Census/ The 15 to 19-year-old age group was halved in a decade, 90-year-olds are being added

2024-07-03 07:17:00, Aktualitet CNA

Census/ The 15 to 19-year-old age group was halved in a decade, 90-year-olds are

Illustrative photo, taken from Google

The number of young people in the country is decreasing rapidly.

When the 2011 census was conducted, there were 268,756 young people in the 15-19 age group across the country, but in the 2023 census, their number was halved to only 142,943 people, a 47% decrease.

This age group had the largest decline in the period between censuses both in number and percentage. The general population decreased by 14.8%, while in young age groups, this ratio was more than twice as high.

Statistics experts explain this decline with the high emigration of young people and families with children after 2016, through the new form of emigration, economic asylum. The age groups 10-14 years old (41%) and 20-24 years old (41%) also suffered a drop of over 40%.

On the other hand, the 90-year-olds had the strongest growth in the general population. The population group aged 85-89 reached 26,443 people in the 2023 census, from 14,738 in 2011, with an increase of 79%. The population structure shows a double-digit decline in the ages 0 to 54.

While the growth starts for the age group 55 to 100 years old. The retirement age groups have grown at very high rates (see the chart below). The 80-84 age group was the second largest age group with a 75% increase between the 2011 and 2023 census.

The population at retirement age 65+ reached 473 thousand people according to the 2023 census with a 49% increase from the 2011 census.

The population pyramid with the 2023 census looks more like a tree where the young age groups of the population have declined, forming the trunk, while the population at retirement age, which forms the crown of the tree, has increased significantly.

This new demographic map suggests that the country needs to invest more in infrastructure for an aging population and radically improve the education system to produce a highly skilled workforce to meet the population's service needs. the older.

Consumption trends herald an increase in goods and services for the elderly, but meanwhile the infrastructure for this purpose is still far from the needs. Opportunities for doing business with an aging population are high. Shelters, physical infrastructure and a specialized health system for these ages are missing.

Geriatric doctors and nurses are almost an unknown profession in our country. On the other hand, thousands of pensioners live alone, without services and income to age with dignity.

A number of services and goods for the elderly are currently missing from the market and are also an untapped space for business.

Population aging affects every aspect of society and economic activity. Seniors constitute a growing group of consumers with specific needs and significant purchases.

Demographic trends indicate that companies should be encouraged to market more products for all ages.

The needs and preferences of the elderly are often not related to business interests, but in the coming decades many companies must adapt their plans for this new group of consumers./ Monitor