Archive · 6 Sep 2026
Global Elderly Population Surpasses Children Under Five in Historic Shift
The world now has more older people than children under five.
This is the first time that has happened in recorded history.
Families in many places are having fewer children.
People are also living longer because healthcare, nutrition, sanitation, and medicine have improved.
This means older adults make up a larger share of society.
The change is happening in wealthy countries and increasingly in developing regions too.
Some older people may face poverty, loneliness, or difficulty getting care.
Governments will need to prepare services and policies for a world with more seniors.
For the first time in recorded history, people aged 65 and older reportedly outnumber children under five worldwide.
Declining birth rates and longer life expectancies are the main drivers of the demographic change.
Russia’s population began shrinking in 1996, while Japan’s began shrinking in 2008, according to the report.
Population aging is increasingly affecting developing regions in Asia and Latin America, not only wealthy countries.
Governments may need to adapt economic policies, housing programs, and healthcare systems to support more older adults.
- Who
- Older adults and children under five worldwide are at the center of the demographic shift.
- What
- The global elderly population has surpassed the number of children under five for the first time in recorded history.
- When
- The milestone has now been reached; the report describes it as the first such occurrence in recorded history.
- Where
- Worldwide, with aging increasingly affecting Asia and Latin America as well as wealthy countries.
- Why
- Birth rates have declined while life expectancy has increased because of improvements in medicine, nutrition, sanitation, and public health.
- Demographic milestone
- People aged 65 and older now outnumber children under five globally.
- Main causes
- Declining fertility rates and longer lifespans.
- Russia
- Its population began shrinking in 1996, according to the report.
- Japan
- Its population began shrinking in 2008, according to the report.
- Affected regions
- Population aging is spreading across Asia and Latin America, in addition to wealthy countries.
- Key concerns
- Old-age poverty, living alone while unable to function independently, and dependence on family caregivers.
- Policy response
- Governments may need to revise economic policies, housing programs, and healthcare models.