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Average age

The average age in global comparison

The average age has risen in almost all countries since the World War II. In 1950, it was 23.9 years worldwide. In 2005, it was 28.1 years.

Among the 127 countries evaluated here, the USA are in 50th place with an average age of 38.5 years, led by Japan at 48.6 years. Niger has the lowest average age at only 14.8 years.

Median age by country

Average age by country
CountryMedian age
in years
Population under
20 years old
Life expectancy
in years
Japan48.616.3 %84.8
Germany47.818.5 %81.0
Italy46.517.5 %82.5
Hong Kong *45.615.7 %85.6
Greece45.319.3 %81.2
San Marino45.218.1 %85.5
Slovenia44.919.7 %80.6
Isle of Man *44.620.1 %80.6
Portugal44.618.5 %81.2
Austria44.519.2 %81.3
Lithuania44.519.7 %75.4
Latvia44.420.5 %75.8
Croatia43.919.0 %77.9
Spain43.919.3 %82.5
Bulgaria43.718.6 %73.8
Estonia43.721.4 %78.7
Liechtenstein43.719.6 %81.9
Bermuda *43.620.1 %82.3
Hungary43.619.6 %75.8
Puerto Rico *43.619.3 %78.4
Serbia43.419.4 %74.4
Bosnia and Herzegovina43.320.0 %76.3
Czechia43.320.7 %78.3
South Korea43.216.5 %83.5
Finland42.820.9 %82.2
Netherlands42.821.3 %81.5
Switzerland42.719.9 %83.2
Romania42.521.3 %74.6
Malta42.317.3 %82.6
Cuba42.121.4 %77.7
Denmark42.022.0 %81.6
Poland41.920.1 %76.8
Canada41.821.1 %81.8
Slovakia41.820.7 %77.0
Virgin Islands *41.824.6 %80.1
France41.723.4 %82.4
Belgium41.622.3 %80.9
Ukraine41.219.9 %71.7
Saint Martin *41.122.3 %78.1
Sweden41.123.4 %82.4
Belarus40.921.8 %74.7
Macao *40.818.5 %85.3
United Kingdom40.623.2 %81.0
Cayman Islands *40.521.0 %82.2
Russia40.322.8 %71.8
Luxembourg39.521.1 %81.8
Norway39.522.8 %83.2
Thailand39.021.6 %79.4
Georgia38.626.7 %73.1
United States38.524.8 %77.4
China38.423.2 %78.1
United Arab Emirates38.418.4 %78.6
Ireland37.826.5 %82.3
Australia37.524.2 %83.3
New Zealand37.225.1 %82.1
Mauritius36.323.9 %74.3
Singapore35.616.3 %83.7
Chile35.524.8 %79.4
North Korea34.625.6 %73.3
Albania34.322.8 %77.2
Qatar33.718.6 %78.9
Sri Lanka33.731.2 %76.5
Brazil33.228.0 %74.1
Bahrain32.925.7 %79.0
Costa Rica32.627.7 %79.3
Argentina32.431.0 %75.9
Turkey32.230.9 %75.9
Vietnam31.929.7 %75.4
Iran31.730.3 %74.9
Kazakhstan31.636.3 %71.5
Colombia31.229.6 %74.9
Indonesia31.133.6 %68.8
Saudi Arabia30.833.7 %76.2
Israel30.436.0 %82.8
Venezuela30.037.4 %71.3
Mongolia29.839.1 %72.3
Mexico29.333.5 %70.4
Myanmar29.233.4 %66.9
Malaysia29.231.0 %76.0
Morocco29.135.0 %74.0
Algeria28.937.8 %74.5
Ecuador28.834.9 %72.4
India28.734.8 %70.2
South Africa28.036.6 %65.1
Bangladesh27.936.3 %72.1
El Salvador27.735.0 %71.1
Cambodia26.438.1 %70.4
Oman26.232.4 %74.7
Bolivia25.340.8 %64.7
Nepal25.340.1 %69.3
Egypt24.141.9 %71.0
Haiti24.142.3 %64.2
Philippines24.140.1 %72.1
Pakistan22.047.6 %66.4
Ghana21.447.4 %64.1
Iraq21.248.4 %69.1
Zimbabwe20.552.1 %61.2
Kenya20.049.7 %62.7
Ethiopia19.851.2 %65.5
Rwanda19.750.0 %66.7
Timor-Leste19.647.2 %68.5
Afghanistan19.555.1 %62.6
Congo19.551.6 %63.8
Senegal19.452.5 %68.0
Sao Tome and Principe19.351.3 %68.0
Guinea19.152.7 %59.3
Sierra Leone19.150.3 %59.8
Nigeria18.654.0 %52.9
South Sudan18.656.9 %55.5
Cameroon18.553.1 %60.9
Somalia18.558.1 %56.0
Sudan18.351.2 %65.7
Tanzania18.254.6 %66.5
Guinea-Bissau18.051.5 %60.0
Liberia18.052.2 %60.9
Burkina Faso17.955.0 %59.7
Burundi17.756.8 %61.6
Benin17.053.0 %60.1
Mozambique17.054.6 %61.2
Zambia16.954.3 %62.4
Malawi16.854.9 %63.9
Congo (Dem. Republic)16.756.9 %59.8
Chad16.158.4 %52.8
Mali16.058.5 %58.6
Angola15.955.6 %62.3
Uganda15.757.1 %62.8
Niger14.859.7 %61.4

All information relates to the year 2021.

Influences on the average age

Various factors have an influence on the age of a country's population. In economic nations and highly developed countries in particular, reliable nutrition and medical care leads to higher life expectancy and thus to an increase in the age of the population. A higher proportion of women also results in a slight increase, as women generally have a higher life expectancy.

Average age However, the birth rate has the greatest influence. In almost all countries with higher incomes, the birth rate is remarkably low (cf. Population growth by country) and very high in poorer countries.

In most industrialized countries, for example, the lack of young people is currently causing the average age to rise, while in less developed countries, the age is stagnating or even falling.


* The marked countries are not independent and sovereign states, but dependent territories of other states. Cf. also our article What is a country?

Data sources

Median age is published every five years by the United Nations Department of Economic and Social Affairs. The CIA's Factbook also lists these data. Life expectancy is based on data from the Population and Vital Statistics Report of the United Nations. All data are projections or estimates based on available population figures.
Population growth by countryComparison: Population growth by countryPopulation development since 1960 in global comparison
Comparison: Life expectancyAverage life expectancy by countryInternational ranking of life expectancy in 124 countries including summary by continents. Explanation of significant factors.
Population density by countryComparison of the global population densityA juxtaposition of the population density in 92 countries. USA comes 82nd.