Aging in Africa

The rapid increase in population aging across the globe signals one of the most important demographic changes in human history. In the latter half of the last century, the world’s developed nations completed a long process of demographic transition. We can see the demographic transition as a shift from a period of high mortality, short lives, and large families to one with a longer life expectancy for an aging population and far fewer children. This transformation has taken many years across the globe, particularly in Europe and North America, as small unit families moved from agrarian mode of production to urban cities; basic public health measures steadily reduced the risk of contagious disease; and modern medicine has prolonged lives to unprecedented lengths. In developing countries, this demographic transition is certainly underway, though these countries vary widely at their places along the spectrum. Low birth rates and the resultant population decrease have received considerable media attention, particularly in the EU and parts of eastern Asia.