There are many ways to examine a country's age structure. One interesting approach is to look at the age group with the largest population, as shown in the world map.
Across most African countries, the largest demographic is children younger than 10.
This contrasts sharply with Europe, where the largest age groups tend to be much older. Many European countries are most heavily populated by those in their 30s, 40s, and 50s. For example, the fifties are the largest age group in the United Kingdom and the Netherlands. In Monaco and Croatia, the most populous are those in their sixties.
If we look back to 1950, the map looks very different. Small children and teenagers were the most populous age groups in almost all countries.
Over the last 70 years, birth rates have declined in most countries, and life expectancy has increased, leading to aging populations worldwide.
