20 Questions about Global Aging

a. China also has the largest older population, numbering 106 million in 2008.

China has the world's largest total population (more than 1.3 billion). Which country has the world's largest older population? a. China b. Germany c. Russia d. India

c.

In developed countries, recent increases in labor force participation rates of older workers are due to changing work patterns of: a. Men b. Women c. Men and women

a.

In which country are older people least likely to live alone? a. The Philippines b. Hungary c. Canada d. Denmark

c.

Japan has the highest life expectancy among the major countries of the world. How many years can a Japanese baby born in 2008 expect to live, on average? a. 70 years b. 75 years c. 82 years d. 90 years

d. The estimated change in the total size of the world's older population between July 2007 and July 2008 was more than 10.4 million people, an average of 870,000 each month.

The world's older population (65 and over) is increasing by approximately how many people each month in 2008?

d.

There are more older widows than widowers in virtually all countries because: a. Women live longer than men b. Women typically marry men older than themselves. c. Men are more likely to remarry after divorce or the death of a spouse. d. All of the above.

False.

True or false? Current demographic projections suggest that 35 percent of all people in the United States will be at least 65 years of age by the year 2050.

False.

True or false? In any country, it is almost impossible to have population aging and a decline in total population size at the same time.

False.

True or false? In developing countries, older men are more likely than older women to be illiterate.

True.

True or false? In most countries, international migration has little effect on the overall population age structure.

False

True or false? More than half of the world's older people live in Europe, North America, Japan, and Australia.

False.

True or false? Sex ratios at older ages (i.e., the number of older men per 100 older women) usually are 90 or greater.

True.

True or false? The number of the world's "oldest old" (people 80 and over) is growing more rapidly than the older (65 and over) population as a whole.

False.

True or false? The percentage of older people in rural areas is generally lower than in large cities.

True.

True or false? The world's children under age 5 outnumber people aged 65 and over.

True.

True or false? Today, average life expectancy at birth is less than 45 years in some countries.

b.

What are the leading killers of older people in Europe and North America? a. Cancers b. Circulatory diseases c. Respiratory diseases d. Accidents

b.

What proportion of the world's countries have a public old-age security program? a. All b. Three-fourths c. One-half d. One-fourth

b.

Which country has the world's highest percentage of older people in 2008? a. Sweden b. Japan c. Spain d. Italy

c. The Caribbean, with 7.8 percent of all people aged 65 and over in 2008. Corresponding figures for other regions are Latin America, 6.4 percent; Asia (excluding Japan), 6.2 percent; and Africa, 3.3 percent.

Which of the world's developing regions has the highest percentage of older people? a. Africa b. Latin America c. The Caribbean d. Asia