Africa has the youngest population in the world. Among the 35 countries with the lowest median age worldwide, only three fall outside the continent. In 2023, the median age in Niger was 15.1 years, the youngest country. This means that at this age point, half of the population was younger and half older. A young population reflects several demographic characteristics of a country. For instance, together with a high population growth, life expectancy in Western Africa is low: this reached 58 years for men and 60 for women in 2024. Overall, Africa has the lowest life expectancy in the world.

Africa’s population is still growing Africa’s population growth can be linked to a high fertility rate, along with a drop in death rates. Despite the fertility rate on the continent following a constant declining trend, it remains far higher compared to all other regions worldwide. It was forecast to reach 4.02 children per woman, compared to a worldwide average of 2.25 children per woman in 2024. Furthermore, the crude death rate in Africa overall dropped, only increasing slightly during the coronavirus (COVID-19) pandemic. The largest populations on the continent Nigeria, Ethiopia, Egypt, and the Democratic Republic of Congo are the most populous African countries. In 2025, people living in Nigeria amounted to over 237 million, while the number for the three other countries exceeded 100 million each. Of those, the Democratic Republic of Congo sustained the fourth-highest fertility rate in Africa in 2023. Nigeria and Ethiopia also had high rates, with 4.48 and 3.99 births per woman, respectively. Although such a high fertility rate is expected to slow down, it will still impact the population structure, growing younger nations.

In 2024, Italy was the European country with the oldest population, recording a median age of 48.7 years, closely ahead of Bulgaria and Portugal, with 47 years. In general, almost all European countries have a median age above 40 years old. Only Azerbaijan, Turkey, Armenia, and Kosovo had a median age below 35 years old. Kosovo was the youngest territory of the continent in terms of median age.

This statistic shows the countries with the lowest projected median age in 2050. By 2050, Niger is projected to have the population with the lowest median age at 19 years old.

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.

In 2023, the median age of the population in Thailand was **** years, which was the oldest median age across Southeast Asia. Comparatively, the median age of Timor-Leste's population was ** years in 2023.

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.

Kazakhstan had the youngest population among the Commonwealth of Independent States (CIS) countries, with over 31 percent of the country's population being under 15 years of age and around a percent being 65 years or older. In Ukraine, on the other hand, a higher share of the population was between 14 to 65 years of age than the population under 15 years of age.

Nigeria NG: Age Dependency Ratio: % of Working-Age Population: Young data was reported at 82.602 % in 2017. This records a decrease from the previous number of 82.925 % for 2016. Nigeria NG: Age Dependency Ratio: % of Working-Age Population: Young data is updated yearly, averaging 82.468 % from Dec 1960 (Median) to 2017, with 58 observations. The data reached an all-time high of 87.186 % in 1987 and a record low of 74.878 % in 1960. Nigeria NG: 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 Nigeria – Table NG.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;

This graph displays the total population size of citizens aged from between 20 and 24 years old in Europe in 2018, by country. That year there were roughly *** million inhabitants of this age group in Germany, which was followed by the United Kingdom and France at **** million and **** million inhabitants respectively.

France FR: Age Dependency Ratio: % of Working-Age Population: Young data was reported at 29.074 % in 2017. This records a decrease from the previous number of 29.088 % for 2016. France FR: Age Dependency Ratio: % of Working-Age Population: Young data is updated yearly, averaging 30.470 % from Dec 1960 (Median) to 2017, with 58 observations. The data reached an all-time high of 42.591 % in 1961 and a record low of 28.258 % in 2006. France FR: 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 France – Table FR.World Bank: 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;

Women and Men in Spain: Young population (20 to 24 years old) that have completed at least the 2nd stage of secondary education in the EU. CNED-2014. Annual. National.

Women and Men in Spain: Young population (20 to 24 years old) that have completed at least the 2nd stage of secondary education in the EU. CNED-2000. Annual. National.

This section presents statistical information on the educational variables that are collected in the Labour Force Survey of the National Institute of Statistics, as well as in the Community Labour Force Survey (Eurostat). The indicators of the strategic framework for European cooperation in education and training (2021-2030) that derive from these sources are highlighted. The information is presented disaggregated by autonomous community and by country of the European Union, according to the source used, and with temporary developments since 2002.Line break The results are obtained as annual averages of quarterly data, so the information is updated annually, as the four quarters of the EPA are available, as well as the results derived from the Community survey of Eurostat. From the 2014 results of the EPA, the new National Classification of Education, CNED-2014, based on the International Standard Classification of Education, ISCED-2011, applied in the LFS, is applied; and from 2016, the update of the sectors/fields of study of both classifications (CNED-F and ISCED-F) is applied. These changes in the rankings represent a series break for some of the tables, as indicated in the accompanying notes.

In 2023, there were around 211 million children aged 0-4 years in Africa. In total, the population aged 17 years and younger amounted to approximately 680 million. In contrast, only approximately 52 million individuals were aged 65 years and older as of the same year. The youngest continent in the world Africa is the continent with the youngest population worldwide. As of 2024, around 40 percent of the population in Sub-Saharan Africa was aged 15 years and younger, compared to a global average of 25 percent. Although the median age on the continent has been increasing annually, it remains low at around 20 years. There are several reasons behind the low median age. One factor is the low life expectancy at birth: On average, the male and female populations in Africa live between 61 and 65 years, respectively. In addition, poor healthcare on the continent leads to high mortality, also among children and newborns, while the high fertility rate contributes to lowering the median age. Cross-country demographic differences Africa’s demographic characteristics are not uniform across the continent. The age structure of the population differs significantly from one country to another. For instance, Niger and Uganda have the lowest median age in Africa, at 15.1 and 16.1 years, respectively. Not surprisingly, these countries also register a high crude birth rate. On the other hand, North Africa is the region recording the highest life expectancy at birth, with Tunisia and Algeria leading the ranking in 2025.

Cross sectional data, all countries for the statistic Age_Dependency_Ratio_Young_(_Of_Working_age_Population). 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.

In 2024, the population of Africa was projected to grow by 2.27 percent compared to the previous year. The population growth rate on the continent has been constantly over 2.5 percent from 2000 onwards, and it peaked at 2.63 percent in 2013. Despite a slowdown in the growth rate after that, the continent's population will continue to increase significantly in the coming years. The second-largest population worldwide In 2023, the total population of Africa amounted to almost 1.5 billion. The number of inhabitants had grown steadily in the previous decades, rising from approximately 831 million in 2000. Driven by a decreasing mortality rate and a higher life expectancy at birth, the African population was forecast to increase to about 2.5 billion individuals by 2050. Africa is currently the second most populous continent worldwide after Asia. However, forecasts showed that Africa could gradually close the gap and almost reach the size of the Asian population in 2100. By that year, Africa might count 3.8 billion people, compared to 4.6 billion in Asia. The world's youngest continent The median age in Africa corresponded to 19.2 years in 2024. Although the median age has increased in recent years, the continent remains the youngest worldwide. In 2023, roughly 40 percent of the African population was aged 15 years and younger, compared to a global average of 25 percent. Africa recorded not only the highest share of youth but also the smallest elderly population worldwide. As of the same year, only three percent of Africa's population was aged 65 years and older. Africa and Latin America were the only regions below the global average of ten percent. On the continent, Niger, Uganda, and Angola were the countries with the youngest population in 2023.

Greenland Age Dependency Ratio: % of Working-Age Population: Young data was reported at 30.116 % in 2023. This records an increase from the previous number of 29.881 % for 2022. Greenland Age Dependency Ratio: % of Working-Age Population: Young data is updated yearly, averaging 38.402 % from Dec 1960 (Median) to 2023, with 64 observations. The data reached an all-time high of 88.043 % in 1966 and a record low of 29.280 % in 2017. Greenland 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 Greenland – Table GL.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: 2024 Revision.;Weighted average;

This section presents statistical information on the educational variables collected in the Labor Force Survey of the National Institute of Statistics, as well as in the Community Labor Force Survey of Eurostat. The indicators of the strategic framework for European cooperation in education and training (2021-2030) derived from these sources are highlighted. The information is presented disaggregated by autonomous community and by European Union country, according to the source used, and with temporal evolutions since 2002. The results are obtained as annual averages of quarterly data, so the information is updated annually, as the four quarters of the LFS are available, as well as the results derived from the Eurostat community survey. From the 2014 results of the LFS, the new National Classification of Education, CNED-2014, based on the International Standard Classification of Education, ISCED-2011, applied in the LFS, is applied; and from 2016, the update of the sectors/fields of study of both classifications (CNED-F and ISCED-F) is applied. These changes in the classifications involve a break in series for some of the tables, as indicated in the accompanying notes. Publication date: February 7, 2025 (Click on the links to access the EDUCAbase Information System).

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.

Burkina Faso BF: Age Dependency Ratio: % of Working-Age Population: Young data was reported at 77.124 % in 2023. This records a decrease from the previous number of 78.932 % for 2022. Burkina Faso BF: Age Dependency Ratio: % of Working-Age Population: Young data is updated yearly, averaging 87.529 % from Dec 1960 (Median) to 2023, with 64 observations. The data reached an all-time high of 95.822 % in 1993 and a record low of 69.305 % in 1960. Burkina Faso BF: 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 Burkina Faso – Table BF.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: 2024 Revision.;Weighted average;