Ireland vs South Africa: Median age

Median age in 2023: 38.4 years in Ireland and 28.2 years in South Africa, by UN estimates. In 2023 the value was higher in Ireland, by 10.2 years, or 1.36 times that in South Africa.

Watch it change on the map

years · UN

IrelandSouth AfricaUN projection (medium variant)95% prediction intervalWorld

What the numbers say

Ireland has been higher in every year both have figures for since 1950.
In 2023, Ireland ranked 64 and South Africa ranked 139 of 229 countries, counting from the highest.
The UN projection (medium variant) puts Ireland at 49.9 years and South Africa at 38.3 years in 2100.
The world as a whole: 30.4 years in 2023.

Every year

years · UN

Year	Ireland	South Africa	World
2023	38.4	28.2	30.4
2022	38	27.9	30.1
2021	37.6	27.6	29.8
2020	37.3	27.3	29.6
2019	36.9	26.9	29.3
2018	36.5	26.5	29
2017	36.1	26.1	28.8
2016	35.7	25.7	28.5
2015	35.4	25.4	28.3
2014	35	25	28.1
2013	34.6	24.7	27.8
2012	34.2	24.3	27.6
2011	33.8	24	27.4
2010	33.3	23.6	27.2
2009	32.9	23.3	27
2008	32.5	23	26.7
2007	32.4	22.7	26.5
2006	32.4	22.4	26.3
2005	32.4	22.1	26.1
2004	32.4	21.9	25.9
2003	32.1	21.6	25.7
2002	31.9	21.3	25.5
2001	31.7	21.1	25.3
2000	31.5	20.8	25.1
1999	31.3	20.6	24.9
1998	31	20.3	24.7
1997	30.6	20.1	24.4
1996	30.3	20.2	24.2
1995	30	20.5	24
1994	29.6	20.9	23.8
1993	29.2	20.9	23.5
1992	28.9	20.5	23.3
1991	28.6	20.5	23.1
1990	28.2	20.3	22.9
1989	27.8	20	22.8
1988	27.3	19.8	22.6
1987	26.9	19.7	22.4
1986	26.5	19.5	22.2
1985	26.3	19.4	22
1984	26	19.2	21.9
1983	25.8	19	21.8
1982	25.7	18.8	21.7
1981	25.6	18.6	21.6
1980	25.5	18.4	21.5
1979	25.5	18.2	21.3
1978	25.4	18.1	21.1
1977	25.4	18	21
1976	25.4	17.9	20.8
1975	25.4	17.9	20.7
1974	25.4	17.8	20.5
1973	25.6	17.8	20.4
1972	25.7	17.7	20.4
1971	26	17.7	20.3
1970	26.2	17.7	20.3
1969	26.4	17.7	20.3
1968	26.7	17.8	20.4
1967	26.9	17.8	20.5
1966	27.2	17.8	20.6
1965	27.6	17.8	20.8
1964	27.9	17.8	21
1963	28.2	17.8	21.2
1962	28.5	17.8	21.4
1961	28.8	17.9	21.4
1960	29.1	17.9	21.5
1959	29.3	18	21.5
1958	29.3	18.1	21.5
1957	29.3	18.3	21.6
1956	29.3	18.4	21.7
1955	29.2	18.6	21.8
1954	29.1	18.7	21.9
1953	29	18.9	22
1952	28.8	19	22.1
1951	28.8	19.1	22.1
1950	29	19.2	22.2

UN projection (medium variant) · 2024–2100

Year	Ireland	South Africa	World
2024	38.738.6–38.8	28.528.3–28.6	30.6
2025	3938.6–39.3	28.728.3–29	30.9
2026	39.238.6–39.8	28.928.3–29.4	31.1
2027	39.438.4–40.3	29.128.2–29.8	31.3
2028	39.638.3–40.8	29.328.2–30.1	31.6
2029	39.738.1–41.3	29.528.1–30.5	31.8
2030	39.937.8–41.9	29.628.1–30.8	32
2031	40.137.6–42.5	29.728–31.2	32.2
2032	40.237.2–43.1	29.927.9–31.5	32.4
2033	40.336.9–43.7	3027.9–31.8	32.6
2034	40.436.6–44.3	30.128–32.1	32.8
2035	40.536.3–44.9	30.228.1–32.3	33
2036	40.636–45.5	30.328.1–32.5	33.2
2037	40.735.8–46.1	30.528.3–32.8	33.4
2038	40.835.6–46.6	30.628.4–33	33.6
2039	40.935.4–47.2	30.828.4–33.2	33.8
2040	4135.3–47.8	3128.5–33.5	34
2041	41.135.2–48.3	31.228.6–33.8	34.2
2042	41.335.2–48.9	31.328.6–34.1	34.4
2043	41.435.2–49.5	31.528.7–34.4	34.6
2044	41.635.2–50	31.628.7–34.6	34.8
2045	41.835.3–50.5	31.828.7–34.9	35
2046	4235.3–51	31.928.7–35.1	35.2
2047	42.235.4–51.6	3228.8–35.3	35.4
2048	42.435.5–52.1	32.128.8–35.5	35.6
2049	42.635.6–52.6	32.228.9–35.7	35.9
2050	42.935.6–53.1	32.329–35.9	36.1
2051	43.135.6–53.6	32.429.1–36.1	36.3
2052	43.435.7–54.2	32.629.2–36.3	36.5
2053	43.735.8–54.8	32.729.3–36.5	36.7
2054	4435.9–55.4	32.929.4–36.6	36.9
2055	44.335.9–56	33.129.6–36.9	37.1
2056	44.635.9–56.5	33.329.7–37.1	37.3
2057	44.936–57.1	33.529.8–37.3	37.5
2058	45.236–57.6	33.630–37.6	37.6
2059	45.436–58.2	33.830.1–37.9	37.8
2060	45.736.1–58.8	3430.2–38.2	37.9
2061	45.936–59.4	34.130.3–38.5	38
2062	46.136–60	34.230.5–38.7	38.1
2063	46.336–60.6	34.430.6–39	38.3
2064	46.536–61.1	34.530.7–39.2	38.4
2065	46.636.1–61.7	34.630.8–39.4	38.5
2066	46.836.1–62.2	34.830.9–39.6	38.6
2067	46.936.1–62.7	34.931–39.7	38.7
2068	4736.2–63.2	3531.1–39.8	38.8
2069	47.136.2–63.6	35.131.2–39.9	38.9
2070	47.236.2–64	35.231.3–40	39
2071	47.236.3–64.4	35.331.4–40.1	39.1
2072	47.236.4–64.8	35.431.5–40.2	39.2
2073	47.236.5–65.2	35.531.5–40.3	39.3
2074	47.236.6–65.6	35.631.6–40.4	39.4
2075	47.236.6–66	35.731.7–40.5	39.5
2076	47.236.7–66.4	35.831.8–40.7	39.6
2077	47.236.8–66.7	35.931.9–40.7	39.7
2078	47.236.9–67	3632–40.8	39.8
2079	47.237–67.3	36.132.1–40.9	40
2080	47.337.2–67.5	36.232.2–41	40.1
2081	47.337.2–67.6	36.332.4–41.1	40.2
2082	47.437.3–67.7	36.432.5–41.2	40.3
2083	47.437.4–67.7	36.532.6–41.2	40.4
2084	47.637.6–67.6	36.632.6–41.3	40.5
2085	47.737.8–67.5	36.732.7–41.4	40.6
2086	47.837.9–67.4	36.832.9–41.6	40.7
2087	4837.9–67.1	36.933–41.7	40.9
2088	48.137.9–66.7	37.133.1–41.9	41
2089	48.337.9–66.1	37.233.2–42	41.1
2090	48.537.8–64.6	37.333.3–42.2	41.2
2091	48.737.8–62	37.433.4–42.3	41.3
2092	48.837.9–58.7	37.533.5–42.4	41.4
2093	4937.9–56.3	37.633.5–42.6	41.5
2094	49.238–54.5	37.733.6–42.7	41.6
2095	49.338–52.9	37.833.7–42.8	41.7
2096	49.538.1–51.2	37.933.8–43	41.8
2097	49.638.2–49.5	3833.9–43.1	41.9
2098	49.738.2–47.8	38.134–43.2	42
2099	49.838.2–46.5	38.234.1–43.3	42
2100	49.938.2–45.3	38.334.1–43.4	42.1

Each country on its own

Good to know

Half the people are older than this age and half are younger.
Source: UN DESA, World Population Prospects 2024.
The dashed line is the UN projection (medium variant), a scenario rather than a forecast; the band is its 95% prediction interval.
Ranks count the 229 countries with a value in 2023, highest first.
The faint line is the world as a whole, as the same source counts it.

How the layers work, where their data comes from and what they can’t tell you: Countries through time

Ireland vs South Africa: Median age

What the numbers say

Every year

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