Fertility rates have dropped globally, resulting in fewer babies being born, while better healthcare has led to longer lifespans. For the first time, there are more people over 65 than under 5. This trend is expected to continue, with economists concerned about the impact on the workforce and economic growth.
Demographers have been watching this trend develop for decades. They have seen fertility rates drop worldwide, resulting in fewer babies coming into the world. At the same time, they observed how better access to state-of-the-art healthcare (especially in rich countries) translates into longer lifespans across the board. And now, for the first time in recorded history, there are more people over the age of 65 than there are people under the age of five.
Dal baboom al babust:
The scales tipped at the end of 2018, the United Nations says. There were 705 million people over the age of 65 on Earth, compared to 680 million children age 4 and younger.
This trend is expected to continue, and the disparity between the oldest and the youngest will widen as we head into 2050. By then, there are projected to be more than two people over 65 for every person under the age of five.
This so-called “babust” is worrying economists, who say an aging population will mean fewer people in the workforce, which will mean less productivity and less economic growth.
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