The topic of List of countries by median age has been the subject of interest and debate for a long time. From its origins to the present day, List of countries by median age has played a significant role in various aspects of society. In order to better understand this topic, it is essential to delve into its history, its implications and its impact in different contexts. In this article, different perspectives on List of countries by median age will be addressed, with the purpose of offering a comprehensive vision that allows readers to acquire a more complete and enriching understanding of this topic.
This article is a list of countries by median age.
The median age is the index that divides the entire population into two numerically equal age groups, one younger than that age and the other older than that age. It is the only index associated with the age distribution of a population.
Currently, the median age ranges from a low of about 18 or less in most Least Developed countries to 40 or more in most European countries, Canada, Cuba, Hong kong, Japan, South Korea, Taiwan, and Thailand. The median age of women tends to be much greater than that of men in some of the ex-Soviet republics, while in the Global South, the difference is far smaller or is reversed.
In this article, two sets of data based on Central Intelligence Agency (CIA) and United Nations (UN) estimates are provided.
Country/Territory | Rank | Median ages in years | ||||
---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
2023 median | 2020 medians | |||||
Combined | Combined | Male | Female | Difference
(female minus male) | ||
Afghanistan | 204 | 19.9 | 19.5 | 19.4 | 19.5 | 0.1 |
Albania | 92 | 35.8 | 35.1 | 32.9 | 35.7 | 2.8 |
Algeria | 141 | 28.9 | 28.9 | 28.6 | 29.3 | 0.7 |
American Samoa | 151 | 29.4 | 27.2 | 26.7 | 27.7 | 1 |
Andorra | 6 | 48.1 | 46.2 | 45.1 | 46.1 | 1.0 |
Angola | 228 | 16.2 | 15.9 | 15.4 | 16.4 | 1 |
Anguilla | 82 | 36.8 | 35.7 | 33.7 | 37.6 | 3.9 |
Antigua and Barbuda | 107 | 33.6 | 32.7 | 30.7 | 34.4 | 3.7 |
Argentina | 111 | 33.0 | 32.4 | 31.1 | 33.6 | 2.5 |
Armenia | 79 | 38.3 | 36.6 | 35.1 | 38.3 | 3.2 |
Aruba | 54 | 40.7 | 39.9 | 38.2 | 41.5 | 3.3 |
Australia | 70 | 37.9 | 37.5 | 36.5 | 38.5 | 2 |
Austria | 14 | 44.8 | 44.5 | 43.1 | 45.8 | 2.7 |
Azerbaijan | 109 | 33.8 | 32.6 | 31.1 | 34.2 | 3.1 |
The Bahamas | 105 | 30.2 | 32.8 | 31.7 | 34.0 | 2.3 |
Bahrain | 103 | 33.3 | 32.9 | 34.4 | 30.3 | -4.1 |
Bangladesh | 145 | 29.2 | 27.9 | 27.1 | 28.6 | 1.5 |
Barbados | 56 | 41.0 | 39.5 | 38.4 | 40.7 | 2.3 |
Belarus | 49 | 41.7 | 40.9 | 38.0 | 43.9 | 5.9 |
Belgium | 45 | 41.9 | 41.6 | 40.4 | 42.8 | 2.4 |
Belize | 174 | 26.4 | 23.9 | 23.0 | 24.8 | 1.8 |
Benin | 221 | 17.1 | 17.0 | 16.4 | 17.6 | 1.2 |
Bermuda | 24 | 43.7 | 43.6 | 41.6 | 45.7 | 4.1 |
Bhutan | 138 | 30.2 | 29.1 | 29.6 | 28.6 | -1 |
Bolivia | 162 | 26.2 | 25.3 | 24.5 | 26.0 | 1.5 |
Bosnia and Herzegovina | 28 | 44.4 | 43.3 | 41.6 | 44.8 | 3.2 |
Botswana | 159 | 26.8 | 25.7 | 24.5 | 26.7 | 2.2 |
Brazil | 82 | 34.7 | 35.7 | 33.3 | 36.1 | 2.8 |
British Virgin Islands | 72 | 38.2 | 37.2 | 37.0 | 37.5 | 0.5 |
Brunei | 117 | 32.0 | 31.1 | 30.5 | 31.8 | 1.3 |
Bulgaria | 21 | 44.7 | 43.7 | 41.9 | 45.6 | 3.7 |
Burkina Faso | 219 | 18.5 | 17.9 | 17.0 | 18.7 | 1.7 |
Burundi | 220 | 18.2 | 17.7 | 17.4 | 18.0 | 0.6 |
Cape Verde | 153 | 28.3 | 26.8 | 25.9 | 27.6 | 1.7 |
Cambodia | 155 | 27.6 | 26.4 | 25.6 | 27.2 | 1.6 |
Cameroon | 212 | 18.8 | 18.5 | 18.2 | 18.8 | 0.6 |
Canada | 41 | 42.4 | 41.8 | 40.6 | 42.9 | 2.3 |
Cayman Islands | 52 | 41.0 | 40.5 | 39.7 | 41.2 | 1.5 |
Central African Republic | 197 | 20.2 | 20.0 | 19.7 | 20.3 | 0.6 |
Chad | 226 | 16.5 | 16.1 | 15.6 | 16.5 | 0.9 |
Chile | 84 | 36.6 | 35.5 | 34.3 | 36.7 | 2.4 |
China | 63 | 39.8 | 38.4 | 37.5 | 39.4 | 1.9 |
Colombia | 116 | 32.4 | 31.2 | 30.2 | 32.2 | 2 |
Comoros | 191 | 22.3 | 20.9 | 20.2 | 21.5 | 1.3 |
Democratic Republic of the Congo | 225 | 16.8 | 16.7 | 16.5 | 16.8 | 0.3 |
Republic of the Congo | 205 | 20.5 | 19.5 | 19.3 | 19.7 | 0.4 |
Cook Islands | 65 | 40.6 | 38.3 | 37.8 | 38.7 | 0.9 |
Costa Rica | 110 | 35.0 | 32.6 | 32.1 | 33.1 | 1 |
Cote d'Ivoire | 193 | 21.0 | 20.3 | 20.3 | 20.3 | 0 |
Croatia | 19 | 44.8 | 43.9 | 42.0 | 45.9 | 3.9 |
Cuba | 38 | 42.3 | 42.1 | 40.2 | 43.8 | 3.6 |
Curacao | 78 | 37.5 | 36.7 | 34.4 | 39.5 | 5.1 |
Cyprus | 66 | 39.1 | 37.9 | 36.7 | 39.4 | 2.7 |
Czech Republic | 29 | 43.9 | 43.3 | 42.0 | 44.7 | 2.7 |
Denmark | 39 | 42.2 | 42.0 | 40.9 | 43.1 | 2.2 |
Djibouti | 165 | 26.0 | 24.9 | 23.0 | 26.4 | 3.4 |
Dominica | 88 | 36.5 | 34.9 | 34.4 | 35.5 | 1.1 |
Dominican Republic | 146 | 28.9 | 27.9 | 27.8 | 28.1 | 0.3 |
Ecuador | 142 | 27.7 | 28.8 | 28.0 | 29.6 | 1.6 |
Egypt | 168 | 24.1 | 24.1 | 23.8 | 24.5 | 0.7 |
El Salvador | 147 | 29.2 | 27.7 | 26.2 | 29.3 | 3.1 |
Equatorial Guinea | 194 | 21.9 | 20.3 | 19.9 | 20.7 | 0.8 |
Eritrea | 195 | 21.0 | 20.3 | 19.7 | 20.8 | 1.1 |
Estonia | 22 | 44.7 | 43.7 | 40.4 | 47.0 | 6.6 |
Eswatini (Swaziland) | 176 | 24.4 | 23.7 | 22.5 | 24.7 | 2.2 |
Ethiopia | 200 | 20.2 | 19.8 | 19.6 | 20.1 | 0.5 |
European Union | 18 | 44.0 | 44.0 | 42.6 | 45.5 | 2.9 |
Faroe Islands | 73 | 36.8 | 37.2 | 36.9 | 37.7 | 0.8 |
Fiji | 127 | 31.2 | 29.9 | 29.7 | 30.1 | 0.4 |
Finland | 32 | 43.2 | 42.8 | 41.3 | 44.4 | 3.1 |
France | 44 | 42.4 | 41.7 | 40.0 | 43.4 | 3.4 |
French Polynesia | 99 | 34.8 | 33.3 | 33.0 | 33.5 | 0.5 |
Gabon | 189 | 21.8 | 21.0 | 21.4 | 20.6 | -0.8 |
The Gambia | 184 | 19.9 | 21.8 | 21.5 | 22.2 | 0.7 |
Palestine (Gaza Strip) | 216 | 19.2 | 18.0 | 17.7 | 18.4 | 0.7 |
Georgia | 61 | 38.0 | 38.6 | 35.9 | 41.4 | 5.5 |
Germany | 4 | 46.7 | 47.8 | 46.5 | 49.1 | 2.6 |
Ghana | 187 | 21.3 | 21.4 | 21.0 | 21.9 | 0.9 |
Gibraltar | 85 | 36.6 | 35.5 | 34.4 | 36.6 | 2.2 |
Greece | 9 | 46.2 | 45.3 | 43.7 | 46.8 | 3.1 |
Greenland | 93 | 35.0 | 34.3 | 35.1 | 33.4 | -1.7 |
Grenada | 100 | 35.0 | 33.3 | 33.1 | 33.4 | 0.3 |
Guam | 132 | 30.1 | 29.4 | 28.7 | 30.2 | 1.5 |
Guatemala | 180 | 24.4 | 23.2 | 22.6 | 23.8 | 1.2 |
Guernsey | 17 | 44.8 | 44.3 | 43.0 | 45.6 | 2.6 |
Guinea-Bissau | 217 | 18.3 | 18.0 | 17.4 | 18.6 | 1.2 |
Guinea | 208 | 19.3 | 19.1 | 18.9 | 19.4 | 0.5 |
Guyana | 148 | 27.9 | 27.5 | 27.2 | 27.9 | 0.7 |
Haiti | 169 | 24.7 | 24.1 | 23.8 | 24.3 | 0.5 |
Honduras | 167 | 25.3 | 24.4 | 23.5 | 25.2 | 1.7 |
Hong Kong | 7 | 46.8 | 45.6 | 44.2 | 46.5 | 2.3 |
Hungary | 25 | 44.5 | 43.6 | 41.5 | 45.5 | 4 |
Iceland | 75 | 37.8 | 37.1 | 36.6 | 37.7 | 1.1 |
India | 143 | 29.5 | 28.7 | 28.0 | 29.5 | 1.5 |
Indonesia | 118 | 31.2 | 31.1 | 30.5 | 31.8 | 1.3 |
Iran | 114 | 33.3 | 31.7 | 31.5 | 32.0 | 0.5 |
Iraq | 188 | 22.1 | 21.2 | 20.8 | 21.6 | 0.8 |
Ireland | 67 | 39.8 | 37.8 | 37.4 | 38.2 | 0.8 |
Isle of Man | 12 | 44.8 | 44.6 | 43.6 | 45.6 | 2 |
Israel | 123 | 30.1 | 30.4 | 29.8 | 31.0 | 1.2 |
Italy | 5 | 48.1 | 46.5 | 45.4 | 47.5 | 2.1 |
Jamaica | 133 | 30.5 | 29.4 | 28.6 | 30.1 | 1.5 |
Japan | 2 | 49.5 | 48.6 | 47.2 | 50.0 | 2.8 |
Jersey | 71 | 38.0 | 37.5 | 36.0 | 39.5 | 3.5 |
Jordan | 177 | 24.6 | 23.5 | 23.9 | 22.9 | -1 |
Kazakhstan | 115 | 31.7 | 31.6 | 30.3 | 32.8 | 2.5 |
Kenya | 198 | 20.9 | 20.0 | 19.9 | 20.1 | 0.2 |
Kiribati | 160 | 26.9 | 25.7 | 24.8 | 26.6 | 1.8 |
North Korea | 90 | 35.6 | 34.6 | 33.2 | 36.2 | 3 |
South Korea | 30 | 45.0 | 43.2 | 41.6 | 45.0 | 3.4 |
Kosovo | 122 | 31.7 | 30.5 | 30.2 | 30.8 | 0.6 |
Kuwait | 129 | 30.1 | 29.7 | 30.7 | 27.9 | -2.8 |
Kyrgyzstan | 149 | 28.1 | 27.3 | 26.1 | 28.5 | 2.4 |
Laos | 172 | 25.0 | 24.0 | 23.7 | 24.4 | 0.7 |
Latvia | 16 | 45.2 | 44.4 | 40.5 | 48.0 | 7.5 |
Lebanon | 96 | 35.8 | 33.7 | 33.1 | 34.4 | 1.3 |
Lesotho | 166 | 23.7 | 24.7 | 24.7 | 24.7 | 0 |
Liberia | 218 | 19.7 | 18.0 | 17.7 | 18.2 | 0.5 |
Libya | 158 | 26.1 | 25.8 | 25.9 | 25.7 | -0.2 |
Liechtenstein | 23 | 44.1 | 43.7 | 42.0 | 45.3 | 3.3 |
Lithuania | 15 | 45.0 | 44.5 | 40.2 | 48.2 | 8 |
Luxembourg | 57 | 39.8 | 39.5 | 38.9 | 40.0 | 1.1 |
Macau | 50 | 42.0 | 40.8 | 40.7 | 40.9 | 0.2 |
North Macedonia | 59 | 40.1 | 39.0 | 38.0 | 40.0 | 2 |
Madagascar | 196 | 21.0 | 20.3 | 20.1 | 20.5 | 0.4 |
Malawi | 224 | 20.0 | 16.8 | 16.7 | 16.9 | 0.2 |
Malaysia | 136 | 31.4 | 29.2 | 28.9 | 29.6 | 0.7 |
Maldives | 131 | 31.3 | 29.5 | 29.2 | 30.0 | 0.8 |
Mali | 227 | 16.3 | 16.1 | 15.6 | 16.5 | 0.9 |
Malta | 36 | 43.2 | 42.3 | 41.2 | 43.5 | 2.3 |
Marshall Islands | 175 | 25.1 | 23.8 | 23.6 | 23.9 | 0.3 |
Mauritania | 190 | 21.9 | 21.0 | 20.1 | 22.0 | 1.9 |
Mauritius | 81 | 39.3 | 36.3 | 35.0 | 37.6 | 2.6 |
Mexico | 134 | 30.6 | 29.3 | 28.2 | 30.4 | 2.2 |
Federated States of Micronesia | 156 | 27.8 | 26.3 | 25.5 | 27.1 | 1.6 |
Moldova | 69 | 39.4 | 37.7 | 36.2 | 39.5 | 3.3 |
Monaco | 1 | 56.2 | 55.4 | 53.7 | 57.0 | 3.3 |
Mongolia | 128 | 31.2 | 29.8 | 28.8 | 30.7 | 1.9 |
Montenegro | 55 | 40.7 | 39.6 | 38.1 | 41.1 | 3 |
Montserrat | 89 | 36.4 | 34.8 | 34.1 | 35.6 | 1.5 |
Morocco | 139 | 30.2 | 29.1 | 28.7 | 29.6 | 0.9 |
Mozambique | 222 | 17.2 | 17.0 | 16.3 | 17.6 | 1.3 |
Myanmar | 135 | 30.4 | 29.2 | 28.3 | 30.0 | 1.7 |
Namibia | 185 | 22.5 | 21.8 | 21.1 | 22.6 | 1.5 |
Nauru | 152 | 27.5 | 27.0 | 28.2 | 25.9 | -2.3 |
Nepal | 163 | 27.1 | 25.3 | 23.9 | 26.9 | 3 |
Netherlands | 33 | 42.2 | 42.8 | 41.6 | 44.0 | 2.4 |
New Caledonia | 104 | 33.9 | 32.9 | 32.1 | 33.7 | 1.6 |
New Zealand | 74 | 37.7 | 37.2 | 36.4 | 37.9 | 1.5 |
Nicaragua | 150 | 28.5 | 27.3 | 26.4 | 28.2 | 1.8 |
Nigeria | 210 | 19.2 | 18.6 | 18.4 | 18.9 | 0.5 |
Niger | 230 | 15.1 | 14.8 | 14.5 | 15.1 | 0.6 |
Northern Mariana Islands | 106 | 32.3 | 32.8 | 31.8 | 34.1 | 2.3 |
Norway | 58 | 40.6 | 39.5 | 38.8 | 40.2 | 1.4 |
Oman | 157 | 27.1 | 26.2 | 27.2 | 25.1 | -2.1 |
Pakistan | 182 | 22.7 | 22.0 | 21.9 | 22.1 | 0.2 |
Palau | 95 | 35.0 | 33.9 | 32.9 | 35.9 | 3 |
Panama | 124 | 31.2 | 30.1 | 29.6 | 30.5 | 0.9 |
Papua New Guinea | 173 | 21.6 | 24.0 | 24.0 | 24.0 | 0 |
Paraguay | 130 | 31.3 | 29.7 | 29.5 | 29.9 | 0.4 |
Peru | 140 | 30.1 | 29.1 | 28.3 | 29.9 | 1.6 |
Philippines | 170 | 25.4 | 24.1 | 23.6 | 24.6 | 1 |
Poland | 40 | 42.4 | 41.9 | 40.3 | 43.6 | 3.3 |
Portugal | 13 | 46.0 | 44.6 | 42.7 | 46.5 | 3.8 |
Puerto Rico | 26 | 45.6 | 43.6 | 41.6 | 45.3 | 3.7 |
Qatar | 97 | 34.2 | 33.7 | 35.0 | 28.2 | -6.8 |
Romania | 35 | 45.1 | 42.5 | 41.0 | 44.0 | 3 |
Russia | 53 | 41.5 | 40.3 | 37.5 | 43.2 | 5.7 |
Rwanda | 202 | 20.5 | 19.7 | 18.9 | 20.4 | 1.5 |
Saint Barthelemy | 8 | 47.0 | 45.6 | 45.5 | 45.8 | 0.3 |
Saint Helena, Ascension, and Tristan da Cunha | 31 | 44.7 | 43.2 | 43.2 | 43.3 | 0.1 |
Saint Kitts and Nevis | 80 | 38.1 | 36.5 | 36.7 | 36.3 | -0.4 |
Saint Lucia | 76 | 39.0 | 36.9 | 35.7 | 38.0 | 2.3 |
Saint Martin | 101 | 34.0 | 33.3 | 32.5 | 34.1 | 1.6 |
Saint Pierre and Miquelon | 3 | 50.6 | 48.5 | 47.9 | 49.0 | 1.1 |
Saint Vincent and the Grenadines | 87 | 37.0 | 35.3 | 35.4 | 35.1 | -0.3 |
Samoa | 161 | 26.9 | 25.6 | 25.3 | 26.0 | 0.7 |
San Marino | 10 | 45.9 | 45.2 | 43.9 | 46.3 | 2.4 |
Sao Tome and Principe | 207 | 20.4 | 19.3 | 18.9 | 19.7 | 0.8 |
Saudi Arabia | 121 | 32.0 | 30.8 | 33.0 | 27.9 | -5.1 |
Senegal | 206 | 19.0 | 19.4 | 18.5 | 20.3 | 1.8 |
Serbia | 27 | 43.7 | 43.4 | 41.7 | 45.0 | 3.3 |
Seychelles | 77 | 38.2 | 36.8 | 36.3 | 37.4 | 1.1 |
Sierra Leone | 209 | 19.2 | 19.1 | 18.5 | 19.7 | 1.2 |
Singapore | 83 | 38.9 | 35.6 | 35.4 | 35.7 | 0.3 |
Sint Maarten | 47 | 41.1 | 41.1 | 39.6 | 42.7 | 3.1 |
Slovakia | 42 | 42.5 | 41.8 | 40.1 | 43.6 | 3.5 |
Slovenia | 11 | 45.9 | 44.9 | 43.4 | 46.6 | 3.2 |
Solomon Islands | 178 | 24.8 | 23.5 | 23.2 | 23.7 | 0.5 |
Somalia | 213 | 19.0 | 18.5 | 18.7 | 18.3 | -0.4 |
South Africa | 144 | 30.1 | 28.0 | 27.9 | 28.1 | 0.2 |
South Sudan | 211 | 18.7 | 18.6 | 18.9 | 18.3 | -0.6 |
Spain | 20 | 46.3 | 43.9 | 42.7 | 45.1 | 2.4 |
Sri Lanka | 98 | 33.9 | 33.7 | 32.3 | 35.1 | 2.8 |
Sudan | 214 | 19.1 | 18.3 | 18.1 | 18.5 | 0.4 |
Suriname | 119 | 31.6 | 31.0 | 30.6 | 31.4 | 0.8 |
Sweden | 48 | 41.0 | 41.1 | 40.1 | 42.1 | 2 |
Switzerland | 34 | 44.0 | 42.7 | 41.7 | 43.7 | 2 |
Syria | 179 | 23.9 | 23.5 | 23.0 | 24.0 | 1 |
Taiwan | 37 | 44.0 | 42.3 | 41.5 | 43.1 | 1.6 |
Tajikistan | 164 | 22.7 | 25.3 | 24.6 | 26.0 | 1.4 |
Tanzania | 215 | 18.9 | 18.2 | 17.9 | 18.4 | 0.5 |
Thailand | 60 | 41.0 | 39.0 | 37.8 | 40.1 | 2.3 |
East Timor | 203 | 20.3 | 19.6 | 18.9 | 20.2 | 1.3 |
Togo | 199 | 20.5 | 20.0 | 19.7 | 20.3 | 0.6 |
Tonga | 171 | 25.4 | 24.1 | 23.6 | 24.5 | 0.9 |
Trinidad and Tobago | 68 | 38.0 | 37.8 | 37.3 | 38.3 | 1 |
Tunisia | 108 | 34.0 | 32.7 | 32.0 | 33.3 | 1.3 |
Turkey | 112 | 33.6 | 32.2 | 31.7 | 32.8 | 1.1 |
Turkmenistan | 137 | 30.7 | 29.2 | 28.7 | 29.7 | 1 |
Turks and Caicos Islands | 91 | 35.9 | 34.6 | 34.9 | 34.4 | -0.5 |
Tuvalu | 154 | 27.5 | 26.6 | 25.6 | 27.6 | 2 |
Uganda | 229 | 16.1 | 15.7 | 14.9 | 16.5 | 1.6 |
Ukraine | 15 | 45.3 | 41.2 | 38.2 | 44.3 | 6.1 |
United Arab Emirates | 64 | 35.7 | 38.4 | 40.4 | 31.5 | -8.9 |
United Kingdom | 51 | 40.6 | 40.6 | 39.6 | 41.7 | 2.1 |
United States | 62 | 38.8 | 38.5 | 37.2 | 39.8 | 2.6 |
Uruguay | 86 | 36.2 | 35.5 | 33.8 | 37.3 | 3.5 |
Uzbekistan | 125 | 28.7 | 30.1 | 29.4 | 30.7 | 1.3 |
Vanuatu | 181 | 24.2 | 23.0 | 22.6 | 23.5 | 0.9 |
Venezuela | 126 | 30.8 | 30.0 | 29.4 | 30.7 | 1.3 |
Vietnam | 113 | 32.7 | 31.9 | 30.8 | 33.0 | 2.2 |
Virgin Islands | 43 | 42.7 | 41.8 | 40.6 | 42.8 | 2.2 |
Wallis and Futuna | 94 | 35.8 | 34.0 | 33.1 | 35.1 | 2 |
Palestine (West Bank) | 183 | 21.7 | 21.9 | 21.7 | 22.2 | 0.5 |
Western Sahara (2018 & 2019 estimates) | 186 | 21.5 | 21.5 | 21.0 | 21.9 | 0.9 |
World | 120 | 31.0 | 31.0 | 30.3 | 31.8 | 1.5 |
Yemen (2016 & 2018 estimates) | 201 | 21.6 | 19.8 | 19.6 | 19.9 | 0.3 |
Zambia | 223 | 18.2 | 16.9 | 16.7 | 17.0 | 0.3 |
Zimbabwe | 192 | 21.0 | 20.5 | 20.3 | 20.6 | 0.3 |