Overall, Yemen had a much younger population than Italy in 2000, and this trend is expected to persist in 2050, although the proportion of young people will decline. In contrast, Italy’s population was already older in 2000 and is projected to age further, with a significant increase in the proportion of elderly people.
In 2000, half of Yemen’s population (50.1%) was aged 0-14, while 46.3% were aged 15-59 and only 3.6% were aged 60 or above. By 2050, the share of children is projected to fall to 37.0%, whereas the proportion of working-age adults will rise to 57.3%. The elderly population will also grow slightly, reaching 5.7%.
In Italy, the 15-59 age group accounted for the largest share in 2000 at 61.6%, followed by those aged 60 and above at 24.1%, and children at only 14.3%. By 2050, the proportion of working-age adults is expected to decrease sharply to 46.2%, while the elderly population will almost double to 42.3%. The share of children will decline marginally to 11.5%.
These figures indicate a youthful demographic structure in Yemen compared to an increasingly ageing population in Italy.