AGING
Nearly 1 in 3 people in Japan is 65 or older
30% of Japan's population is 65 or older, the highest share of any large economy. Southern Europe follows, and South Korea is aging faster than almost anyone.
The short answer
Japan is the oldest large society in the world: 30.0% of its population was 65 or older in 2025, according to World Bank data. Puerto Rico (25.3%), Italy (25.1%) and Portugal (24.9%) follow. The global share is 10.4%.
The full top 10
| Rank | Country / economy | Aged 65+ (% of population) |
|---|---|---|
| 1 | Japan | 30.0% |
| 2 | Puerto Rico | 25.3% |
| 3 | Italy | 25.1% |
| 4 | Portugal | 24.9% |
| 5 | Greece | 24.4% |
| 6 | Finland | 24.2% |
| 7 | Germany | 23.7% |
| 8 | Hong Kong | 23.7% |
| 9 | Croatia | 23.6% |
| 10 | Serbia | 23.1% |
Europe dominates the rest of the list
Seven of the ten oldest populations are in Europe: Italy, Portugal, Greece, Finland, Germany, Croatia and Serbia. Hong Kong is the only other Asian economy in the top ten, at 23.7%.
The fastest agers
Levels and speed tell different stories. South Korea ranks 28th with 20.3%, but its share rose by about 8.6 percentage points since 2012, one of the fastest increases among economies with at least one million people, behind only Hong Kong and Puerto Rico.
The youngest populations
At the other end, Qatar (1.7%) and the United Arab Emirates (1.8%) have very few older residents, largely because most of their population is working-age migrants. Zambia, Chad and the Central African Republic are around 2%.
How we made this
Data: World Bank, World Development Indicators (indicator SP.POP.65UP.TO.ZS), 2025. Economies with at least one million people; change measured from 2012.
Frequently asked questions
When is a society called 'super-aged'?
A common definition is when more than 20% of the population is 65 or older. South Korea crossed that line in this data.
Which large country is the youngest?
Among economies with at least one million people, Qatar has the lowest share of people aged 65+ (1.7%).