In 2050, the three East Asian countries Hong Kong (SAR of China), South Korea, and Japan are forecasted to have the highest share of people aged 65 years or more. Except for Kuwait, all the countries on the list are either in Europe or East Asia. By 2050, 22 percent of the world's population is expected to be above 60 years.

The average for 2024 based on 196 countries was 10.43 percent. The highest value was in Monaco: 36.17 percent and the lowest value was in Qatar: 1.68 percent. The indicator is available from 1960 to 2024. Below is a chart for all countries where data are available.

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, about 17.7 percent of the American population was 65 years old or over; an increase from the last few years and a figure which is expected to reach 22.8 percent by 2050. This is a significant increase from 1950, when only eight percent of the population was 65 or over. A rapidly aging population In recent years, the aging population of the United States has come into focus as a cause for concern, as the nature of work and retirement is expected to change to keep up. If a population is expected to live longer than the generations before, the economy will have to change as well to fulfill the needs of the citizens. In addition, the birth rate in the U.S. has been falling over the last 20 years, meaning that there are not as many young people to replace the individuals leaving the workforce. The future population It’s not only the American population that is aging -- the global population is, too. By 2025, the median age of the global workforce is expected to be 39.6 years, up from 33.8 years in 1990. Additionally, it is projected that there will be over three million people worldwide aged 100 years and over by 2050.

Graph and download economic data for Population ages 65 and above for the United States (SPPOP65UPTOZSUSA) from 1960 to 2024 about 65-years +, population, and USA.

In 2024, Monaco was the country with the highest percentage of the total population that was over the age of 65, with ** percent. Japan had the second highest with ** percent, while Portugal and Bulgaria followed in third with ***percent.

Germany DE: Population: as % of Total: Aged 65 and Above data was reported at 22.790 % in 2023. This records an increase from the previous number of 22.459 % for 2022. Germany DE: Population: as % of Total: Aged 65 and Above data is updated yearly, averaging 15.365 % from Dec 1960 (Median) to 2023, with 64 observations. The data reached an all-time high of 22.790 % in 2023 and a record low of 11.475 % in 1960. Germany DE: Population: as % of Total: Aged 65 and Above data remains active status in CEIC and is reported by World Bank. The data is categorized under Global Database’s Germany – Table DE.World Bank.WDI: Population and Urbanization Statistics. Population ages 65 and above as a percentage of the total population. Population is based on the de facto definition of population, which counts all residents regardless of legal status or citizenship.;United Nations Population Division. World Population Prospects: 2024 Revision.;Weighted average;

Actual value and historical data chart for France Population Ages 65 And Above Percent Of Total

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.

Graph and download economic data for Population ages 65 and above for Japan (SPPOP65UPTOZSJPN) from 1960 to 2024 about 65-years +, Japan, and population.

Graph and download economic data for Population ages 65 and above for Greece (SPPOP65UPTOZSGRC) from 1960 to 2024 about 65-years +, Greece, and population.

Japan JP: Population: as % of Total: Female: Aged 65 and Above data was reported at 29.934 % in 2017. This records an increase from the previous number of 29.446 % for 2016. Japan JP: Population: as % of Total: Female: Aged 65 and Above data is updated yearly, averaging 13.229 % from Dec 1960 (Median) to 2017, with 58 observations. The data reached an all-time high of 29.934 % in 2017 and a record low of 6.270 % in 1960. Japan JP: Population: as % of Total: Female: Aged 65 and Above data remains active status in CEIC and is reported by World Bank. The data is categorized under Global Database’s Japan – Table JP.World Bank.WDI: Population and Urbanization Statistics. Female population 65 years of age or older as a percentage of the total female population. Population is based on the de facto definition of population, which counts all residents regardless of legal status or citizenship.; ; World Bank staff estimates based on age/sex distributions of United Nations Population Division's World Population Prospects: 2017 Revision.; Weighted average; Relevance to gender indicator: Knowing how many girls, adolescents and women there are in a population helps a country in determining its provision of services.

Population ages 65 and above (% of total population) in World was reported at 10.2 % in 2024, according to the World Bank collection of development indicators, compiled from officially recognized sources. World - Population ages 65 and above (% of total) - actual values, historical data, forecasts and projections were sourced from the World Bank on November of 2025.

Graph and download economic data for Population ages 65 and above for Argentina (SPPOP65UPTOZSARG) from 1960 to 2024 about 65-years +, Argentina, and population.

Korea Population: as % of Total: Aged 65 and Above data was reported at 13.914 % in 2017. This records an increase from the previous number of 13.436 % for 2016. Korea Population: as % of Total: Aged 65 and Above data is updated yearly, averaging 5.017 % from Dec 1960 (Median) to 2017, with 58 observations. The data reached an all-time high of 13.914 % in 2017 and a record low of 3.416 % in 1960. Korea Population: as % of Total: Aged 65 and Above data remains active status in CEIC and is reported by World Bank. The data is categorized under Global Database’s South Korea – Table KR.World Bank.WDI: Population and Urbanization Statistics. Population ages 65 and above as a percentage of the total population. Population is based on the de facto definition of population, which counts all residents regardless of legal status or citizenship.; ; World Bank staff estimates based on age/sex distributions of United Nations Population Division's World Population Prospects: 2017 Revision.; Weighted average;

Actual value and historical data chart for World Population Ages 65 69 Male Percent Of Male Population

United States US: Population: as % of Total: Aged 65 and Above data was reported at 15.413 % in 2017. This records an increase from the previous number of 15.031 % for 2016. United States US: Population: as % of Total: Aged 65 and Above data is updated yearly, averaging 12.270 % from Dec 1960 (Median) to 2017, with 58 observations. The data reached an all-time high of 15.413 % in 2017 and a record low of 9.126 % in 1960. United States US: Population: as % of Total: Aged 65 and Above 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. Population ages 65 and above as a percentage of the total population. Population is based on the de facto definition of population, which counts all residents regardless of legal status or citizenship.; ; World Bank staff estimates based on age/sex distributions of United Nations Population Division's World Population Prospects: 2017 Revision.; Weighted average;

Jordan: Population ages 65 and above, percent of total: The latest value from 2024 is 4.52 percent, an increase from 4.32 percent in 2023. In comparison, the world average is 10.43 percent, based on data from 196 countries. Historically, the average for Jordan from 1960 to 2024 is 3.07 percent. The minimum value, 2.34 percent, was reached in 1986 while the maximum of 4.52 percent was recorded in 2024.

Population ages 65 and above (% of total population) in Nigeria was reported at 3.0487 % in 2024, according to the World Bank collection of development indicators, compiled from officially recognized sources. Nigeria - Population ages 65 and above (% of total) - actual values, historical data, forecasts and projections were sourced from the World Bank on November of 2025.

Graph and download economic data for Population ages 65 and above for China (SPPOP65UPTOZSCHN) from 1960 to 2024 about 65-years +, China, and population.