In 2009, an estimated 737 million persons were aged 60 years or over and constituted the “older population” of the world, nearly two thirds of whom lived in developing countries. Their number is projected to increase to 2 billion in 2050, by which time older persons will outnumber children (persons aged 0 to 14 years). Today, more than half of the older population lives in Asia (54 per cent) and a fifth lives in Europe (21 per cent).
Population aged 60 or over as a percentage of the total population
Today, one out of every nine persons in the world is aged 60 or over. By 2050, the United Nations Population Division projects that one person out of every five will be aged 60 or over. The percentage of older persons is currently higher in developed countries. In Europe, one in every five persons is already aged 60 or over. The equivalent proportions are one in ten in Asia and in Latin America and the Caribbean, and one in 19 in Africa. However, population ageing is advancing faster in developing countries than in developed countries where population ageing is more advanced.
The oldest old
The older population is itself ageing. Currently, the oldest old (persons aged 80 years or over) constitute 14 per cent of the population aged 60 or over. The oldest old constitute one of the fastest growing segment of the population and, by 2050, 20 per cent of the older population will be aged 80 or over. The number of centenarians (persons aged 100 years or over) is growing even faster than the oldest old and is projected to increase nine-fold by 2050, from approximately 454,000 in 2009 to 4.1 million in 2050.
Life expectancy at age 60
The world has experienced dramatic increases in longevity. Globally, life expectancy at birth has gained more than 20 years since 1950, to reach its current level of 68 years. At current mortality rates, men surviving to age 60 can expect to live another 18 years and women surviving to age 60 can expect an additional 21 years of life. However, life expectancy at age 60 varies significantly across countries. In the least developed countries, men reaching age 60 can expect to live only 15 years more and women 17 years more, whereas in developed countries, life expectancy at age 60 is 20 years for men and 24 years for women.
Sex ratio
Because female life expectancy is greater than male life expectancy at every age, there are fewer older men than older women. In 2009, there were 83 men for every 100 women among those aged 60 or over and only 59 men for every 100 women among those aged 80 or over. The ratio of men to women at older ages is lower in developed countries (74 men per 100 women) than in developing countries (89 men per 100 women) because the differences in life expectancy between the sexes are larger in developed countries.
Percentage of older persons currently married
Older men are more likely than older women to still be married because women marry younger than men do and the incidence of widowhood is higher among women than among men. In addition, men are more likely to remarry after widowhood or divorce than women are. Globally, about 80 per cent of older men are still married, compared to only 48 per cent of older women. Sex differences in the proportion married are more marked in the least developed countries, where the age difference between spouses is higher and most older persons who do not have spouses are widowed.
Percentage of older persons living alone
Although many older persons who live alone are socially active and have adequate means to support themselves, living alone is a marker of vulnerability, especially in cases of illness or disability, and is associated with a greater risk of social isolation and poverty. An estimated 14 per cent of the world’s older persons live alone. The proportion is lower for men (9 per cent) than for women (19 per cent) because women are more likely to be widowed. However, among persons who do not have spouses, men are more likely than women to live alone. The proportion of older persons living alone is lower in developing countries (8 per cent) than in developed countries (24 per cent).
Old-age support ratio
The old-age support ratio is the number of persons aged 15 to 64 per person aged 65 years or over. It is an indicator of demographic ageing and of the degree of dependency of older persons on potential workers. The old-age support ratio fell from 12 persons aged 15 to 64 for every person aged 65 or over in 1950 to 9 in 2009 and is projected to fall to 4 persons of working age per person aged 65 or over in 2050. The level of the old-age support ratio has important implications for the solvency of social security systems (pensions and public health), as well as for the size of private transfers from the working-age population to older family members.
Statutory retirement age
In a majority of developed countries, men become eligible for full pension benefits at age 65 or higher while women become eligible below age 65. The statutory retirement age in developing countries ranges usually between 55 and 60 years for both men and women and tends to be lower than that in developed countries. The lower statutory retirement ages common in developing countries reflect their more incipient social security systems and their lower life expectancies.
Percentage of the older population in the labour force
Countries with high per capital; income tend to have lower labour-force participation rates among older persons. In developed countries, just 24 per cent of men aged 60 or over are economically active, whereas 47 per cent of older men are economically active in developing countries. Among older women, 14 per cent are economically active in developed countries but 24 per cent work in developing countries. Older persons in developing countries work until advanced ages because they are not covered by existing social security systems or because, even when covered, they receive relatively low pensions.
* United Nation (2009). Population Ageing and Development 2009
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