Population ages 65 and above, total in Africa Western and Central
Africa Western and Central: Population ages 65 and above, total was 16.08 million in 2025. ▲ Rising
Latest (2025)
16.08 million
Change on year
up 3.2%
Rank
41st
of 45 groups
All-time high
16.08 million
in 2025
All-time low
3.24 million
in 1960
Years of data
66
1960–2025
Population ages 65 and above, total in Africa Western and Central, 1960–2025
Source: World Population Prospects, United Nations (UN), publisher: UN Population Division.
Analysis
Africa Western and Central recorded 16.08 million for population ages 65 and above, total in 2025. That is the highest value across all 66 years on record.
That represents a change of up 3.2% on the previous year and up 31.9% over ten years.
Over the whole period, population ages 65 and above, total in Africa Western and Central peaked at 16.08 million in 2025 and was at its lowest, 3.24 million, in 1960.
That places Africa Western and Central 41st out of 45 groups with data for 2025, putting it in the bottom quarter.
The long-run direction has been consistently rising across the 66 years of available data.
Population ages 65 and above, total in Africa Western and Central, year by year
| Year | Value | Change |
|---|---|---|
| 1960 | 3.24 million | — |
| 1961 | 3.32 million | +2.4% |
| 1962 | 3.41 million | +2.7% |
| 1963 | 3.50 million | +2.7% |
| 1964 | 3.58 million | +2.5% |
| 1965 | 3.67 million | +2.3% |
| 1966 | 3.75 million | +2.2% |
| 1967 | 3.82 million | +2.1% |
| 1968 | 3.90 million | +2.0% |
| 1969 | 3.99 million | +2.1% |
| 1970 | 4.07 million | +2.1% |
| 1971 | 4.14 million | +1.9% |
| 1972 | 4.22 million | +1.9% |
| 1973 | 4.31 million | +2.1% |
| 1974 | 4.41 million | +2.3% |
| 1975 | 4.52 million | +2.4% |
| 1976 | 4.63 million | +2.4% |
| 1977 | 4.75 million | +2.6% |
| 1978 | 4.88 million | +2.8% |
| 1979 | 5.02 million | +2.9% |
| 1980 | 5.15 million | +2.6% |
| 1981 | 5.28 million | +2.5% |
| 1982 | 5.42 million | +2.7% |
| 1983 | 5.58 million | +2.8% |
| 1984 | 5.72 million | +2.6% |
| 1985 | 5.87 million | +2.6% |
| 1986 | 6.02 million | +2.6% |
| 1987 | 6.17 million | +2.5% |
| 1988 | 6.33 million | +2.5% |
| 1989 | 6.48 million | +2.5% |
| 1990 | 6.64 million | +2.4% |
| 1991 | 6.79 million | +2.3% |
| 1992 | 6.95 million | +2.4% |
| 1993 | 7.11 million | +2.3% |
| 1994 | 7.28 million | +2.3% |
| 1995 | 7.44 million | +2.3% |
| 1996 | 7.61 million | +2.3% |
| 1997 | 7.79 million | +2.3% |
| 1998 | 7.97 million | +2.3% |
| 1999 | 8.16 million | +2.3% |
| 2000 | 8.35 million | +2.3% |
| 2001 | 8.55 million | +2.4% |
| 2002 | 8.76 million | +2.5% |
| 2003 | 8.99 million | +2.6% |
| 2004 | 9.22 million | +2.6% |
| 2005 | 9.46 million | +2.6% |
| 2006 | 9.70 million | +2.6% |
| 2007 | 9.95 million | +2.6% |
| 2008 | 10.23 million | +2.8% |
| 2009 | 10.51 million | +2.8% |
| 2010 | 10.80 million | +2.8% |
| 2011 | 11.10 million | +2.8% |
| 2012 | 11.40 million | +2.7% |
| 2013 | 11.67 million | +2.4% |
| 2014 | 11.93 million | +2.2% |
| 2015 | 12.20 million | +2.2% |
| 2016 | 12.50 million | +2.5% |
| 2017 | 12.82 million | +2.6% |
| 2018 | 13.15 million | +2.6% |
| 2019 | 13.51 million | +2.7% |
| 2020 | 13.86 million | +2.6% |
| 2021 | 14.22 million | +2.6% |
| 2022 | 14.63 million | +2.9% |
| 2023 | 15.09 million | +3.2% |
| 2024 | 15.58 million | +3.2% |
| 2025 | 16.08 million | +3.2% |
Averages by decade
| Decade | Average | Lowest | Highest | Years |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1960s | 3.62 million | 3.24 million | 3.99 million | 10 |
| 1970s | 4.49 million | 4.07 million | 5.02 million | 10 |
| 1980s | 5.80 million | 5.15 million | 6.48 million | 10 |
| 1990s | 7.37 million | 6.64 million | 8.16 million | 10 |
| 2000s | 9.37 million | 8.35 million | 10.51 million | 10 |
| 2010s | 12.11 million | 10.80 million | 13.51 million | 10 |
| 2020s | 14.91 million | 13.86 million | 16.08 million | 6 |
Countries ranked near Africa Western and Central
More health data for Africa Western and Central
- Population ages 0-14, female, per unit of GDP 0.0001 units per US$ of GDP (2025)
- Population ages 0-14, total, per unit of GDP 0.0003 units per US$ of GDP (2025)
- Population ages 0-14, total, annual growth rate 1.29 % change on previous year (2025)
- Population ages 65 and above, female, annual growth rate 3.15 % change on previous year (2025)
- Population ages 0-14, male, per unit of GDP 0.0001 units per US$ of GDP (2025)
- Population ages 0-14, male, annual growth rate 1.28 % change on previous year (2025)
- Population ages 0-14, female, per capita 0.2016 units per person (2025)
- Population ages 80 and above, male, per unit of GDP 0 units per US$ of GDP (2025)
- Population ages 80 and above, female, per capita 0.002 units per person (2025)
- Population ages 80 and above, male, annual growth rate 2.85 % change on previous year (2025)
Frequently asked questions
- What is population ages 65 and above, total in Africa Western and Central?
- Population ages 65 and above, total in Africa Western and Central was 16.08 million in 2025, according to World Population Prospects, United Nations (UN), publisher: UN Population Division.
- What is the highest population ages 65 and above, total recorded in Africa Western and Central?
- The highest recorded value was 16.08 million in 2025.
- What is the lowest population ages 65 and above, total recorded in Africa Western and Central?
- The lowest recorded value was 3.24 million in 1960.
- How does Africa Western and Central rank for population ages 65 and above, total?
- Africa Western and Central ranks 41st out of 45 groups with data for 2025.
- Is population ages 65 and above, total rising or falling in Africa Western and Central?
- Over the last ten years it is up 31.9%. The long-run trend across the full record is rising.
- Where does this Africa Western and Central 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, total. Statizoid updates them automatically from the source API.
Download this data
CSV · JSON — 66 observations, free to reuse under CC BY 4.0 (World Bank Open Data).
About this data
Total population 65 years of age or older. Population is based on the de facto definition of population, which counts all residents regardless of legal status or citizenship.