In 2050, just 35 years from now, there will be more older people worldwide (age 60 or older) than under the age of 16 for the first time in history. That’s ever folks. It’s a natural and predictable result of people living longer.
An aging population will affect everything from economies and labor to health and social care. Chris Roles, Director of Age International, a charity based in the United Kingdom that raises funds and awareness about the needs of older people in developing countries, says, “Our analysis highlights how population aging affects every aspect of development, but simply isn’t being given the attention it deserves. We need policies that are fit for the world around us and the future ahead, not ones based on out-of-date views of who lives in developing countries.”
Now don’t say you weren’t warned.
And by the way, the projected population of the U.S. by 2050, according to a 2005 Pew Research Center report, is 438 million people. (There are currently approximately 319 million of us.) That same report calculated that about 82 percent of that growth will be due to immigrants arriving between 2005 and 2050.
--Sarah Hagerty
