The line chart illustrates the proportion of people aged 65 and over in the USA, Sweden and Japan between 1940 and 2040. Overall, all three countries experienced an upward trend in the percentage of elderly population. While the USA and Sweden increased gradually over the period, Japan showed a markedly different pattern, remaining the lowest for several decades before rising sharply towards the end of the timeframe.
In 1940, the USA recorded the highest proportion at just under 10%, followed closely by Sweden at approximately 7%, whereas Japan had the lowest figure at around 5%. Over the next four decades, both the USA and Sweden saw steady growth, reaching about 15% by 1980. In contrast, Japan experienced a decline during this period, falling to around 3% before remaining relatively stable.
From 1980 onwards, Sweden continued to rise, peaking at roughly 20% in 2020 before declining slightly. Meanwhile, the proportion of elderly people in the USA levelled off at around 14% for several years, then increased again to approximately 23% by 2040.
Japan, however, witnessed the most dramatic change. After a gradual increase up to 2020, its elderly population rose sharply, overtaking both the USA and Sweden to reach nearly 27% by 2040, making it the country with the highest proportion of people aged 65 and over at the end of the period.