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Posted on Jan 27, 2010, 6 a.m.
Globally, since 1950, the proportion of older persons has been rising steadily, passing from 8% in 1950 to 11% in 2009, and is expected to reach 22% in 2050. The number of elderly people worldwide will outnumber children for the first time in 2045.
Key findings of the United Nations' "World Population Ageing 2009" report include: "In 2000, the population aged 60 years or over numbered 600 million, triple the number present in 1950. In 2009, the number of older persons had surpassed 700 million. By 2050, 2 billion older persons are projected to be alive, implying that their number will once again triple over a span of 50 years. Globally the population of older persons is growing at a rate of 2.6% per year, considerably faster than the population as a whole, which is increasing at 1.2% annually. At least until 2050, the older population is expected to continue growing more rapidly than the population in other age groups. Such rapid growth will require far-reaching economic and social adjustments in most countries."
“World Population Ageing 2009 (ESA/P/WP/212),” United Nations Department of Economic and Social Affairs, December 2009.
