The number of people aged 65 and older is anticipated to double over the next thirty years, reaching around 1.6 billion by 2050. The United Nations calls this global aging phenomena a success story: “Population ageing signals our extraordinary collective success in improving living conditions for billions of people around the world.” However, there are undeniable economic challenges (and rewards) that come with an aging population. Nonetheless, people living fuller, longer lives is an impressive testimony to the progress humanity has made in science, technology, medicine, and many other ventures. Of course, as with all statistics, how long people live around the world varies by country. So which country has the highest percentage of older adults and what is their secret? The team at Madison Trust Company has examined global age demographics to showcase the countries with the oldest populations. Check out the infographic below and be sure to continue on to learn more about the “why” behind the longevity.
What Country Has the Oldest Population in the World?
What country has the largest elderly population? When it comes to having the most significant aging population, Japan takes the crown. 28.2% of Japan’s population is 65 years old or older, which equates to around 36.23 million people. 34% of those people are between 75 and 84, and 16% are over 85. According to the World Economic Forum, over 1 in 10 people in Japan are aged 80 or over. Why is Japan’s population so old? There are a few factors that play into Japan’s aging population.
- Japan’s birth rate hit a record low of 1.2565 in 2022. A rate of 2.07 is considered necessary for keeping a country population stable.
- Japan has the fourth highest life expectancy in the world at 85 according to the Central Intelligence Agency’s World Factbook.
- Japan’s urbanization brings a host of factors that discourage child-rearing, including high living costs, demanding work hours, and limited childcare options.
- Japan is the third most expensive country to raise a child after China and South Korea. This struggle is exacerbated by Japan’s infamously stagnant wages (which have barely risen since the late 1990s). Japan’s average annual salary is around $39,000, significantly less than the Organization for Economic Co-operation and Development (OECD) average of $50,000.
While Japan’s aging population may be concerning for the economic stability of the country, there are positives we can learn from. For example, let’s ask “Why is Japan’s life expectancy so high?” In a global comparison of mortality statistics among G7 countries, Japan had the longest average life expectancy. A major contributor to Japan’s high life expectancy are the remarkably low mortality rates from ischemic heart disease and cancer. Here are a few of the factors believed to play a role in Japan’s population longevity:
- Low prevalence of obesity. America’s obesity rate is around 40%, which is nearly 10 times greater than Japan’s of 4.5%.
- Low intake of red meat and saturated fatty acids
- High intake of fish, specifically n-3 polyunsaturated fatty acids (that means omega-3 acids)
- High intake of plant foods such as soybeans
- High intake of unsweetened, beneficial beverages such as green tea
- The typical Japanese diet of plant food and fish combined with westernized diet elements such as milk and dairy may be associated with longevity
- Japanese people, especially elders, are far more active than average. Walking is a natural part of their everyday lives. Japanese cities heavily invest in public transport, which encourages overall movement.
- According to health policy professor Terry Huang, Asian countries generally place more value on health and longevity over convenience and instant gratification.
It is worth mentioning that Italy, the country with the second largest elderly population in the world, also follows a longevity-boosting diet. The Mediterranean diet emphasizes healthy fats (including lots of fish as Japan does), minimal red meat (also like Japan), moderate dairy, and water as the main daily beverage (unsweetened hydration like Japan’s green tea). Exercise is also an integral part of daily life in Italy as well. These diet and lifestyle parallels are certainly something to consider when contemplating the “secrets” to long life.
How to Live Longer
Japan’s life expectancy is evidence of how lifestyle choices can substantially influence your lifespan. Here are some additional resources on how to increase your life expectancy:
- 4 Top Ways to Live Longer – John Hopkins Medicine
- Can You Lengthen Your Life? Researchers Explore How to Stay Healthy Longer – National Institutes of Health
- 7 Tips for a Long, Healthy Life – Scripps Health
- 50 Ways to Live a Longer, Healthier Life – American Association of Retired Persons
- Healthy Longevity: Five Key Lifestyle Factors – Harvard T.H. Chan School of Public Health
No matter how old you are or hope to become, it’s never too late to plan for retirement. Setting up a self-directed IRA (individual retirement account) or real estate IRA with Madison Trust is a great first step for retirement investors. Contact us if you have any questions about the different types of IRAs you can choose, or if you’d like more information about a self-directed IRA custodian, or a self-directed IRA with checkbook control.
Methodology
To create this visualization, we used data from the Population Reference Bureau’s ‘Countries With the Oldest Populations in the World’ resource. This organization sourced their data from the United Nations Population Division.
Top 50 Countries With the Largest Percentage of Population That is 65 and Older
|
Rank |
Country |
Percentage of population that is aged 65 and older |
Percentage of 65 and older population that is aged 65-74 |
Percentage of 65 and older population that is aged 75-84 |
Percentage of 65 and older population that is 85 and older |
|
1 |
Japan |
28.2 |
50 |
34 |
16 |
|
2 |
Italy |
22.8 |
49 |
35 |
16 |
|
3 |
Finland |
21.9 |
58 |
30 |
12 |
|
4 |
Portugal |
21.8 |
51 |
35 |
14 |
|
5 |
Greece |
21.8 |
48 |
35 |
17 |
|
6 |
Germany |
21.4 |
47 |
39 |
14 |
|
7 |
Bulgaria |
21.3 |
59 |
31 |
9 |
|
8 |
Croatia |
20.4 |
54 |
34 |
12 |
|
9 |
France |
20.3 |
54 |
29 |
17 |
|
10 |
Latvia |
20.3 |
50 |
36 |
15 |
|
11 |
Serbia |
20.2 |
-- |
-- |
-- |
|
12 |
Sweden |
19.9 |
54 |
33 |
13 |
|
13 |
Lithuania |
19.8 |
49 |
36 |
15 |
|
14 |
Estonia |
19.8 |
50 |
36 |
13 |
|
15 |
Denmark |
19.6 |
58 |
31 |
11 |
|
16 |
Czechia |
19.6 |
61 |
29 |
10 |
|
17 |
Slovenia |
19.6 |
54 |
33 |
13 |
|
18 |
Hungary |
19.3 |
59 |
31 |
10 |
|
19 |
Malta |
19.2 |
60 |
30 |
10 |
|
20 |
Spain |
19.1 |
49 |
33 |
18 |
|
21 |
Netherlands |
18.9 |
58 |
31 |
12 |
|
22 |
Austria |
18.8 |
50 |
37 |
13 |
|
23 |
Belgium |
18.7 |
53 |
32 |
15 |
|
24 |
United Kingdom |
18.3 |
54 |
32 |
14 |
|
25 |
Switzerland |
18.3 |
53 |
33 |
14 |
|
26 |
Romania |
18.2 |
58 |
32 |
11 |
|
27 |
San Marino |
18 |
-- |
-- |
-- |
|
28 |
Poland |
17.5 |
60 |
28 |
12 |
|
29 |
Liechtenstein |
17.5 |
-- |
-- |
-- |
|
30 |
Norway |
17.2 |
50 |
30 |
13 |
|
31 |
Canada |
17.2 |
58 |
29 |
13 |
|
32 |
Ukraine |
16.5 |
57 |
34 |
9 |
|
33 |
Hong Kong, China |
16.4 |
58 |
27 |
15 |
|
34 |
Bosnia-Herzegovina |
16.1 |
61 |
32 |
7 |
|
35 |
Slovakia |
16 |
62 |
29 |
9 |
|
36 |
United States |
16 |
58 |
29 |
13 |
|
37 |
New Zealand |
15.3 |
58 |
30 |
12 |
|
39 |
Barbados |
15.3 |
56 |
30 |
14 |
|
40 |
Montenegro |
15.2 |
61 |
30 |
9 |
|
41 |
South Korea |
15.1 |
58 |
33 |
9 |
|
42 |
Belarus |
15 |
56 |
33 |
11 |
|
43 |
Georgia |
14.8 |
58 |
33 |
9 |
|
44 |
Russian Federation |
14.6 |
59 |
31 |
10 |
|
45 |
Cuba |
14.4 |
57 |
32 |
11 |
|
46 |
Andorra |
14.4 |
-- |
-- |
-- |
|
47 |
Luxembourg |
14.4 |
55 |
31 |
14 |
|
48 |
Iceland |
14.2 |
58 |
29 |
13 |
|
49 |
Uruguay |
14.2 |
52 |
32 |
16 |
|
50 |
North Macedonia |
14.1 |
64 |
30 |
6 |
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