Africa, a young but ageing continent

Valérie Golaz (1) , Laurent Nowik (2) , Muriel Sajoux (2)

1 INED - Institut national d'études démographiques
2 CITERES - Cités, Territoires, Environnement et Sociétés

The countries of Africa have young populations today, but progress in life expectancy and the sharp drop in birth rates will lead to population ageing. This change will be incomparably faster than the slow ageing process observed in developed countries in the nineteenth and twentieth centuries: by 2050, the number of persons aged 60 and over will increase four-fold in Africa, raising yet another social challenge for the continent. At present, old persons in Africa are supported primarily through private solidarity. In the future, it will be increasingly difficult for families to meet the special needs of growing numbers of older adults unless public policies can provide the necessary backup.

Mots clés: Population ageing; Africa

Domaines: Sciences de l'Homme et Société; Démographie

Valérie Golaz, Laurent Nowik, Muriel Sajoux. Africa, a young but ageing continent. Population et sociétés, 2012, 491, pp.4. ⟨halshs-01235866⟩