UN report says by 2080, people aged 65 and over will outnumber those under 18

The global population is aging, but growth may peak by century’s end.

By the late 2070s, the global population aged 65 and older is projected to reach 2.2 billion, surpassing the number of children under age 18, a UN report says.

By the mid-2030s, there will be 265 million individuals aged 80 and older, outnumbering infants.

The report says even rapidly growing nations will experience a rise in the elderly population over the next 30 years.

Those nations will need to prepare for significant demographic changes by strengthening health and long-term care systems, ensuring social protection sustainability, and investing in new technologies.