Social Indicators

Introduction | Statistics

Indicators on child and elderly populations
Last update: June 2009
 
 
 
 
Country or area
Year
Total
Men
Women
men/100 women
(NOTES)
Afghanistan
2009
46.1
3.6
4.0
91
Albania
2009
23.5
12.5
14.3
87
Algeria
2009
27.3
6.1
7.4
82
American Samoa
2009
 **
35.8
6.6
7.3
  
90
Andorra
2006
 *
14.9
15.7
16.7
94
l
Angola
2009
45.0
3.6
4.3
84
Anguilla
2001
 *
28.0
9.8
10.8
91
j
Antigua and Barbuda
2005
 *
28.3
8.8
9.8
90
l
Argentina
2009
25.1
12.4
16.7
74
Armenia
2009
20.3
12.2
16.3
75
Aruba
2009
19.4
13.1
15.1
87
Australia
2009
19.0
18.0
20.2
89
i
Austria
2009
15.0
20.1
25.5
79
Azerbaijan
2009
24.2
7.4
9.8
76
Bahamas
2009
25.5
9.0
11.1
81
Bahrain
2009
26.4
3.3
4.1
82
Bangladesh
2009
31.5
5.8
6.3
92
Barbados
2009
17.3
12.3
17.4
71
Belarus
2009
14.7
13.4
22.3
60
Belgium
2009
16.8
20.6
25.4
81
Belize
2009
35.2
5.4
6.1
89
Benin
2009
43.1
4.1
5.9
70
Bermuda
2006
 *
18.0
14.9
18.6
80
m
Bhutan
2009
30.5
6.9
7.2
95
Bolivia
2009
36.2
6.4
7.7
83
Bosnia and Herzegovina
2009
15.4
17.1
20.3
84
Botswana
2009
33.3
4.9
6.6
74
Brazil
2009
25.9
8.9
10.8
83
British Virgin Islands
2001
 *
26.0
7.5
7.3
103
j
Brunei Darussalam
2009
26.8
6.1
5.0
122
Bulgaria
2009
13.4
21.0
27.2
77
Burkina Faso
2009
46.3
2.7
3.9
71
Burundi
2009
38.4
3.6
5.1
70
Cambodia
2009
33.3
4.5
6.9
64
Cameroon
2009
40.9
5.0
5.8
86
Canada
2009
16.5
17.9
21.1
85
Cape Verde
2009
36.2
3.9
6.8
58
Cayman Islands
2006
 *
15.0
5.2
7.6
68
m,n
Central African Republic
2009
40.6
5.3
6.4
84
Chad
2009
45.7
4.1
4.8
85
Channel Islands
2009
15.6
20.4
23.3
88
e
Chile
2009
22.7
11.4
14.2
80
China
2009
20.2
11.2
12.6
89
b
China, Hong Kong SAR
2009
12.0
17.8
17.7
101
c
China, Macao SAR
2009
12.9
11.8
10.9
108
d
Colombia
2009
29.2
7.5
9.1
83
Comoros
2009
38.1
4.2
5.0
84
Congo
2009
40.5
5.2
6.2
85
Cook Islands
2009
 **
28.6
10.8
11.9
91
Costa Rica
2009
25.9
8.6
9.8
87
Côte d'Ivoire
2009
40.6
6.3
5.7
109
Croatia
2009
15.1
19.6
26.3
74
Cuba
2009
17.7
16.0
17.7
90
Cyprus
2009
17.8
16.9
19.1
88
Czech Republic
2009
14.1
18.7
24.7
75
Dem. People's Republic of Korea
2009
21.7
11.7
16.8
70
Democratic Republic of the Congo
2009
46.7
3.8
4.7
81
Denmark
2009
18.2
21.1
24.9
85
Djibouti
2009
36.1
4.9
5.8
84
Dominica
2001
 *
29.0
11.7
15.1
77
j
Dominican Republic
2009
31.5
8.5
8.8
96
Ecuador
2009
31.1
8.7
9.7
89
Egypt
2009
32.3
6.9
7.7
89
El Salvador
2009
32.3
9.3
10.6
88
Equatorial Guinea
2009
41.0
4.0
4.6
87
Eritrea
2009
41.5
3.3
4.9
68
Estonia
2009
15.1
17.2
26.9
64
Ethiopia
2009
43.5
4.7
5.3
88
Falkland Islands (Malvinas)
2006
 *
16.0
14.2
13.8
103
j
Fiji
2009
31.3
7.0
8.8
80
Finland
2009
16.7
21.3
26.7
80
f
France
2009
18.4
20.2
25.0
81
French Guiana
2009
34.3
6.2
6.4
97
French Polynesia
2009
26.1
8.5
9.1
93
Gabon
2009
36.1
6.1
6.7
90
Gambia
2009
42.3
4.6
5.2
88
Georgia
2009
16.8
16.1
21.3
76
Germany
2009
13.5
22.9
28.4
81
Ghana
2009
38.4
5.4
6.0
91
Gibraltar
2001
 *
18.0
18.0
23.3
77
j
Greece
2009
14.2
21.8
26.1
84
Greenland
2005
 *
25.0
9.0
10.0
90
m
Grenada
2009
27.8
7.7
10.8
71
Guadeloupe
2009
22.2
17.0
18.4
92
Guam
2009
27.8
9.9
11.3
88
Guatemala
2009
41.9
6.2
6.6
95
Guinea
2009
42.8
4.6
5.7
79
Guinea-Bissau
2009
42.6
5.0
5.8
87
Guyana
2009
29.7
8.9
9.5
93
Haiti
2009
36.3
5.9
6.9
86
Honduras
2009
37.4
5.8
6.4
92
Hungary
2009
14.8
18.0
25.9
69
Iceland
2009
20.6
15.1
17.6
86
India
2009
31.3
6.8
8.0
86
Indonesia
2009
27.0
7.9
9.7
82
Iran (Islamic Republic of)
2009
24.1
7.0
7.1
98
Iraq
2009
41.1
3.9
5.6
69
Ireland
2009
20.7
14.6
17.1
85
Isle of Man
2006
 *
17.0
20.9
24.7
84
k
Israel
2009
27.7
12.6
15.8
80
Italy
2009
14.2
23.4
29.2
80
Jamaica
2009
29.4
10.1
11.1
91
Japan
2009
13.3
26.9
32.5
83
Jordan
2009
34.5
5.4
5.6
96
Kazakhstan
2009
23.7
7.3
12.6
58
Kenya
2009
42.8
3.8
4.4
86
Kiribati
2009
 **
35.5
4.7
6.4
73
Kuwait
2009
23.4
3.9
3.8
103
Kyrgyzstan
2009
29.4
5.9
8.4
70
Lao People's Democratic Republic
2009
37.5
4.9
6.1
81
Latvia
2009
13.8
16.9
27.2
62
Lebanon
2009
25.3
9.9
10.8
92
Lesotho
2009
38.8
6.1
7.7
80
Liberia
2009
42.7
4.4
5.3
84
Libyan Arab Jamahiriya
2009
30.1
6.6
6.5
101
Liechtenstein
2006
 *
17.0
15.8
18.8
84
l
Lithuania
2009
14.9
16.3
25.7
64
Luxembourg
2009
17.8
17.0
20.9
81
Madagascar
2009
42.9
4.4
4.8
90
Malawi
2009
46.2
4.6
5.1
89
Malaysia
2009
29.5
7.1
7.9
90
Maldives
2009
28.0
6.1
5.9
103
Mali
2009
44.2
3.5
4.1
86
Malta
2009
15.6
19.1
23.3
82
Marshall Islands
2009
 **
41.8
3.8
4.2
90
Martinique
2009
20.2
17.4
20.4
85
Mauritania
2009
39.5
3.7
5.2
71
Mauritius
2009
22.6
9.7
12.8
76
a
Mayotte
2009
38.8
4.6
5.1
91
Mexico
2009
28.5
8.6
9.6
90
Micronesia (Fed. States of)
2009
37.0
5.2
6.4
82
Monaco
2000
 *
13.0
26.2
31.7
83
k
Mongolia
2009
26.0
5.3
6.5
81
Montenegro
2009
19.4
15.5
19.5
79
Montserrat
2001
 *
19.0
19.6
21.3
92
j
Morocco
2009
28.4
7.5
8.3
90
Mozambique
2009
44.0
4.5
5.6
81
Myanmar
2009
26.8
7.5
8.5
87
Namibia
2009
36.9
4.9
6.2
79
Nauru
2009
 **
35.9
2.4
2.6
94
Nepal
2009
36.5
5.6
6.6
85
Netherlands
2009
17.8
19.6
23.1
85
Netherlands Antilles
2009
20.9
14.0
16.1
87
New Caledonia
2009
25.5
10.6
11.7
91
New Zealand
2009
20.4
16.7
18.9
88
Nicaragua
2009
35.1
5.8
6.5
90
Niger
2009
49.9
3.3
3.7
89
Nigeria
2009
42.5
4.6
5.2
87
Niue
2009
 **
25.2
13.8
17.7
78
Norfolk Island
2006
 *
14.2
30.5
31.5
  
97
j
Northern Mariana Islands
2009
 **
26.2
5.5
5.9
  
93
Norway
2009
19.0
18.9
22.7
83
g
Occupied Palestinian Territory
2009
44.9
3.8
5.0
77
Oman
2009
31.5
4.6
4.8
94
Pakistan
2009
36.9
6.1
6.2
99
Palau
2009
 **
21.1
7.6
10.2
  
74
Panama
2009
29.3
9.2
9.9
93
Papua New Guinea
2009
39.8
4.0
4.3
92
Paraguay
2009
34.0
7.2
7.8
92
Peru
2009
30.3
7.9
9.1
87
Philippines
2009
33.9
6.0
7.0
86
Poland
2009
15.0
15.6
21.9
71
Portugal
2009
15.3
20.6
25.9
80
Puerto Rico
2009
20.3
17.2
20.9
82
Qatar
2009
16.0
1.8
2.5
70
Republic of Korea
2009
16.8
13.0
17.2
76
Republic of Moldova
2009
16.9
13.0
18.0
72
Réunion
2009
26.2
9.4
12.3
76
Romania
2009
15.2
17.2
22.6
76
Russian Federation
2009
14.8
13.1
21.8
60
Rwanda
2009
42.3
3.2
4.4
73
Saint Kitts and Nevis
2000
 *
31.0
10.1
11.6
88
l
Saint Lucia
2009
26.3
8.7
10.2
86
Saint Vincent and the Grenadines
2009
26.9
8.7
10.2
85
Samoa
2009
39.4
5.7
7.9
72
San Marino
2004
 *
15.0
19.7
23.2
85
l
Sao Tome and Principe
2009
40.7
4.7
6.0
78
Saudi Arabia
2009
32.4
4.3
4.8
89
Senegal
2009
43.6
3.8
4.2
91
Serbia
2009
17.7
17.3
21.5
81
Seychelles
2005
 *
25.0
8.5
12.3
69
l
Sierra Leone
2009
43.4
3.5
3.5
98
Singapore
2009
16.3
14.2
16.2
88
Slovakia
2009
15.4
14.1
20.2
70
Slovenia
2009
13.8
18.4
25.3
73
Solomon Islands
2009
39.1
4.7
5.0
93
Somalia
2009
44.9
4.0
4.6
87
South Africa
2009
30.5
5.9
8.3
72
Spain
2009
14.8
19.8
24.6
80
Sri Lanka
2009
24.3
10.9
12.6
87
Sudan
2009
39.1
5.3
6.1
87
Suriname
2009
28.9
8.1
10.3
79
Swaziland
2009
39.3
4.6
5.8
79
Sweden
2009
16.6
22.7
26.7
85
Switzerland
2009
15.3
20.8
25.0
83
Syrian Arab Republic
2009
35.0
4.4
5.2
86
Tajikistan
2009
36.9
4.5
5.4
84
TFYR Macedonia
2009
18.0
14.6
18.4
79
h
Thailand
2009
21.7
10.3
12.1
86
Timor-Leste
2009
45.0
4.5
5.2
86
Togo
2009
39.9
4.9
5.9
83
Tokelau
2009
 **
34.5
10.7
12.9
83
Tonga
2009
37.4
7.5
8.9
84
Trinidad and Tobago
2009
20.7
8.6
11.9
72
Tunisia
2009
23.2
9.0
10.1
90
Turkey
2009
26.8
8.0
9.6
84
Turkmenistan
2009
29.5
5.1
7.0
73
Turks and Caicos Islands
2001
 *
28.6
3.4
4.2
80
j, n
Tuvalu
2009
 **
32.3
6.8
9.4
72
Uganda
2009
48.9
3.5
4.3
81
Ukraine
2009
13.9
15.9
24.9
64
United Arab Emirates
2009
19.2
1.9
2.1
88
United Kingdom
2009
17.4
20.5
24.3
84
United Republic of Tanzania
2009
44.7
4.4
5.3
83
United States of America
2009
20.3
16.1
19.6
82
United States Virgin Islands
2009
21.1
19.4
21.0
93
Uruguay
2009
22.8
15.4
20.9
74
Uzbekistan
2009
29.3
5.5
7.0
78
Vanuatu
2009
38.6
5.4
5.3
104
Venezuela (Bolivarian Republic of)
2009
29.8
7.9
8.9
88
Viet Nam
2009
25.7
7.3
9.9
73
Wallis and Futuna Islands
2009
 **
29.6
11.6
12.1
95
Western Sahara
2009
29.0
4.1
3.6
112
Yemen
2009
43.8
3.5
4.1
85
Zambia
2009
46.2
4.4
5.2
85
Zimbabwe
2009
39.9
5.1
6.4
79

Sources:

Calculated by the United Nations Statistics Division based on data published by the United Nations, Department of Economic and Social Affairs, Population Division (2009), World Population Prospects: The 2008 Revision. CD-ROM Edition; supplemented by official national statistics published in United Nations Demographic Yearbook 2006, available from the United Nations Statistics Division website, http://unstats.un.org/unsd/demographic/products/dyb/default.htm (accessed June 2009).

Footnotes:

*
 Data compiled by the United Nations Demographic Yearbook system. Data refer to the latest available census, except where noted.
**
 Data compiled by the Secretariat of the Pacific Community (SPC) Demography Programme.
a
 Including Agalega, Rodrigues and Saint Brandon.
b
 For statistical purposes, the data for China do not include Hong Kong and Macao Special Administrative Regions (SAR) of China.
c
 As of 1 July 1997, Hong Kong became a Special Administrative Region (SAR) of China.
d
 As of 20 December 1999, Macao became a Special Administrative Region (SAR) of China.
e
 Refers to Guernsey and Jersey.
f
 Including Åland Islands.
g
 Including Svalbard and Jan Mayen Islands.
h
 The former Yugoslav Republic of Macedonia.
i
 Including Christmas Island, Cocos (Keeling) Islands and Norfolk Island.
j
 De facto population count.
k
 De jure population count.
l
 De facto estimate.
m
 De jure estimate.
n
 Refers to age group 65+.

Top

Technical notes:

The percentage of population under 15 years refers to the percentage of the total population aged 0 to 14 years. The percentage of the male and female population aged 60+ refer to the percentage of the male population who are 60 years and older and the percentage of the female population who are 60 years and older, respectively. The sex ratio for the population aged 60+ is calculated as the number of males per 100 females in the respective age group.

The medium variant projections for 2009 refer to 1 July of the given year and assume the following: Total fertility in all countries eventually converges toward a level of 1.85 children per woman by the end of the projection period (2005-2050). However, not all countries reach this level during the projection period. The basic principle of the fertility projection is the same for all countries, but projection procedures are slightly different depending on whether countries had a total fertility above or below 1.85 children per woman in 2000-2005. Mortality is projected on the basis of models of change of life expectancy that produce smaller gains the higher the life expectancy already reached. The selection of the model for each country is based on recent trends in life expectancy by sex. For the 60 countries highly affected by the HIV/AIDS epidemic, estimates of the impact of HIV/AIDS are made by explicitly modeling the course of the epidemic and by projecting the yearly incidence of HIV infection. International migration is projected on the basis of past international migration estimates and an assessment of the policy stance of countries with regard to future international migration flows.

Estimates of the population by age and sex are prepared by the Population Division of the United Nations Secretariat and revised every two years in order to incorporate new data. In general, these population figures are estimates of persons resident in the country or area at mid-year. They are usually based on population census data adjusted to the specified year, taking account of birth, death and international migration rates as determined from population surveys and registers and other national sources as available.