Aging Populations
| English | Chinese | Pinyin |
|---|---|---|
| ageing population | 人口老龄化 | rén kǒu lǎo líng huà |
| pension | 养老金 | yǎng lǎo jīn |
| dependency ratio | 抚养比 | fǔ yǎng bǐ |
The other end of the pyramid
- An ageing population 人口老龄化 has a rising share of people over 65.
- It happens in Stages 4 and 5 of the DTM, as fertility falls and people live longer.
- Countries like Japan, Italy, and Germany are ageing fast.
An ageing population is one with a rising share of people who are...
Ageing = a rising share of people over 65.
The costs of ageing
- More elderly people means higher pension 养老金 and healthcare costs.
- The dependency ratio 抚养比 rises as retirees grow and workers shrink.
- A smaller workforce must support a larger dependent group.
An ageing population tends to lower the dependency ratio.
Ageing raises the dependency ratio: more retirees, fewer workers to support them.
Money paid to retired people, a rising cost of ageing, is a ____.
Pension and healthcare costs rise as the elderly share grows.
How countries respond
- Raise the retirement age so people work longer.
- Encourage immigration of young workers to fill jobs.
- Use pro-natalist policies to raise the birth rate over time.
Cause, cost, or response?
Sort each item as a cause, a cost, or a response to population ageing.
Select all responses to an ageing population.
Later retirement, immigration, and pro-natal policy help; banning healthcare does not.
Match each item to its role in ageing.
Cause = why it happens; cost = the strain; response = the government's action.
Ageing is not simply a "crisis" — it reflects success (people living longer, healthier lives). But it does strain pensions and healthcare, so treat it as a challenge to manage, not a disaster. The responses (later retirement, immigration, pro-natal policy) all have trade-offs.
Japan has one of the world's oldest populations: over a quarter are 65+. With too few young workers, it has raised the retirement age, invested in robots and automation for care, and debated immigration — all responses to a rising dependency ratio.
An ageing population (rising share over 65) appears in late DTM stages. It raises pension, healthcare, and dependency-ratio pressures. Countries respond with a higher retirement age, immigration, and pro-natalist policies — each with trade-offs.