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Countries With the Oldest Populations in the World

Date

March 23, 2020

Asia and Europe are home to some of the world’s oldest populations, those ages 65 and above. At the top is Japan at 28 percent, followed by Italy at 23 percent. Finland, Portugal, and Greece round out the top five at just under 22 percent.

Southern Europe, which includes such countries Croatia, Greece, Italy, Malta, Portugal, Serbia, Slovenia and Spain, is the oldest region in the world with 21 percent of the population ages 65+.

Twelve percent of China’s population is age 65 or above. That share is 16 percent in the United States, 6 percent in India, and 3 percent in Nigeria.

Top 50 Countries With the Largest Number of Older Adults

wdt_ID Rank Country # 65+ (in millions) % 65+ (of total population) # total population (in millions)
1 1 China 166.37 11.9 1398.03
2 2 India 84.9 6.1 1391.89
3 3 United States 52.76 16 329.15
4 4 Japan 35.58 28.2 126.18
5 5 Russian Federation 21.42 14.6 146.73
6 6 Brazil 17.79 8.5 209.33
7 7 Germany 17.78 21.4 83.1
8 8 Indonesia 15.16 5.6 268.42
9 9 Italy 13.76 22.8 60.34
10 10 France 13.16 20.3 64.83
11 11 United Kingdom 12.24 18.3 66.83
12 12 Pakistan 9.31 4.3 216.57
13 13 Mexico 9.17 7.2 126.58
14 14 Spain 8.99 19.1 47.07
15 15 Bangladesh 8.35 5.1 163.67
16 16 South Korea 7.83 15.1 51.85
17 17 Thailand 7.61 11.5 66.37
18 18 Turkey 7.27 8.8 82.61
19 19 Ukraine 6.94 16.5 42.04
20 20 Poland 6.72 17.5 38.4
21 21 Viet Nam 6.72 7 95.66
22 22 Canada 6.44 17.2 37.41
23 23 Philippines 5.51 5.1 108.12
24 24 Nigeria 5.43 2.7 200.96
25 25 Iran 5.12 6.1 83.91
26 26 Argentina 5.1 11.4 44.94
27 27 Colombia 4.63 11.4 44.94
28 28 Australia 4 15.8 25.31
29 29 Ethiopia 3.92 3.5 112.08
30 30 Egypt 3.86 3.9 99.06
31 31 Romania 3.52 18.2 19.36
32 32 South Africa 3.51 6 58.62
33 33 Taiwan 3.27 13.9 23.59
34 34 Netherlands 3.27 18.9 17.34
35 35 Myanmar 3.19 5.9 54.05
36 36 Algeria 2.67 6.2 43.41
37 37 Peru 2.66 8.4 31.78
38 38 Democratic Republic of the Congo 2.6 3 86.79
39 39 Morocco 2.53 7.1 35.59
40 40 North Korea 2.44 9.5 25.67
41 41 Greece 2.33 21.8 10.7
42 42 Chile 2.26 11.8 19.11
43 43 Portugal 2.24 21.8 10.27
44 44 Belgium 2.15 18.7 11.46
45 45 Malaysia 2.11 6.4 32.75
46 47 Sweden 2.05 19.9 10.29
47 48 Venezuala 1.95 6.8 28.52
48 49 Hungary 1.89 19.3 9.77
49 50 Sri Lanka 1.71 7.8 21.9

Sources: United Nations Population Division, World Population Prospects 2019, https://population.un.org/wpp/Download/Standard/Population/, and Toshiko Kaneda, Charlotte Greenbaum, and Kaitlyn Patierno, 2019 World Population Data Sheet (Washington, DC: Population Reference Bureau, 2019).

 

Top 50 Countries With the Largest Percentage of Older Adults

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Top 50 Countries With the Largest Percentage of Older Adults

wdt_ID - Country % 65+* Age 65-74 Age 75-84 Age 85 and over 65+ Pop. (in Millions) Total (in Millions)
1 1 Japan 28.2 50 34 16 35.58 126.18
2 2 Italy 22.8 49 35 16 13.76 60.34
3 3 Finland 21.9 58 30 12 1.21 5.52
4 4 Portugal 21.8 51 35 14 2.24 10.27
5 5 Greece 21.8 48 35 17 2.33 10.70
6 6 Germany 21.4 47 39 14 17.78 83.10
7 7 Bulgaria 21.3 59 31 9 1.49 6.98
8 8 Croatia 20.4 54 34 12 0.83 4.05
9 9 France 20.3 54 29 17 13.16 64.83
10 10 Latvia 20.3 50 36 15 0.39 1.91
11 11 Serbia 20.2 -- -- -- 1.40 6.94
12 12 Sweden 19.9 54 33 13 2.05 10.29
13 13 Lithuania 19.8 49 36 15 0.55 2.79
14 14 Estonia 19.8 50 36 13 0.26 1.33
15 15 Denmark 19.6 58 31 11 1.14 5.82
16 16 Czechia 19.6 61 29 10 2.09 10.67
17 17 Slovenia 19.6 54 33 13 0.41 2.09
18 18 Hungary 19.3 59 31 10 1.89 9.77
19 19 Malta 19.2 60 30 10 0.10 0.50
20 20 Spain 19.1 49 33 18 8.99 47.07
21 21 Netherlands 18.9 58 31 12 3.27 17.34
22 22 Austria 18.8 50 37 13 1.67 8.88
23 23 Belgium 18.7 53 32 15 2.15 11.46
24 24 United Kingdom 18.3 54 32 14 12.24 66.83
25 25 Switzerland 18.3 53 33 14 1.57 8.57
26 26 Romania 18.2 58 32 11 3.52 19.36
27 27 San Marino 18 -- -- -- 0.01 0.03
28 28 Poland 17.5 60 28 12 6.72 38.40
29 29 Liechtenstein 17.5 -- -- -- 0.01 0.04
30 30 Norway 17.2 50 30 13 0.92 5.34
31 31 Canada 17.2 58 29 13 6.44 37.41
32 32 Ukraine 16.5 57 34 9 6.94 42.04
33 33 Hong Kong, China 16.4 58 27 15 1.23 7.52
34 34 Bosnia-Herzegovina 16.1 61 32 7 0.56 3.49
35 35 Slovakia 16 62 29 9 0.87 5.45
36 36 United States 16 58 29 13 52.76 329.15
37 37 New Zealand 15.3 58 30 12 0.76 4.97
38 39 Barbados 15.3 56 30 14 0.04 0.29
39 40 Montenegro 15.2 61 30 9 0.09 0.62
40 41 South Korea 15.1 58 33 9 7.83 51.85
41 42 Belarus 15 56 33 11 1.42 9.47
42 43 Georgia 14.8 58 33 9 0.59 4.00
43 44 Russian Federation 14.6 59 31 10 21.42 146.73
44 45 Cuba 14.4 57 32 11 1.62 11.21
45 46 Andorra 14.4 -- -- -- 0.01 0.08
46 47 Luxembourg 14.4 55 31 14 0.09 0.62
47 48 Iceland 14.2 58 29 13 0.05 0.36
48 49 Uruguay 14.2 52 32 16 0.50 3.52
49 50 North Macedonia 14.1 64 30 6 0.29 2.08

Sources: United Nations Population Division, World Population Prospects 2019, https://population.un.org/wpp/Download/Standard/Population/, and Toshiko Kaneda, Charlotte Greenbaum, and Kaitlyn Patierno, 2019 World Population Data Sheet (Washington, DC: Population Reference Bureau, 2019).

Which Countries Have the Largest Share of People Ages 75+? Ages 85+?

wdt_ID Rank Country % 65+ (of total population) # 65+ (in millions) # total population (in millions)
1 1 Japan 28.2 3,558.0 12,618.0
2 2 Italy 22.8 1,376.0 6,034.0
3 3 Finland 21.9 121.0 552.0
4 4 Portugal 21.8 224.0 1,027.0
5 5 Greece 21.8 233.0 1,070.0
6 6 Germany 21.4 1,778.0 8,310.0
7 7 Bulgaria 21.3 149.0 698.0
8 8 Croatia 20.4 83.0 405.0
9 9 France 20.3 1,316.0 6,483.0
10 10 Latvia 20.3 39.0 191.0
11 11 Serbia 20.2 140.0 694.0
12 12 Sweden 19.9 205.0 1,029.0
13 13 Lithuania 19.8 55.0 279.0
14 14 Estonia 19.8 26.0 133.0
15 15 Denmark 19.6 114.0 582.0
16 16 Czech Republic 19.6 209.0 1,067.0
17 17 Slovenia 19.6 41.0 209.0
18 18 Hungary 19.3 189.0 977.0
19 19 Malta 19.2 10.0 50.0
20 20 Spain 19.1 899.0 4,707.0
21 21 Netherlands 18.9 327.0 1,734.0
22 22 Austria 18.8 167.0 888.0
23 23 Belgium 18.7 215.0 1,146.0
24 24 United Kingdom 18.3 1,224.0 6,683.0
25 25 Switzerland 18.3 157.0 857.0
26 26 Romania 18.2 352.0 1,936.0
27 27 San Marino 18.0 1.0 3.0
28 28 Poland 17.5 672.0 3,840.0
29 29 Liechtenstein 17.5 1.0 4.0
30 30 Norway 17.2 92.0 534.0
31 31 Canada 17.2 644.0 3,741.0
32 32 Ukraine 16.5 694.0 4,204.0
33 33 Hong Kong, China SAR 16.4 123.0 752.0
34 34 Bosnia-Herzegovina 16.1 56.0 349.0
35 35 Slovakia 16.0 87.0 545.0
36 36 United States 16.0 5,276.0 32,915.0
37 37 Australia 15.8 400.0 2,331.0
38 38 New Zealand 15.3 76.0 497.0
39 39 Barbados 15.3 4.0 29.0
40 40 Montenegro 15.2 9.0 62.0
41 41 South Korea 15.1 783.0 5,185.0
42 42 Belarus 15.0 142.0 947.0
43 43 Georgia 14.8 59.0 400.0
44 44 Russian Federation 14.6 2,142.0 14,673.0
45 45 Cuba 14.4 162.0 1,121.0
46 46 Andorra 14.4 1.0 8.0
47 47 Luxembourg 14.4 9.0 62.0
48 48 Iceland 14.2 5.0 36.0
49 49 Uruguay 14.2 50.0 352.0
50 50 North Macedonia 14.1 29.0 208.0

*Breakdown of 65+ population (totaling 100%) across three columns show the share of 65-74, 75-84, and 85+
Sources: United Nations Population Division, World Population Prospects 2019, https://population.un.org/wpp/Download/Standard/Population/, and Toshiko Kaneda, Charlotte Greenbaum, and Kaitlyn Patierno, 2019 World Population Data Sheet (Washington, DC: Population Reference Bureau, 2019).