increase from the previous number of 190.595 Person th for 2021. Albania Population: Average: Age 60 to 64 data is updated yearly, averaging 133.238 Person th from Dec 2001 (Median) to 2022, with 22 observations. The data reached an all-time high of 193.926 Person th in 2022 and a record low of 110.830 Person th in 2008. Albania Population: Average: Age 60 to 64 data remains active status in CEIC and is reported by Institute of Statistics. The data is categorized under Global Database’s Albania – Table AL.G001: Population: by Gender and Age Group.

Albania Population: Average: Age 35 to 39 data was reported at 179.750 Person th in 2022. This records an increase from the previous number of 177.710 Person th for 2021. Albania Population: Average: Age 35 to 39 data is updated yearly, averaging 176.315 Person th from Dec 2001 (Median) to 2022, with 22 observations. The data reached an all-time high of 216.905 Person th in 2001 and a record low of 161.921 Person th in 2015. Albania Population: Average: Age 35 to 39 data remains active status in CEIC and is reported by Institute of Statistics. The data is categorized under Global Database’s Albania – Table AL.G001: Population: by Gender and Age Group.

Yemen YE: Age Dependency Ratio: % of Working-Age Population data was reported at 74.948 % in 2017. This records a decrease from the previous number of 75.900 % for 2016. Yemen YE: Age Dependency Ratio: % of Working-Age Population data is updated yearly, averaging 99.659 % from Dec 1960 (Median) to 2017, with 58 observations. The data reached an all-time high of 119.139 % in 1990 and a record low of 74.948 % in 2017. Yemen YE: Age Dependency Ratio: % of Working-Age Population data remains active status in CEIC and is reported by World Bank. The data is categorized under Global Database’s Yemen – Table YE.World Bank.WDI: Population and Urbanization Statistics. Age dependency ratio is the ratio of dependents--people younger than 15 or 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; Relevance to gender indicator: this indicator implies the dependency burden that the working-age population bears in relation to children and the elderly. Many times single or widowed women who are the sole caregiver of a household have a high dependency ratio.

Italy IT: Age Dependency Ratio: % of Working-Age Population: Old data was reported at 36.276 % in 2017. This records an increase from the previous number of 35.660 % for 2016. Italy IT: Age Dependency Ratio: % of Working-Age Population: Old data is updated yearly, averaging 20.867 % from Dec 1960 (Median) to 2017, with 58 observations. The data reached an all-time high of 36.276 % in 2017 and a record low of 14.511 % in 1960. Italy IT: 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 Italy – Table IT.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;

In 2024, just under 41 percent of Sub-Saharan Africa's population was below the age of 15; in contrast, this figure was just 17 percent in Europe & Central Asia and in North America. Across these regions, the share of the population aged 65 and over inversely correlated with the younger population, in that the regions with the largest share aged under 15 had the smallest share aged over 64, and vice versa. For most regions, the share of the population aged between 15 and 64 years ranged between 64 and 65 percent, except for Sub-Saharan Africa where it was below 56 percent. These trends can largely be explained by looking at global demographic development.

Taiwan Population: Average Age data was reported at 41.436 Year Old in Nov 2018. This records an increase from the previous number of 41.394 Year Old for Oct 2018. Taiwan Population: Average Age data is updated monthly, averaging 37.546 Year Old from Sep 2000 (Median) to Nov 2018, with 219 observations. The data reached an all-time high of 41.436 Year Old in Nov 2018 and a record low of 33.454 Year Old in Sep 2000. Taiwan Population: Average Age data remains active status in CEIC and is reported by Ministry of the Interior. The data is categorized under Global Database’s Taiwan – Table TW.G001: Population.

Context

The United States Census Bureau’s international dataset provides estimates of country populations since 1950 and projections through 2050. Specifically, the dataset includes midyear population figures broken down by age and gender assignment at birth. Additionally, time-series data is provided for attributes including fertility rates, birth rates, death rates, and migration rates.

Querying BigQuery tables

You can use the BigQuery Python client library to query tables in this dataset in Kernels. Note that methods available in Kernels are limited to querying data. Tables are at bigquery-public-data.census_bureau_international.

Sample Query 1

What countries have the longest life expectancy? In this query, 2016 census information is retrieved by joining the mortality_life_expectancy and country_names_area tables for countries larger than 25,000 km2. Without the size constraint, Monaco is the top result with an average life expectancy of over 89 years!

standardSQL

SELECT age.country_name, age.life_expectancy, size.country_area FROM ( SELECT country_name, life_expectancy FROM bigquery-public-data.census_bureau_international.mortality_life_expectancy WHERE year = 2016) age INNER JOIN ( SELECT country_name, country_area FROM bigquery-public-data.census_bureau_international.country_names_area where country_area > 25000) size ON age.country_name = size.country_name ORDER BY 2 DESC /* Limit removed for Data Studio Visualization */ LIMIT 10

Sample Query 2

Which countries have the largest proportion of their population under 25? Over 40% of the world’s population is under 25 and greater than 50% of the world’s population is under 30! This query retrieves the countries with the largest proportion of young people by joining the age-specific population table with the midyear (total) population table.

standardSQL

SELECT age.country_name, SUM(age.population) AS under_25, pop.midyear_population AS total, ROUND((SUM(age.population) / pop.midyear_population) * 100,2) AS pct_under_25 FROM ( SELECT country_name, population, country_code FROM bigquery-public-data.census_bureau_international.midyear_population_agespecific WHERE year =2017 AND age < 25) age INNER JOIN ( SELECT midyear_population, country_code FROM bigquery-public-data.census_bureau_international.midyear_population WHERE year = 2017) pop ON age.country_code = pop.country_code GROUP BY 1, 3 ORDER BY 4 DESC /* Remove limit for visualization*/ LIMIT 10

Sample Query 3

The International Census dataset contains growth information in the form of birth rates, death rates, and migration rates. Net migration is the net number of migrants per 1,000 population, an important component of total population and one that often drives the work of the United Nations Refugee Agency. This query joins the growth rate table with the area table to retrieve 2017 data for countries greater than 500 km2.

SELECT growth.country_name, growth.net_migration, CAST(area.country_area AS INT64) AS country_area FROM ( SELECT country_name, net_migration, country_code FROM bigquery-public-data.census_bureau_international.birth_death_growth_rates WHERE year = 2017) growth INNER JOIN ( SELECT country_area, country_code FROM bigquery-public-data.census_bureau_international.country_names_area

Update frequency

Historic (none)

Dataset source

United States Census Bureau

Terms of use: This dataset is publicly available for anyone to use under the following terms provided by the Dataset Source - http://www.data.gov/privacy-policy#data_policy - and is provided "AS IS" without any warranty, express or implied, from Google. Google disclaims all liability for any damages, direct or indirect, resulting from the use of the dataset.

See the GCP Marketplace listing for more details and sample queries: https://console.cloud.google.com/marketplace/details/united-states-census-bureau/international-census-data

United States US: Population: Male: Ages 75-79: % of Male Population data was reported at 2.399 % in 2017. This records an increase from the previous number of 2.355 % for 2016. United States US: Population: Male: Ages 75-79: % of Male Population data is updated yearly, averaging 1.984 % from Dec 1960 (Median) to 2017, with 58 observations. The data reached an all-time high of 2.399 % in 2017 and a record low of 1.514 % in 1960. United States US: Population: Male: Ages 75-79: % of Male Population data remains active status in CEIC and is reported by World Bank. The data is categorized under Global Database’s USA – Table US.World Bank: Population and Urbanization Statistics. Male population between the ages 75 to 79 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.; ;

List of African countries by median age of the total population and male and female median ages. Niger with an average age of 14.8 years old is the youngest country in Africa and the youngest country in the world.

Vietnam VN: Age Dependency Ratio: % of Working-Age Population: Young data was reported at 33.043 % in 2017. This records an increase from the previous number of 32.967 % for 2016. Vietnam VN: Age Dependency Ratio: % of Working-Age Population: Young data is updated yearly, averaging 67.118 % from Dec 1960 (Median) to 2017, with 58 observations. The data reached an all-time high of 87.060 % in 1968 and a record low of 32.894 % in 2014. Vietnam VN: 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 Vietnam – Table VN.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;

In 2023, the median age of the population of the United States was 39.2 years. While this may seem quite young, the median age in 1960 was even younger, at 29.5 years. The aging population in the United States means that society is going to have to find a way to adapt to the larger numbers of older people. Everything from Social Security to employment to the age of retirement will have to change if the population is expected to age more while having fewer children. The world is getting older It’s not only the United States that is facing this particular demographic dilemma. In 1950, the global median age was 23.6 years. This number is projected to increase to 41.9 years by the year 2100. This means that not only the U.S., but the rest of the world will also have to find ways to adapt to the aging population.

Age dependency ratio (% of working-age population) in World was reported at 54.74 % in 2024, according to the World Bank collection of development indicators, compiled from officially recognized sources. World - Age dependency ratio (% of working-age population) - actual values, historical data, forecasts and projections were sourced from the World Bank on July of 2025.

Albania Population: Average: Age 20 to 24 data was reported at 199.752 Person th in 2022. This records a decrease from the previous number of 211.025 Person th for 2021. Albania Population: Average: Age 20 to 24 data is updated yearly, averaging 253.490 Person th from Dec 2001 (Median) to 2022, with 22 observations. The data reached an all-time high of 261.322 Person th in 2014 and a record low of 199.752 Person th in 2022. Albania Population: Average: Age 20 to 24 data remains active status in CEIC and is reported by Institute of Statistics. The data is categorized under Global Database’s Albania – Table AL.G001: Population: by Gender and Age Group.