Population ageing

Population ageing is a rise in a population’s median age, usually driven by lower fertility, longer life expectancy, or both. It changes the balance among age groups over time.

Demographic transition: A shift from high birth and death rates to low birth and death rates as societies change. Falling mortality followed by falling fertility produces the age shifts behind population ageing.
Old-age dependency ratio: The ratio of older people to people of conventional working age in a population. It summarizes one fiscal pressure associated with a growing older population.
Retirement age: The age at which a person typically leaves paid work or becomes eligible for retirement benefits. Raising it is one response to longer lives and pension pressures.
Japan: An island country in East Asia with one of the world’s oldest national populations. Its sustained low fertility and long life expectancy make it a prominent ageing case.
Total fertility rate: The average number of children a woman would bear under current age-specific fertility rates. Persistently low fertility leaves smaller younger cohorts and raises the median age.
Pension system: An arrangement that provides income to people after retirement, through public or private financing. More retirees relative to contributors can strain pay-as-you-go financing.
Active ageing: A policy and practice framework for optimizing health, participation, and security as people age. It focuses on enabling older people to contribute and maintain well-being.
Italy: A country in Southern Europe with a population among the oldest in the world. Low fertility and long life expectancy have produced a strongly aged population structure.
Life expectancy: The average number of years a person would live if current mortality rates continued. Longer survival increases the number of people reaching older ages.
Long-term care: Ongoing assistance with daily activities or health needs for people with chronic illness or disability. Ageing can increase demand for sustained support, though needs vary widely among older people.

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