Which countries are youngest?
Click any country to see its median age — the age that divides its population into two equal halves.
Overview
Median age tells you whether a country is young or ageing: half its people are older, half younger. It ranges from the mid-teens in the youngest countries to nearly 60 in the oldest. This map shows it everywhere.
Key facts
- The youngest countries, in the Sahel, have a median age under 16.
- The oldest, like Japan and Italy, are near or above 48.
- A rising median age signals an ageing population.
Common questions
What is median age?
The age that splits a population in half — half the people are younger, half older. It summarises whether a country skews young or old.
Why does it matter?
A young median age means a fast-growing workforce and school-age population; a high one signals ageing, with more retirees relative to workers.
Where does the data come from?
The UN World Population Prospects, compiled via Our World in Data.
Sources & methodology
Data from UN (via Our World in Data), compiled via Our World in Data. Global figures are population-weighted across the countries that report this measure; countries without reliable recent data are shown as “no data”.
Last updated: 3 August 2026.
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