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during this period, but the oldest-old will continue to grow at a rapid rate.

TABLE 7-3.-AVERAGE ANNUAL GROWTH RATES OF ELDERLY POPULATION BY AGE, 1985 TO 2025

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THE OLDEST-OLD ARE THE FASTEST GROWING SEGMENT OF THE ELDERLY POPULATION IN MANY COUNTRIES OVER THE NEXT 20 YEARS, THE U.S. GROWTH RATE IN 75 AND OVER POPULATION WILL BE AMONG THE MOST RAPID IN THE DEVELOPED WORLD

Over the next 40 years, the fastest growth rate in the oldest-old population in the developed world will occur in Japan. The United States and Canada will also experience a rapid growth in the 75

and over population during this period. On the other hand, Western Europe will experience a relatively slow growth rate in the oldest-old population.

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UNITED France Germany Italy Sweden U. K. Canada Japan China

STATES

India Mexico

SOURCE: U.S. Bureau of the Census. An Aging World. Forthcoming. 1986.

LIFE EXPECTANCY AT BIRTH IN THE UNITED STATES IS ABOUT
AVERAGE FOR THE DEVELOPED WORLD

The longest life expectancy at birth is in Japan-77.1 years in 1985. Life expectancy in the United States-74.6 years-is about average for the developed world-fully 2.5 years shorter than Japan. The difference in life expectancy between the United States and Japan has more to do with infant mortality than aging. Life expectancy at age 65 is only 6 months longer in Japan than it is in the United States.

In nearly all countries females live longer than males. The difference between male and female life expectancy in the United States is one the most extreme in the world-second only to France. In developing countries, the gap between male and female life expectancies typically is smaller than in the developed world. Variations in mortality rates between the sexes largely are explained by differences in rates of circulatory disease.

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THE TOTAL U.S. DEPENDENCY RATIO IN 1985 WAS ABOUT AVERAGE FOR THE DEVELOPED WORLD and was LOWER THAN THE RATIO IN DEVELOPING COUNTRIES-BY 2025 THE TOTAL U.S. RATIO IS ExPECTED TO BE AMONG THE HIGHEST IN THE WORLD

The total dependency ratio is the ratio of children and aged to working-age adults. In 1985, developing countries had the highest total dependency ratios because of high proportions of children in their populations. India and Mexico, for example, had more than one "dependent" person in the population for each working-age adult. In the developed world, 1985 total dependency ratios were low because of low birth rates in recent years and, as yet, relatively small elderly populations.

By 2025, the developed nations will have higher total dependency ratios than developing countries, largely because of the rise in the proportion of elderly in their populations. The United States, along with Canada and Japan, will have the highest total dependency ratios.

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THE UNITED STATES HAS ONE OF THE OLDEST ELDERLY POPULATIONS IN THE WORLD, A TREND THAT WILL CONTINUE THROUGH 2025BY CONTRAST, JAPAN Now HAS ONE OF THE YOUNGEST ELDERLY POPULATIONS IN THE DEVELOPED WORLD BUT WILL HAVE ONE OF THE OLDEST BY 2025

The United States has an unusually high proportion of the very old in its elderly population, and this proportion is expected to increase by 2025. Today, West Germany and France have larger proportions of the very old in their elderly populations, but by 2025, the United States will have a higher proportion of very old than these countries. Today, Japan's aged population is unusually young for a developed nation, but by 2025 its aged population, along with that in the United States-will be one of the oldest aged populations in the world.

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SMALL PERCENTAGES OF PEOPLE IN THE DEVELOPED WORLD CONTINUE TO WORK AFTER AGE 65. OLDER PEOPLE IN THE UNITED STATES ARE MORE LIKELY TO STILL BE WORKING THAN THEY ARE IN MOST OTHER DEVELOPED COUNTRIES IN THE WORLD-EXCEPT JAPAN

While the U.S. population has an early retirement pattern that is about average in the developed world, Americans are more likely to work after age 65 than are other nationalities-with the exception of the Japanese. United States labor force participation rates of men at age 60-64 are significantly higher than in Italy, France, or Germany, but are lower than in the United Kingdom, Sweden, Canada, and Japan or in the developing world. However, U.S. female participation rates at age 60-64 are higher than any other country, except Japan and Sweden.

After age 65, United States labor force participation rates are significantly higher than other developed countries, with the exception of Japan. Japan's male and female labor force participation rates after 65 are unusually high-nearly half of the men (46 percent) and one-sixth of the women (16 percent) are still working.

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