The 25 countries with the largest elder populations, ranked by percentage of people 65 and older

Italy has one of the highest shares of people aged 65 and over. alessandro_pinto/Getty Images The World Bank Group identified the countries with the highest shares of people aged 65 and over.

Japan was the only non-European country among the top 25.

In all the countries, women had a higher share of their population aged 65 and older than men.

Global life expectancy is rising, meaning a greater percentage of the world's population is older adults .

However, not every country has experienced this elder boom equally.

The World Bank Group compiled data on the percentage of the population aged 65 or older for each country in 2025, using data from the United Nations.

Business Insider rounded each percentage to one decimal place and excluded non-countries.

The data, for example, showed sizable older populations in territories such as Puerto Rico and special administrative regions such as Hong Kong.

We also included data on the percentages of the male and female populations aged 65 and older — also compiled from the World Bank Group.

The data overwhelmingly indicates that European countries have the highest numbers of older adults per capita.

Japan is the only non-European entry in the top 25.

In the US, which ranks 39th when excluding non-countries, 18.4% of the population is 65 and older.

A 2025 study by Brown University found that Europeans are more likely to live longer than Americans, regardless of wealth level.

The study's author, health economist Irene Papanicolas, said systemic issues in the US, such as "economic inequality or risk factors like stress, diet, or environmental hazards," contribute to lower life expectancy.