Top 10 Countries with the Highest Aging Population in the World

Monaco, officially known as the Principality of Monaco or the Principality of Monaco, is a sovereign country in Europe. Monaco shares three sides with France and the remaining side with the Mediterranean Sea, with the center of the principality about 16 km (9.9 miles) from Italy. Monaco has the highest nominal GDP per capita in the world at $215,163 and is the most densely populated country on Earth. Monaco also boasts the highest life expectancy in the world at 90 years and has the lowest unemployment rate. Following recent land reclamation, Monaco's total area is 2.05 km² (0.79 mi²). Therefore, despite its small size, Monaco has a very dense population.

Monaco is the second smallest country in the world with a total population of 40,000 people. Monaco is facing an increasingly rapid aging population. Despite being one of the countries with the highest life expectancy and lowest unemployment rate in the world, the majority of Monaco's population is over the working age, creating significant pressure for the government of this country. With over one-third of the population over the age of 65, the Monaco government will undoubtedly have to make every effort to find solutions to improve the situation. In 2021, Monaco's population is expected to increase by 276 people and reach 39,650 people by the beginning of 2022. The natural population increase is forecasted to be negative because the number of births will be fewer than the number of deaths.

Compared to other European countries, Germany is currently considered one of the nations with a relatively high average life expectancy. According to the 2016 World Health Organization (WHO) health statistics report, the global life expectancy is 71.4 years, while in Germany it is 81 years. Expert Totberg pointed out that, particularly, Germany highly values the development of healthy eating habits from an early age, not only for personal life benefits but also to save a significant amount of healthcare costs. As the country with the highest proportion of elderly population in Europe, Germany is facing numerous risks of declining labor force and economic development. With 21.45% of the population aged 65 by 2060, the German government is facing many difficulties in social welfare solutions and budget stability for pensions. Moreover, as a country with a strong industrial base but facing a shortage of young and dynamic labor force, Germany is sure to encounter many challenges in the future.

In 2021, the population of Germany is expected to increase by 116,526 people and reach 83,891,960 people by the beginning of 2022. The natural population growth is forecasted to be negative because the number of births will be less than the number of deaths by -176,777 people. If migration continues at the same rate as last year, the population will increase by 293,303 people. This means that the number of people moving to Germany to settle will outnumber those leaving the country to settle elsewhere. In recent years, the world has paid much attention to the issue of 'Population aging in Germany,' posing significant challenges to social welfare. For every 8 people in Germany, there is one person over 60 years old. The birth rate is decreasing, life expectancy is increasing, leading to an increasing proportion of elderly people in Germany. In response to this situation, Germany is striving to implement the best solutions to improve the quality of elderly care. As society develops, interpersonal relationships also change significantly. Couples in Germany do not have many children. They do not have a tradition of living with their children. 90% of the elderly in Germany live in nursing homes, hospitals, or specialized care facilities. Few elderly people live alone in their own homes.

According to the 2014 report by the World Health Organization (WHO), the people of Japan have the highest life expectancy in the world, with an average lifespan of 82.6 years, compared to 78.2 years in the United States. More than 1/5 of Japan's 126 million people live to be 65 years old or older. Based on the entire population of Japan, there are 14.09 centenarians for every 10,000 people. For the past 20 years, Japan has consistently ranked number 1 as the country with the highest life expectancy in the world, with an average life expectancy of 78 for men and 86 for women. There are many reasons leading to this issue, but many experts believe that the main reason stems from the marriage views of young Japanese people. Nowadays, young people in Japan tend to hesitate to get married and have children, and if they do, they only want to have one child to easily care for and educate. This imbalance in society has led to rapid aging in Japan.

The mortality rate from heart disease observed in Japan is also very low. When examining the exceptional longevity of the Japanese, one notices the phenomenon called 'Okinawa.' On this island, the number of deaths from stroke, cancer, and heart disease is only 59%, 69%, and 59% respectively, much lower than elsewhere in the world. Japan has been discussing its aging population since the bursting of the real estate bubble in the early 1990s. The number of elderly people in Japan increased too quickly when the number of people aged 100 and over began to be counted in 1963. At that time, Japan had only 153 people over 100 years old, and this number quickly exceeded 10,000 by 1998, largely due to medical advances. As of September 15, 2020, Japan had over 80,400 people aged 100 and over; it is estimated that by 2040 there will be up to 300,000 people. The aging population is causing Japan's economy to weaken due to two main factors: the huge costs of pensions and healthcare.

Italy, also known as Italia, formally named the Republic of Italy, is a unitary parliamentary republic in Europe. The territory of Italy stretches into the central part of the Mediterranean, with its two largest islands being Sicily and Sardinia. As a developed country with the 7th largest GDP and 20th in the world's Human Development Index, but Italy is also facing an increasingly aging population. According to statistics from the Italian National Institute of Statistics, citizens of this country are projected to have an average age of around 49.8 by 2060. Currently, the Republic of Italy has a rate of 21.2% of people aged over 65. An aging population, with a large proportion of elderly people, is one of the reasons many countries are facing the Covid-19 crisis. For example, on February 20, Italy - the country with the oldest population in Europe - recorded the first infections. By March 16, Italy had more than 24,000 infections, over 1,800 deaths, with most patients being elderly. Currently, this European country has about 61 million people, including nearly 14 million elderly people (aged 65 and older).

Italy is facing the phenomenon of an aging population, with the birth rate gradually decreasing. According to statistics released by Istat on 02/08/2018, the birth rate in Italy in 2017 per woman was only 1.34, compared to the rate of 1.37 in 2016. Italy has thus fallen well below the replacement rate for the population. According to RFI reporter Anne Le Nir in Rome, Italy is the European country with the lowest budget for family-serving infrastructure. With an average unemployment rate of 11% and 32.7% for youth, without a support plan, it is difficult to revive the birth rate. In Italy, reconciling work with family life is very difficult, so Italians are having children later, around 35-40 years old. This contributes significantly to the declining birth rate. Overall, out of a total population of 60.5 million, including 5 million foreigners, with half the population over 45 years old, half of women of childbearing age currently have no children.

The phenomenon of population aging and declining birth rates has become a major issue even in the world's largest economies. Neighboring countries of South Korea such as China and Japan are also facing similar situations. These are also the countries with the highest aging population rates in Asia. Nokdo Island epitomizes the demographic crisis that South Korea - the fourth largest economy in Asia - is facing. South Korea's birth rate dropped to only 0.84 children per woman in 2020 from 4.5 children per woman in 1970. Last year, South Korea was the fastest aging country in the world with the lowest birth rate. At this rate, South Korea is projected to surpass Japan to become the oldest society by 2045. Even on Nokdo Island, South Korea, there are only 3 children playing, the Lyoo siblings. Lyoo Chan-hee and his 2 younger sisters. They only have one additional friend on the island, who is also their classmate. Mr. Kim Si-young, 66 years old, one of the last 100 residents of the once bustling fishing village on Nokdo Island, shared: 'It will become a deserted island if the population continues to decline, which makes me very sad. I want to protect Nokdo, but it's sad to see fewer and fewer people here'.

The Korea Economic Research Institute (KERI) of the Federation of Korean Industries (FKI) announced on March 3rd that South Korea's total fertility rate has decreased from 4.53 children per woman in 1970 to 0.98 children per woman in 2018, with an average annual decrease of 3.1%, the fastest decline among OECD member countries. Additionally, South Korea's population aging rate is also the fastest in the OECD. The proportion of people over 65 years old in South Korea's total population increased by an average of 3.3% per year from 1970 to 2018, also the highest among OECD countries. South Korea entered an aging society in 2000 (the elderly population accounted for over 7% of the total population). In 2018, South Korea became an aged society (the elderly population accounted for over 14% of the total population). If this trend continues, South Korea is likely to enter a super-aged society by 2026, with the elderly population accounting for over 20% of the total population.

Slovenia, officially known as the Republic of Slovenia, is a country in Southern Europe. Slovenia borders Italy to the west, Austria to the north, Hungary to the northeast, and Croatia to the east and south. Slovenia is a relatively small country with a sparse population, with 14% of its citizens being over the age of 65. The number of people in the working-age population has decreased by approximately 263,000 people, posing many challenges for the national government. In 2021, the population of Slovenia is projected to decrease by -209 individuals, reaching 2,078,374 people by the beginning of 2022. Natural population growth is forecasted to be negative because the number of births will be fewer than the number of deaths by -2,085 individuals. If migration trends remain the same as the previous year, the population will increase by 1,876 individuals. This means that the number of people moving to Slovenia to settle will outweigh the number leaving the country to settle elsewhere (As of December 31, 2020, the estimated population of Slovenia was 2,078,827 people, an increase of 278 people compared to the population of 2,078,794 people the previous year).

In 2020, the natural population growth rate was negative as the number of births was fewer than the number of deaths by -1,541 individuals. Due to migration, the population increased by 1,819 individuals. The sex ratio in the total population is 0.992 (992 males per 1,000 females), lower than the global sex ratio. The global sex ratio worldwide in 2020 was about 1,017 males per 1,000 females. The population density of Slovenia is 103 people per square kilometer as of 08/07/2021. According to the United Nations Statistical Office, the total land area of Slovenia is 20,150 square kilometers. The global population in general and the population of Slovenia in particular are aging rapidly, with people over the age of 60 accounting for 12.3% of the global population. By 2050, this figure is predicted to increase to 22%. Although the increased life expectancy of the population demonstrates success in nutrition, hygiene, healthcare, education, and the economy, it also presents challenges to the economy and society. This requires urgent and rational national policies.

San Marino, officially known as the Republic of San Marino, is one of the smallest countries in Europe. According to legend, San Marino was founded in the 4th century by a stonecutter of the Christian faith named Marino from the Dalmatian region, who sought refuge here to escape persecution under the rule of Emperor Diocletian. The independence of San Marino was recognized by Pope Urban VIII in 1631. It is perhaps one of the oldest independent republics in the world. In 1862, San Marino and Italy signed customs and friendship agreements, which were periodically renewed. San Marino declared war on Germany in World War I but tried to maintain neutrality in World War II. San Marino joined the United Nations in 1992. Despite its relatively small size, San Marino has a population of 19.1% of citizens over the age of 65, placing it among the oldest countries in the world.

With the government's efforts, San Marino hopes to improve the situation soon. The current population of San Marino is approximately 29,615 people, consisting of two main ethnic groups: Sammarinese and Italian. In 2021, the population of San Marino is projected to increase by 72 individuals and reach 34,043 people by the beginning of 2022. Natural population growth is forecasted to be neutral because the number of births will be equal to the number of deaths at 0 individuals. If migration trends remain the same as the previous year, the population will increase by 72 individuals. This means that the number of people moving to San Marino to settle will outweigh the number leaving the country to settle elsewhere. Therefore, the aging population is currently one of the major challenges for this country.

China is facing a growing risk of aging even before it becomes wealthy, a risk that is increasing as income per capita remains much lower than in developed countries, where the proportion of elderly people is equivalent to China's current situation. Particularly, the process of population aging is happening rapidly and on a large scale during the crucial stage of socialist modernization. This is truly a major challenge for China. According to population surveys, in 2020, the number of people aged 60 and over in China reached 264 million, accounting for 18.7% of the population, with 190 million people aged 65 and over, accounting for 13.5% of the population. At a time when the proportion of elderly people is as high as it is in China today, the per capita income of the United States, Japan, or South Korea is two and a half to three times higher than that of China. On the other hand, it is expected that next year, China will enter a period of serious population aging, with the proportion of people aged 65 and over accounting for over 14% of the population.

Many organizations forecast that the number of people aged 65 and over will account for 30% of the population by 2050, reaching 380 million people, and China's population will begin to decline from 2030. Population surveys also show that the number of people in the working-age group from 15-59 has decreased by 45 million over the past 10 years; the number of newborns has decreased for 6 consecutive years, and the birth rate in 2020 was 1.2 children, much lower than the replacement rate of 2.1 children. To alleviate the pressure of rapid population aging, China recently advocated allowing each couple to have up to 3 children, gradually increasing the retirement age, and improving the elderly care system. From now until 2050, it is predicted to be the peak period of population aging in China. And this is also the crucial period of the country's modernization process. Therefore, the issue of population aging is identified as one of the greatest challenges for China in achieving the goal of the second centenary, becoming a modern socialist country by the middle of the century.

Greece, officially known as the Hellenic Republic, is a country in the European region, located in the southern part of the Balkan Peninsula. Greece shares borders with Albania, the Republic of North Macedonia, and Bulgaria to the north, and with Turkey to the east. The population of Greece in 2015 was approximately 10.955 million people. Greece also has a high percentage of citizens over the age of 65, reaching 21%. Currently, Greece is one of the countries with a relatively high pension and retirement benefits, with 2.65 million people. The COVID-19 outbreak in Greece may have been a disaster. As a famous tourist destination, receiving 27.2 million visitors in 2019 alone, Greece is at high risk of COVID-19 infection from international tourists. The country also has the second oldest population in the EU, after Italy, and the healthcare sector has been heavily affected by harsh policies, while the economy has stagnated, declining nearly 40% since 2008.

In 2019, Greek officials said that after three severe budget cuts to the public healthcare system, the country had only 560 intensive care unit (ICU) beds nationwide (with a population of 11 million) - equivalent to a rate of 5.2 beds per 100,000 people, compared to 29.2 beds in Germany. In 2021, the population of Greece is projected to decrease by -52,309 people and reach 10,343,472 people by the beginning of 2022. The natural population increase is expected to be negative as the number of births will be less than the number of deaths by -39,939 people. If migration continues at the same level as last year, the population will decrease by -12,370 people. This means that fewer people will immigrate to Greece than leave the country to settle elsewhere. The average life expectancy (both genders) in Greece is 82.3 years. This figure is higher than the global average life expectancy (72 years). With a high population aging, Greece is also facing difficulties and challenges similar to many other countries.

Like many other countries around the world, Austria is facing the trend of an aging population. By 2050, it is estimated that 1 in 9 people in this country will be over 80 years old. Despite having a relatively high average life expectancy of 80 years, Austria is also one of the oldest populations in the world. With 19% of citizens aged over 65, Austria is facing many challenges regarding social welfare, labor shortages, and various associated issues. A study conducted by the Interdisciplinary Longevity Platform Austria (OePIA) based on data from the Organisation for Economic Co-operation and Development (OECD) indicates that the population aged 80 and over in this country will increase from the current level of 4.8% to 11.6% by 2050.

The study also provides comparisons with other countries, such as Japan - which will undergo a significant increase in the population aged 80, rising from 6.5% currently to 16.7% by 2050. This change is also predicted to occur in other European Union countries, some of which will have three times the current proportion of people aged 80. OePIA states that the above-mentioned increase rate will have a significant impact on health and social issues. The agency will conduct surveys on the health, lifestyle, and care situation of those over 80 in Austria by the end of 2014. Along with statistical data, OePIA will also collect information on: Use of healthcare and social services, quality of life, care and living conditions, and personal preferences of those over 80 in this country.