The line graph compares the proportion of people aged 65 and over in the USA, Sweden, and Japan between 1940 and 2040.
Overall, the percentage of elderly people is expected to increase in all three countries over the period shown. Japan had the lowest figure at the beginning, but it is predicted to become the country with the highest proportion of older people by 2040.
In 1940, around 9% of the population in the USA was aged 65 or above, compared with 7% in Sweden and 5% in Japan. The figures for the USA and Sweden increased gradually until 1980, reaching approximately 15% and 14% respectively. After that, both countries experienced slight fluctuations before continuing to rise towards the end of the period.
By contrast, Japan saw a decline from 5% to around 3% between 1940 and 1960, and the figure remained relatively stable until 2000. However, after 2000, the proportion began to increase significantly and is forecast to reach about 27% by 2040, overtaking both Sweden and the USA.
By the end of the period, Sweden and the USA are expected to reach approximately 25% and 23% respectively.