Countries with Oldest Population (2026)
Monaco has the oldest population in the world with 36.2% of its people aged 65 and over. Aging societies face challenges including rising healthcare costs, pension sustainability, and shrinking labor forces.
Which Countries Have the Oldest Populations?
Monaco has 36.2% of its population aged 65 and over, followed by Japan (29.8%) and Puerto Rico (24.7%). The global average is 10.5%. Europe and East Asia dominate this ranking, where decades of low fertility and high life expectancy have created populations heavily weighted toward older age groups.
Economic Challenges of Aging Societies
Aging populations create specific pressures. Pension systems, healthcare costs, and long-term care needs all increase as the elderly share grows, while a shrinking working-age population reduces economic output and tax revenue.
Countries are responding through various strategies: raising retirement ages, reforming pensions, investing in healthcare technology, encouraging immigration, and implementing pro-natalist policies. The pace of aging is accelerating — nations that took a century to move from 7% to 14% elderly are being followed by countries making the same transition in just 20-30 years.