World News
Global seniors now outnumber young children, according to US census report
Slashdot reports that global demographic shifts have pushed senior populations above young children, driven by falling birthrates.
The short version
- A U.S. Census Bureau report finds that older adults outnumber young children globally for the first time.[Slashdot]
- The population aged 65 and over is projected to grow from 10.5% in 2025 to 19.6% by 2060.[Slashdot]
- Sustained low fertility across 71% of countries is keeping the global population aged 0 to 19 relatively constant.[Slashdot]
- Demographers project the global population will expand to roughly 10 billion by 2060, with seniors driving most growth.[Slashdot]
Key facts
- The global population aged 65 and older is projected to rise from 10.5 percent in 2025 to 19.6 percent by 2060.[Slashdot]
- Over half of the anticipated global population increase to roughly 10 billion by 2060 will consist of people aged 65 and older.[Slashdot]
- Birthrates across 71 percent of countries remain below the replacement threshold of 2.1 births per woman.[Slashdot]
- China's fertility rate dropped to 1.06 births per woman in 2023.[Slashdot]
What remains uncertain
- Long-term projections through 2060 depend on fertility rates remaining persistently low across most countries.[Slashdot]
Sources
Outlet counts describe coverage, not independent confirmation. Reports may share a wire service or original source.