The line graph illustrates the proportion of people aged 65 and over in three countries (the USA, Sweden and Japan) between 1940 and 2040.
Overall, the percentage of elderly people increased in all three nations. Japan showed the most dramatic rise after 2000, while Sweden and the USA experienced steady growth throughout the period.
In 1940, all three countries had similar proportions, between 5% and 10%. While the figures for the USA and Sweden rose gradually to about 14% by 1980, the percentage in Japan declined slightly before beginning to increase. By 2000, Sweden and the USA both stood at around 14%, whereas Japan remained much lower at approximately 5%.
Between 2000 and 2020, Sweden had the highest percentage, reaching 20%. However, from 2020 onwards, Japan’s figure rose dramatically and is projected to reach about 27% by 2040, surpassing both Sweden and the USA. By contrast, the USA is expected to remain the lowest, at around 23%, while Sweden will end slightly higher at 25%.
