Aging Populations
Introduced| English | Meaning |
|---|---|
| ageing population/ˈeɪdʒɪŋ ˌpɒpjʊˈleɪʃn/ | A population in which the proportion of older people is increasing. |
| pension/ˈpenʃn/ | Income paid to a person after retirement, usually through a public or private scheme. |
| dependency ratio/dɪˈpendənsi ˈreɪʃɪəʊ/ | The size of younger and older age groups relative to the working-age group, commonly comparing ages under 15 and 65 or over with ages 15 to 64. |
The other end of the pyramid
- An ageing population 人口老龄化 has a rising share of people over 65.
- It happens in Stages 4 and 5 of the DTM, as fertility falls and people live longer.
- Countries like Japan, Italy, and Germany are ageing fast.
An ageing population is one with a rising share of people who are...
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Ageing = a rising share of people over 65.
The costs of ageing
- More elderly people means higher pension 养老金 and healthcare costs.
- The dependency ratio 抚养比 rises as retirees grow and workers shrink.
- A smaller workforce must support a larger dependent group.
An aging population: a top-heavy pyramid and a rising elderly dependency ratio
An ageing population tends to lower the dependency ratio.
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Ageing raises the dependency ratio: more retirees, fewer workers to support them.
Money paid to retired people, a rising cost of ageing, is a ____.
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Pension and healthcare costs rise as the elderly share grows.
How countries respond
- Raise the retirement age so people work longer.
- Encourage immigration of young workers to fill jobs.
- Use pro-natalist policies to raise the birth rate over time.
Cause, cost, or response?
Sort each item as a cause, a cost, or a response to population ageing.
Select all responses to an ageing population.
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Later retirement, immigration, and pro-natal policy help; banning healthcare does not.
Match each item to its role in ageing.
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Cause = why it happens; cost = the strain; response = the government's action.
Ageing is not simply a "crisis" — it reflects success (people living longer, healthier lives). But it does strain pensions and healthcare, so treat it as a challenge to manage, not a disaster. The responses (later retirement, immigration, pro-natal policy) all have trade-offs.
Japan has one of the world's oldest populations: over a quarter are 65+. With too few young workers, it has raised the retirement age, invested in robots and automation for care, and debated immigration — all responses to a rising dependency ratio.
An ageing population (rising share over 65) appears in late DTM stages. It raises pension, healthcare, and dependency-ratio pressures. Countries respond with a higher retirement age, immigration, and pro-natalist policies — each with trade-offs.
Write from 30 older people per 100 workers
- A country has 30 people aged 65 or over for every 100 working-age people.
- Pensions and health care are funded mainly by those workers.
What pressure does this old-age ratio create?
Fewer workers support each older person when the ratio is high.
What does 30 older people per 100 workers suggest?
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The workforce is small relative to the older population.