Population aged 65 and over — all countries

Population aged 65 and over — South America

Population aged 65 and over in South America in 2025 — 48,129,271 people. Since 1960, the indicator has risen by 883.4%.

2025 48.13M people +3.98% vs 2024
World rank
Period maximum 48.13M people2025
Period minimum 4.89M people1960

Trend over time

1960–2025 · people

Population aged 65 and over — South America, 1960–2025020M40M60M19601967197419811988199520022009201620231960: 4,893,960 people1962: 5,266,732 people1964: 5,687,158 people1966: 6,133,555 people1968: 6,600,890 people1970: 7,083,056 people1972: 7,615,368 people1974: 8,177,826 people1976: 8,788,936 people1978: 9,437,587 people1980: 10,078,381 people1982: 10,696,916 people1984: 11,329,402 people1986: 12,035,453 people1988: 12,868,926 people1990: 13,818,692 people1992: 14,864,654 people1994: 16,003,496 people1996: 17,200,370 people1998: 18,413,324 people2000: 19,628,188 people2002: 20,928,563 people2004: 22,347,211 people2006: 23,933,910 people2008: 25,673,421 people2010: 27,547,924 people2012: 29,621,647 people2014: 32,002,773 people2016: 34,638,377 people2018: 37,443,846 people2020: 40,316,539 people2022: 42,877,081 people2024: 46,286,069 people2025: 48,129,271 people
Change over the period: +43.24M (+883.44%) Average annual rate: 3.58 %

Comparison, 2025

How the value compares with the world and the groups this territory belongs to: South America

South America 48.13M people
World 855M people
Population aged 65 and over — South America, by year South America All countries CSV XLSX
Year people Change Change, %
2025 48.13M +1.84M +3.98%
2024 46.29M +1.79M +4.02%
2023 44.5M +1.62M +3.78%
2022 42.88M +1.34M +3.22%
2021 41.54M +1.22M +3.03%
2020 40.32M +1.39M +3.56%
2019 38.93M +1.49M +3.97%
2018 37.44M +1.44M +3.99%
2017 36.01M +1.37M +3.95%
2016 34.64M +1.33M +3.98%
2015 33.31M +1.31M +4.09%
2014 32M +1.24M +4.02%
2013 30.77M +1.14M +3.86%
2012 29.62M +1.07M +3.75%
2011 28.55M +1M +3.64%
2010 27.55M +956,803 +3.6%
2009 26.59M +917,700 +3.57%
2008 25.67M +883,061 +3.56%
2007 24.79M +856,450 +3.58%
2006 23.93M +816,854 +3.53%
2005 23.12M +769,845 +3.44%
2004 22.35M +726,871 +3.36%
2003 21.62M +691,777 +3.31%
2002 20.93M +664,372 +3.28%
2001 20.26M +636,003 +3.24%
2000 19.63M +612,951 +3.22%
1999 19.02M +601,913 +3.27%
1998 18.41M +605,126 +3.4%
1997 17.81M +607,828 +3.53%
1996 17.2M +600,842 +3.62%
1995 16.6M +596,032 +3.72%
1994 16M +581,556 +3.77%
1993 15.42M +557,286 +3.75%
1992 14.86M +535,822 +3.74%
1991 14.33M +510,140 +3.69%
1990 13.82M +486,327 +3.65%
1989 13.33M +463,439 +3.6%
1988 12.87M +432,567 +3.48%
1987 12.44M +400,906 +3.33%
1986 12.04M +367,449 +3.15%
1985 11.67M +338,602 +2.99%
1984 11.33M +321,583 +2.92%
1983 11.01M +310,903 +2.91%
1982 10.7M +308,911 +2.97%
1981 10.39M +309,624 +3.07%
1980 10.08M +315,241 +3.23%
1979 9.76M +325,553 +3.45%
1978 9.44M +326,932 +3.59%
1977 9.11M +321,719 +3.66%
1976 8.79M +311,735 +3.68%
1975 8.48M +299,375 +3.66%
1974 8.18M +284,505 +3.6%
1973 7.89M +277,953 +3.65%
1972 7.62M +273,903 +3.73%
1971 7.34M +258,409 +3.65%
1970 7.08M +244,300 +3.57%
1969 6.84M +237,866 +3.6%
1968 6.6M +235,063 +3.69%
1967 6.37M +232,272 +3.79%
1966 6.13M +226,980 +3.84%
1965 5.91M +219,417 +3.86%
1964 5.69M +213,434 +3.9%
1963 5.47M +206,992 +3.93%
1962 5.27M +193,808 +3.82%
1961 5.07M +178,964 +3.66%
1960 4.89M

About the indicator

The population aged 65 and over. In absolute numbers this group is growing faster than any other: it expands both from the rise in life expectancy and from the entry of the large cohorts born in the middle of the 20th century. Japan and Italy lead by share of population, China and India by absolute number, and the divergence of the two rankings shows where the load on health care and pensions is larger in scale and where it is sharper.

Important: The threshold of 65 years is an international convention and is not tied to the retirement age of any particular country.

Source: World Population Prospects (UN), license CC BY 3.0 IGO.