World Population Prospects, the 2010 Revision

Source: United Nations, Department of Economic and Social Affairs, Population Division (2011): World Population Prospects: The 2010 Revision. New York

(Updated: 5 July 2011)

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Key result: Population ageing is projected for all major regions of the world.

Figure 12 displays the median age of the population in Africa, Asia, Europe, Latin America and the Caribbean, Northern America and Oceania. The median age divides the population in two parts of equal size, that is, there are as many persons with ages above the median as there are with ages below the median.

The population in Europe has been ageing since 1950, when the median age was 29.7 years. By 2040 the median age in Europe will peak at 46.5 years and decline subsequently to 44.7 years by the end of the 21st century.

In Northern America, Oceania, Latin America and the Caribbean, as well as in Asia the median the population had the youngest median age in 1970. Since then, the median age has been increasing and will not reach its maximum before 2100. By then, all these regions will have a median age of between 43.3 years and 46.6 years.

The median age of the population in Africa was at its lowest in 1975 and 1985 - at only 17.5 years. Due to a fertility decline in many African countries the median age has already increase to 19.7 years. If the fertility declines further as projected, Africa's population will age significantly. By 2050 the median age of Africa's population will be 26.4 years, and by 2100 the median age is projected to reach 35.9 years.