16/02/2024 08:18
The median age of the population in Cyprus increased by 2.2 years in 2023 compared to 2013, from 36.2 years to 38.4 years, while the median age on the EU level increased by 2.3 years during the same period (from 42.2 to 44.5), according to data on population structure and ageing published by Eurostat today.
Cyprus remains the country with the lowest median age among the 27 member states. A median age of 38.4 years means that half of the country’s population was older than 38.4 years, while the other half was younger.
On 1 January 2023, across EU members, the median age ranged between 38.4 years in Cyprus and 48.4 years in Italy.
Between 2013 and 2023, the median age increased in all EU members, except Malta and Sweden, where it decreased (-0.4 and -0.1 years, respectively), and Germany, where the median age remained unchanged.
In five EU countries, the median age of the population increased by 4 years or more. The median age in Portugal rose by 4.4 years, the most among EU countries. Greece, Spain, Slovakia and Italy followed, registering 4.0 years increase.
Meanwhile, EU’s old-age dependency ratio, defined as the ratio of the number of elderly people (aged 65 years and over) compared with the number of people of working age (15-64 years), stood at 33.4% on 1 January 2023. This indicator has increased by 5.7 percentage points (pp) since 1 January 2013 when it was at 27.7%.
The highest ratios were registered in Portugal (38.0%), Italy and Finland (both 37.8%).
The lowest ratios were in Luxembourg (21.5%), Ireland (23.2%) and Cyprus (24.7%).
Compared with 2013, the largest increases in the ratios were in Poland (+10.4 pp), Bulgaria (+9.2 pp) and Croatia (+9.0 pp).
The lowest in Luxembourg (+1.3 pp), Malta (+2.0 pp) and Austria (+2.8 pp).