As any amateur futurologist can tell you, the rich world is rapidly getting older. By 2050 more than a quarter of the developed world's population will be over 65. At the moment, that group makes up about a sixth of the rich-world population, and only about 25% of them are over 80. In 2050 the octogenarians and their elders will comprise 40% of the 65-plus cohort in wealthy countries.rnThis greying of the prosperous parts of the world has long been foreseen, if not very well prepared for. Much less well known is the fact that well-off countries are far from alone in facing the prospect of an ageing population. Babies born today in poorish countries such as Thailand or Jamaica can reasonably expect to live into their 70s. And as more and more Indians and Chinese escape from poverty, they too will have much longer spans (see chart).
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