Question

While having high fertility rates and surging populations can be a challenge, especially for poorer developing countries, having large numbers of elderly citizens can also pose problems, such as not having enough working age people to support social security systems. Six countries have more than 20% of their populations over 65 years of age (five in Europe). Match the letter in the histogram to the country to find the world's four oldest populations.

A. portugal
B. germany
C. italy
D. japan

Answer 1

The world's oldest populations, including Japan, Italy, Germany, and Portugal, are facing challenges as they must support a growing aging demographic with a smaller workforce, affecting social security systems and economic growth.

Step-by-step explanation:

Heightened global aging population demographics are resulting in an increasing dependency ratio, particularly in high-income countries. By 2020, countries such as Japan, Italy, Germany, and Portugal have a large share of their population over 65 years of age, with Japan being the country with one of the highest percentages of elderly citizens. This shift poses significant policy and economic challenges, as a smaller working-age population must support a larger aging population through social security and healthcare systems.

High fertility rates in developing countries contrast sharply with the aging trends in developed nations. By 2050, it is projected that even low-income countries will experience aging booms, impacting their labor force and economies as well. In addition to demographic shifts, differences in industry structure and economic institutions play a role in how nations address the needs of their aging populations. With the global number of people aged 65 and over set to double by 2050, the issue of aging populations is becoming an increasingly critical global topic.