Mapped: Each Region’s Median Age Over the Last 70 Years – Visual Capitalist

Over the last 70 years, the global population has gotten older. Since 1950, the worldwide median age has gone from 25 years to 33 years.
Yet, despite an overall increase globally, not all regions have aged at the same rate. For instance, Europes median age has grown by 14 years, while Africas has only increased by 1 year.
Todays animated map uses data from the UN Population Index to highlight the changes in median age over the last 70 years, and to visualize the differences between each region. We also explain why some regions skew older than others.
Factors that Affect a Regions Median Age
Before diving into the numbers, its important to understand the key factors that influence a regions median age:

1. Fertility RateThe average number of children that women give birth to in their reproductive years. The higher the fertility rate, the younger a population skews. Since 1950, the global fertility rate has dropped by 50%.
2. Mortality RateThe number of deaths in a particular region, usually associated with a certain demographic or period in time. For example, global child mortality (children who have died under five years of age) has been on the decline, which has contributed to an increase in the average life expectancy across the globe.
3. MigrationInternational migration may lower a regions population since migrants are usually younger or working age. In 2019, there were 272 million migrants globally.

The Change in Median Age
As mentioned, not all regions are created equal. Heres how much the median age has changed in each region since 1950:
The Highs
Regions that have seen the most growth and generally skew older are Latin America, followed by Europe and Asia.
Interestingly, Asias notable increase is largely influenced by Japan, which has the oldest population on the planet. The country has seen a significant increase in median age since 1950its gone from 22 to 48 years in 2020. This can be explained by its considerably low fertility rate, which is 1.4 births per womanthats less than half the global average.
But why is Japans fertility rate so low? There are more women in the workforce than ever before, and they are too busy to take on the burden of running a household. Yet, while women are more prosperous than ever, the workforce in general has taken a hit.
Japans recession in the early 1990s led to an increase in temporary jobs, which has had lasting effects on the regions workforcein 2019, about 1 in 5 men were working contract jobs with little stability or job growth.
The Lows
In contrast to Asias growth, Africa has seen the lowest increase in median age. The regions population skews young, with over 60% of its population under the age of 25.
Africas young population can be explained by its high birth rate of 4.4 births per woman. It also has a relatively low life expectancy, at 65 years for women and 61 years for men. To put things into perspective, the average life expectancy across the globe is 75 years for women and 70 years for men.
Another trend worth noting is Oceanias relatively small growth. Its interesting because the regions fertility rate is almost on par with the global average, at 2.4 births per woman, and the average life expectancy doesnt differ much from the norm either.
The most likely reason for Oceanias stagnant growth in median age is its high proportion of migrants. In 2019, the country had 8.9 million international migrants, which is 21% of its overall population. In contrast, migrants only make up 10% of North Americas population.
Unique Challenges for Every Region
Age composition has significant impacts on a regions labor force, health services, and economic productivity.
Regions with a relatively high median age face several challenges such as shrinking workforce, higher taxes, and increasing healthcare costs. On the other end of the spectrum, regions with a younger population face increased demand for educational services and a lack of employment opportunities.
As our population worldwide continues to grow and age, its important to bring attention to issues that impact our global community. World Population Day on July 11, 2020, was established by the UN to try and solve worldwide population issues.
“The 2030 Agenda for Sustainable Development is the worlds blueprint for a better future for all on a healthy planet. On World Population Day, we recognize that this mission is closely interrelated with demographic trends including population growth, aging, migration, and urbanization.”
– UN Secretary-General António Guterres
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