As life expectancy rises around the world, older people account for a growing share of national populations, though the pace and scale of ageing vary widely. World Bank Group data compiled from United Nations statistics for 2025 show that 24 of the 25 countries and territories with the highest shares of people aged 65 and over are in Europe. Monaco ranks first at 36.0%, followed by Japan at 30.0%. The United States ranks 39th, with people aged 65 and over accounting for 18.4% of its population.
The figures are relevant to long-term questions around labour supply, pensions and healthcare provision. They measure the share of older people in the total population, rather than the absolute number of people aged 65 and over. Percentages are shown to one decimal place, and non-sovereign entities are excluded. Puerto Rico and Hong Kong, for example, have comparable statistics but are not included in the country ranking. The list below runs from 25th to first place and includes the male and female shares where provided.
Europe Takes 24 of the Top 25 Places
Among the countries ranked from 25th to 21st, the Netherlands and Sweden each recorded a 20.9% share of people aged 65 and over. Belgium stood at 21.0%, while Austria and Denmark each recorded 21.1%.
Hungary and the Czech Republic both posted 21.2%, ranking 20th and 19th respectively. Liechtenstein was 18th at 21.4%, followed by Spain at 21.6% in 17th place. Estonia ranked 16th at 21.8%. Latvia and Slovenia each recorded 22.2%, placing 15th and 14th, while Bulgaria posted the same share in 13th place.
France ranked 12th at 22.5%, followed by Bosnia and Herzegovina at 22.9%. Serbia and San Marino each recorded 23.1%, ranking 10th and ninth respectively. Croatia was eighth at 23.6%, while Germany ranked seventh at 23.7%.
Finland, Greece and Italy Near the Quarter Mark
Finland ranked sixth, with people aged 65 and over accounting for 24.2% of the population. Greece followed in fifth place at 24.4%. Portugal ranked fourth at 24.9%, and Italy was third at 25.1%. In all four countries, the share was at or close to one-quarter of the population.
Japan was the only country outside Europe in the top 25. Its 30.0% share placed it second overall. Monaco led the ranking, with people aged 65 and over making up 36.0% of its population.
Women Account for a Larger Share of Older Residents
The gender breakdown shows a consistent pattern across the countries listed: women aged 65 and over account for a larger share of the population than men. In Italy, men aged 65 and over represented 22.7% of the population, compared with 27.4% for women. The corresponding figures for Japan were 27.1% and 32.8%, while Monaco recorded 34.9% for men and 37.1% for women.
The gap was also pronounced in several lower-ranked countries. In Estonia, the share was 16.4% for men and 26.7% for women. Latvia recorded 16.4% and 27.2%, respectively, while Hungary recorded 17.0% for men and 25.0% for women. The figures show differences in the age structure of male and female populations, but the ranking itself does not identify the reasons behind them.
US Ranks 39th as Research Examines Life-Expectancy Gap
The United States did not make the top 25. After non-sovereign entities were excluded, its share of people aged 65 and over was 18.4%, placing it 39th.
A 2025 Brown University study found that Europeans across income and wealth levels live longer than Americans. Study author and health economist Irene Papanicolas linked the lower US life expectancy to systemic factors including economic inequality, as well as risks associated with stress, diet and environmental hazards.
The share of older residents cannot by itself determine a country’s fiscal or economic position. It does, however, provide a baseline measure for comparing labour-force structures and the potential scale of pension and healthcare needs. In the 2025 figures, Monaco, Japan and Italy occupied the top three positions, while the US recorded a lower share than every country in the top 25.