Guess the number
What share of people in Japan are 65 or over?
About 3 in 10 (30.0% in 2025). In India it is 7.4%.
Key facts
- In 2025, 36.0% of Monaco’s residents and 30.0% of Japan’s were 65 or over: about 3 in 10 in Japan.
- Italy (25.1%) and Germany (23.7%) are among the oldest large countries.
- India is young: 7.4% of Indians are 65 or over, 121th of 217 countries.
- China is ageing fast: 10.1% in 2015, 14.9% in 2025.
The oldest countries in the world are mostly in Europe and East Asia, led by Monaco and Japan. In Japan, nearly three in ten people are 65 or over. India, by contrast, is one of the younger large countries, with fewer than one in thirteen people in that age group.
Published November 2026. All figures: World Bank, World Development Indicators, "Population ages 65 and above (% of total population)", 2025, based on UN population estimates.
The world’s oldest populations, 2025
Table of Contents
| Rank | Country | Share aged 65+ |
|---|---|---|
| 1 | Monaco | 36.0% |
| 2 | Japan | 30.0% |
| 3 | Puerto Rico | 25.3% |
| 4 | Italy | 25.1% |
| 5 | Portugal | 24.9% |
| 6 | Greece | 24.4% |
| 7 | Finland | 24.2% |
| 8 | Germany | 23.7% |
| 9 | Hong Kong SAR, China | 23.7% |
| 10 | Croatia | 23.6% |
Large countries compared
| Country | Share aged 65+, 2025 | Rank of 217 |
|---|---|---|
| Japan | 30.0% | 2 |
| Italy | 25.1% | 4 |
| Germany | 23.7% | 8 |
| United States | 18.4% | 45 |
| Russia | 17.8% | 50 |
| China | 14.9% | 68 |
| Brazil | 11.5% | 92 |
| Indonesia | 7.5% | 119 |
| India | 7.4% | 121 |
| Pakistan | 4.4% | 160 |
| Nigeria | 3.1% | 193 |
China and India: two different clocks
China’s share of people aged 65 and over rose from 10.1% in 2015 to 14.9% in 2025, while its total population has started to fall (China is shrinking, India is growing). India’s share rose too, from 5.5% to 7.4%, but from a much lower level.
What it means
- For ageing countries: fewer workers support more retirees, raising pressure on pensions and healthcare, and creating large markets for elder care, health services and accessible housing.
- For India: a young population is an advantage, if jobs keep pace; it also means India’s own ageing is coming, more slowly than China’s.
- For businesses: health, care and retirement services grow with ageing; education, housing and first-time purchases grow with young populations.
Explore the data
Questions
Which country has the oldest population?
Monaco (36.0% aged 65+), followed by Japan (30.0%) in 2025.
What share of Indians are over 65?
7.4% in 2025.
Is China’s population ageing?
Yes: 14.9% of Chinese were 65 or over in 2025, up from 10.1% in 2015.
Sources
- World Bank, World Development Indicators, SP.POP.65UP.TO.ZS (based on UN population estimates), via Advanton Statistics.
See our methodology. Cite as: Advanton (2026), "The World’s Oldest Countries".
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