Blogs and op-eds on demographic change

Across Asia and the Pacific, populations are ageing at an unprecedented pace. People are living longer, while birth rates decline, reshaping societies in profound ways. According to United Nations projections, the number of countries classified as ageing societies is expected to increase from 20 in 2026 to 24 by 2050. Over the same period, the number of super-aged societies is projected to more than triple, from 3 to 10 countries. Societies are classified as ageing when 7–14 per cent of their population is aged 65 or older, as aged when the share is 15–21 per cent, and as super-aged when it reaches 22 per cent or more. This rapid demographic shift underscores the growing urgency of adapting health, social protection and long-term care systems to meet the needs of an increasingly older population.