Global Scans · Demographics · Weekly Summary

• [New] By the mid-2030s, the global population aged 80 years and older is projected to reach 265 million, surpassing the number of infants under 1 year of age. PubMed Central (PMC)
• [New] Rapid advances in technological innovation, an ageing global population, increasing urbanization, shifts in global economic powers, and resource scarcity due to climate change are all predicted megatrends that will shape the workforce of the future. PubMed Central (PMC)
• [New] With the global elderly population expected to reach 2.1 billion by 2050, there is an urgent need for a well-defined framework that integrates lifespan, healthspan, and economic sustainability. PubMed Central (PMC)
• [New] On one hand, India will continue to see robust growth, reaching a population of 1.5 billion by 2050, surpassing China as the most populous country in the world. The Population Project
• [New] China's population, currently at 1.4 billion, is projected to shrink to around 1.3 billion by mid-century, as the legacy of its one-child policy takes its toll. The Population Project
• [New] With limited arable land and freshwater, the world is turning to the oceans for additional food supply as the global population is projected to reach 9 billion by the year 2050. NOAA
• [New] The population in the retirement ages of sixty-five and older would rise from 38.7 million observed in 2008 to between 99 million and 108 million by 2050, and that the population aged eighty-five and older would rise from 5.4 million in 2008 to between 27 million and 35 million by 2050. / USA PubMed Central (PMC)
• [New] Europe will face a significant demographic imbalance, with more elderly people dependent on a shrinking working-age population. The Population Project
• [New] Across 48 countries, populations are projected to peak between 2025 and 2054, representing 10% of the world population. Visual Capitalist
• [New] The median age in China will rise above 50 by 2050, meaning that there will be fewer young workers to support an increasingly elderly population. The Population Project
• [New] By 2050, nearly 22% of the global population will be over 60 and close to 80% of older adults will live in low- and middle-income countries. Yahoo Finance
• [New] While sub-Saharan Africa will experience a population surge, other regions will face a very different scenario. The Population Project
• [New] Africa faces the dual challenges of having the highest rate of population growth compared to the rest of the world - expected to increase from 926 million to 2.2 billion by 2050 - in addition to being the continent most vulnerable to impacts from climate change. GMO Answers
• [New] Urban living will inexorably increase as a result of diminishing living space resulting inter alia from global warming-caused rising sea levels, increasing extreme weather events and wildfires, and reducing habitability of affected regions, coupled with growth in the world population. PubMed Central (PMC)
• [New] The growing global population, projected to reach 10 billion by 2050, demands greater food production, underscoring the need to preserve and build healthy topsoil. PubMed Central (PMC)
• [New] WHO projects Southeast Asia's 60+ population will rise from 12.2% in 2024 to 22.9% by 2050, while the broader region's elderly population will nearly triple to 1.3 billion, or 25% of the total population. Persistence Market Research
• [New] The rising demand for services and an ever growing elderly population projected to be nearly 30% of Europe's population by 2050 is facing chronic illness and mobility issues that require continued physical therapy. Persistence Market Research
• [New] The Census Bureau anticipates that by 2050 the U.S. population will reach 439 million; the SSA projects a population size of 410.7 million in that year; and the Network forecasts between about 410 million and 418 million in 2050, depending on the mortality assumption used. PubMed Central (PMC)

Last updated: 14 September 2025