© 2006 Population Reference Bureau Percent of Elderly (65+) in China’s Population, Ageing in China Source: World Population Prospects: The 2004 Revision (2005). Due to vast improvements in health over the past five decades, life expectancy at birth has increased by two-thirds from 40.8 to 71.5 years between 1955 and The percent of elderly in China is projected to triple from 8 percent to 24 percent between 2006 and 2050.

© 2006 Population Reference Bureau China’s Age Distribution Population Structures by Age and Sex - percent These population pyramids illustrate China’s shrinking young and working-age population and growing elderly population.

© 2006 Population Reference Bureau China’s Age Distribution Population Structures by Age and Sex - percent Dramatic fertility decline (due to the success of the “one-child” policy) and improved longevity over the past two decades are causing the rapid ageing of China’s population. China now faces the prospect of having too few children to support its rapidly ageing population. Meeting the health and long-term care needs of this growing elderly population will result in soaring health care costs and fewer working-age people to share the burden.