Population ages 65 and above in Europe & Central Asia
Europe & Central Asia: Population ages 65 and above was 18.5% in 2025. ▲ Rising
Population ages 65 and above in Europe & Central Asia, 1960–2025
Source: World Population Prospects, United Nations (UN), publisher: UN Population Division. Measured in % of total population.
Analysis
Europe & Central Asia recorded 18.5% for population ages 65 and above in 2025. That is the highest value across all 66 years on record.
The figure is up 2.1% on the previous year and up 19.2% over ten years.
Over the whole period, population ages 65 and above in Europe & Central Asia peaked at 18.5% in 2025 and was at its lowest, 8.4%, in 1960.
Europe & Central Asia ranks 8th of 47 groups on this measure, in the top quarter.
The long-run direction has been consistently rising across the 66 years of available data.
Population ages 65 and above in Europe & Central Asia, year by year
| Year | % of total population | Change |
|---|---|---|
| 1960 | 8.4% | — |
| 1961 | 8.5% | +1.4% |
| 1962 | 8.6% | +1.2% |
| 1963 | 8.7% | +1.2% |
| 1964 | 8.8% | +1.4% |
| 1965 | 9.0% | +1.9% |
| 1966 | 9.2% | +2.0% |
| 1967 | 9.3% | +1.9% |
| 1968 | 9.5% | +1.9% |
| 1969 | 9.7% | +1.8% |
| 1970 | 9.9% | +1.8% |
| 1971 | 10.0% | +1.7% |
| 1972 | 10.2% | +1.7% |
| 1973 | 10.4% | +1.7% |
| 1974 | 10.6% | +1.7% |
| 1975 | 10.7% | +1.7% |
| 1976 | 10.9% | +1.6% |
| 1977 | 11.1% | +1.6% |
| 1978 | 11.2% | +1.5% |
| 1979 | 11.4% | +1.3% |
| 1980 | 11.4% | +0.4% |
| 1981 | 11.3% | -0.9% |
| 1982 | 11.2% | -1.5% |
| 1983 | 11.0% | -1.5% |
| 1984 | 10.9% | -0.9% |
| 1985 | 10.9% | +0.1% |
| 1986 | 11.0% | +0.7% |
| 1987 | 11.1% | +0.9% |
| 1988 | 11.2% | +1.1% |
| 1989 | 11.4% | +1.3% |
| 1990 | 11.5% | +1.5% |
| 1991 | 11.7% | +1.6% |
| 1992 | 11.9% | +1.8% |
| 1993 | 12.2% | +1.9% |
| 1994 | 12.4% | +2.0% |
| 1995 | 12.6% | +1.6% |
| 1996 | 12.8% | +1.2% |
| 1997 | 12.9% | +1.3% |
| 1998 | 13.1% | +1.0% |
| 1999 | 13.2% | +0.8% |
| 2000 | 13.3% | +1.0% |
| 2001 | 13.5% | +1.3% |
| 2002 | 13.7% | +1.5% |
| 2003 | 13.9% | +1.5% |
| 2004 | 14.1% | +1.5% |
| 2005 | 14.3% | +1.4% |
| 2006 | 14.5% | +1.1% |
| 2007 | 14.6% | +0.6% |
| 2008 | 14.6% | -0.0% |
| 2009 | 14.5% | -0.1% |
| 2010 | 14.5% | -0.0% |
| 2011 | 14.6% | +0.4% |
| 2012 | 14.8% | +1.3% |
| 2013 | 15.0% | +1.5% |
| 2014 | 15.3% | +1.7% |
| 2015 | 15.5% | +1.7% |
| 2016 | 15.8% | +1.6% |
| 2017 | 16.0% | +1.6% |
| 2018 | 16.3% | +1.6% |
| 2019 | 16.6% | +1.8% |
| 2020 | 16.9% | +1.7% |
| 2021 | 17.1% | +1.5% |
| 2022 | 17.4% | +1.6% |
| 2023 | 17.7% | +2.0% |
| 2024 | 18.1% | +2.2% |
| 2025 | 18.5% | +2.1% |
Averages by decade
| Decade | Average | Lowest | Highest | Years |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1960s | 9.0% | 8.4% | 9.7% | 10 |
| 1970s | 10.6% | 9.9% | 11.4% | 10 |
| 1980s | 11.2% | 10.9% | 11.4% | 10 |
| 1990s | 12.4% | 11.5% | 13.2% | 10 |
| 2000s | 14.1% | 13.3% | 14.6% | 10 |
| 2010s | 15.4% | 14.5% | 16.6% | 10 |
| 2020s | 17.6% | 16.9% | 18.5% | 6 |
Countries ranked near Europe & Central Asia
More health data for Europe & Central Asia
- Population ages 45-49, female, annual growth rate 0.9265 % change on previous year (2025)
- Population ages 45-49, male, per capita 0.0339 units per person (2025)
- Population ages 45-49, male, per unit of GDP 0 units per US$ of GDP (2025)
- Population ages 10-14, female, per capita 0.0299 units per person (2025)
- Population ages 45-49, male, annual growth rate 1.04 % change on previous year (2025)
- Population ages 45-49, female, per capita 0.0346 units per person (2025)
- Population ages 45-49, female, per unit of GDP 0 units per US$ of GDP (2025)
- Population ages 10-14, male, annual growth rate 0.6344 % change on previous year (2025)
- Population ages 40-44, female, per unit of GDP 0 units per US$ of GDP (2025)
- Population ages 40-44, female, per capita 0.0352 units per person (2025)
Frequently asked questions
- What is population ages 65 and above in Europe & Central Asia?
- Population ages 65 and above in Europe & Central Asia was 18.5% in 2025, according to World Population Prospects, United Nations (UN), publisher: UN Population Division.
- What is the highest population ages 65 and above recorded in Europe & Central Asia?
- The highest recorded value was 18.5% in 2025.
- What is the lowest population ages 65 and above recorded in Europe & Central Asia?
- The lowest recorded value was 8.4% in 1960.
- How does Europe & Central Asia rank for population ages 65 and above?
- Europe & Central Asia ranks 8th out of 47 groups with data for 2025.
- Is population ages 65 and above rising or falling in Europe & Central Asia?
- Over the last ten years it is up 19.2%. The long-run trend across the full record is rising.
- Where does this Europe & Central Asia data come from?
- The figures come from World Population Prospects, United Nations (UN), publisher: UN Population Division, published as part of Population ages 65 and above (% of total population). Statizoid updates them automatically from the source API.
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About this data
Population ages 65 and above as a percentage of the total population. Population is based on the de facto definition of population, which counts all residents regardless of legal status or citizenship.