Population aged 65 and over — all countries

Population aged 65 and over — Western Europe

Population aged 65 and over in Western Europe in 2025 — 45,476,336 people. Since 1960, the indicator has risen by 161.6%.

2025 45.48M people +2.22% vs 2024
World rank
Period maximum 45.48M people2025
Period minimum 17.39M people1960

Trend over time

1960–2025 · people

Population aged 65 and over — Western Europe, 1960–202510M20M30M40M50M19601967197419811988199520022009201620231960: 17,386,050 people1962: 18,220,679 people1964: 19,055,374 people1966: 20,013,464 people1968: 20,991,607 people1970: 21,780,335 people1972: 22,595,306 people1974: 23,404,011 people1976: 24,050,054 people1978: 24,712,950 people1980: 25,044,466 people1982: 24,273,257 people1984: 23,565,613 people1986: 24,128,963 people1988: 24,876,707 people1990: 25,533,163 people1992: 26,266,235 people1994: 27,078,175 people1996: 27,912,381 people1998: 28,612,227 people2000: 29,557,748 people2002: 30,657,848 people2004: 31,888,889 people2006: 33,307,002 people2008: 34,324,700 people2010: 35,004,108 people2012: 35,733,678 people2014: 37,212,682 people2016: 38,649,473 people2018: 39,940,137 people2020: 41,216,775 people2022: 42,669,315 people2024: 44,487,105 people2025: 45,476,336 people
Change over the period: +28.09M (+161.57%) Average annual rate: 1.49 %

Comparison, 2025

How the value compares with the world and the groups this territory belongs to: Western Europe

Western Europe 45.48M people
World 855M people
Population aged 65 and over — Western Europe, by year Western Europe All countries CSV XLSX
Year people Change Change, %
2025 45.48M +989,231 +2.22%
2024 44.49M +965,706 +2.22%
2023 43.52M +852,084 +2%
2022 42.67M +779,441 +1.86%
2021 41.89M +673,099 +1.63%
2020 41.22M +627,136 +1.55%
2019 40.59M +649,502 +1.63%
2018 39.94M +638,979 +1.63%
2017 39.3M +651,685 +1.69%
2016 38.65M +686,264 +1.81%
2015 37.96M +750,527 +2.02%
2014 37.21M +738,202 +2.02%
2013 36.47M +740,802 +2.07%
2012 35.73M +670,768 +1.91%
2011 35.06M +58,802 +0.17%
2010 35M +266,862 +0.77%
2009 34.74M +412,546 +1.2%
2008 34.32M +446,906 +1.32%
2007 33.88M +570,792 +1.71%
2006 33.31M +694,050 +2.13%
2005 32.61M +724,063 +2.27%
2004 31.89M +672,458 +2.15%
2003 31.22M +558,583 +1.82%
2002 30.66M +552,212 +1.83%
2001 30.11M +547,888 +1.85%
2000 29.56M +504,514 +1.74%
1999 29.05M +441,007 +1.54%
1998 28.61M +362,043 +1.28%
1997 28.25M +337,803 +1.21%
1996 27.91M +398,420 +1.45%
1995 27.51M +435,786 +1.61%
1994 27.08M +419,389 +1.57%
1993 26.66M +392,551 +1.49%
1992 26.27M +368,380 +1.42%
1991 25.9M +364,692 +1.43%
1990 25.53M +336,181 +1.33%
1989 25.2M +320,275 +1.29%
1988 24.88M +357,277 +1.46%
1987 24.52M +390,467 +1.62%
1986 24.13M +400,157 +1.69%
1985 23.73M +163,193 +0.69%
1984 23.57M −256,462 −1.08%
1983 23.82M −451,182 −1.86%
1982 24.27M −469,829 −1.9%
1981 24.74M −301,380 −1.2%
1980 25.04M +51,002 +0.2%
1979 24.99M +280,514 +1.14%
1978 24.71M +341,143 +1.4%
1977 24.37M +321,753 +1.34%
1976 24.05M +287,415 +1.21%
1975 23.76M +358,628 +1.53%
1974 23.4M +402,067 +1.75%
1973 23M +406,638 +1.8%
1972 22.6M +411,812 +1.86%
1971 22.18M +403,159 +1.85%
1970 21.78M +395,591 +1.85%
1969 21.38M +393,137 +1.87%
1968 20.99M +454,482 +2.21%
1967 20.54M +523,661 +2.62%
1966 20.01M +491,418 +2.52%
1965 19.52M +466,672 +2.45%
1964 19.06M +437,361 +2.35%
1963 18.62M +397,334 +2.18%
1962 18.22M +439,363 +2.47%
1961 17.78M +395,266 +2.27%
1960 17.39M

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.