Japan vs South Africa: Median age

Median age in 2023: 49 years in Japan and 28.2 years in South Africa, by UN estimates. In 2023 the value was higher in Japan, by 20.8 years, or 1.74 times that in South Africa.

Watch it change on the map

years · UN

JapanSouth AfricaUN projection (medium variant)95% prediction intervalWorld

What the numbers say

Japan has been higher in every year both have figures for since 1950.
In 2023, Japan ranked 4 and South Africa ranked 139 of 229 countries, counting from the highest.
The UN projection (medium variant) puts Japan at 53 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	Japan	South Africa	World
2023	49	28.2	30.4
2022	48.6	27.9	30.1
2021	48.1	27.6	29.8
2020	47.7	27.3	29.6
2019	47.3	26.9	29.3
2018	46.9	26.5	29
2017	46.5	26.1	28.8
2016	46.2	25.7	28.5
2015	45.8	25.4	28.3
2014	45.5	25	28.1
2013	45.1	24.7	27.8
2012	44.8	24.3	27.6
2011	44.5	24	27.4
2010	44.2	23.6	27.2
2009	43.9	23.3	27
2008	43.5	23	26.7
2007	43.2	22.7	26.5
2006	42.9	22.4	26.3
2005	42.6	22.1	26.1
2004	42.2	21.9	25.9
2003	41.8	21.6	25.7
2002	41.5	21.3	25.5
2001	41.1	21.1	25.3
2000	40.8	20.8	25.1
1999	40.4	20.6	24.9
1998	40.1	20.3	24.7
1997	39.7	20.1	24.4
1996	39.4	20.2	24.2
1995	39	20.5	24
1994	38.6	20.9	23.8
1993	38.2	20.9	23.5
1992	37.8	20.5	23.3
1991	37.3	20.5	23.1
1990	36.9	20.3	22.9
1989	36.4	20	22.8
1988	36	19.8	22.6
1987	35.5	19.7	22.4
1986	35	19.5	22.2
1985	34.5	19.4	22
1984	33.9	19.2	21.9
1983	33.4	19	21.8
1982	32.8	18.8	21.7
1981	32.3	18.6	21.6
1980	31.7	18.4	21.5
1979	31.2	18.2	21.3
1978	30.7	18.1	21.1
1977	30.2	18	21
1976	29.9	17.9	20.8
1975	29.7	17.9	20.7
1974	29.4	17.8	20.5
1973	29.2	17.8	20.4
1972	28.9	17.7	20.4
1971	28.6	17.7	20.3
1970	28.3	17.7	20.3
1969	27.9	17.7	20.3
1968	27.5	17.8	20.4
1967	27.2	17.8	20.5
1966	26.9	17.8	20.6
1965	26.6	17.8	20.8
1964	26.3	17.8	21
1963	25.9	17.8	21.2
1962	25.5	17.8	21.4
1961	25.1	17.9	21.4
1960	24.7	17.9	21.5
1959	24.3	18	21.5
1958	23.9	18.1	21.5
1957	23.5	18.3	21.6
1956	23.1	18.4	21.7
1955	22.7	18.6	21.8
1954	22.4	18.7	21.9
1953	22	18.9	22
1952	21.7	19	22.1
1951	21.5	19.1	22.1
1950	21.3	19.2	22.2

UN projection (medium variant) · 2024–2100

Year	Japan	South Africa	World
2024	49.449.4–49.4	28.528.3–28.6	30.6
2025	49.849.7–49.8	28.728.3–29	30.9
2026	50.250.1–50.3	28.928.3–29.4	31.1
2027	50.550.4–50.7	29.128.2–29.8	31.3
2028	50.950.7–51.1	29.328.2–30.1	31.6
2029	51.250.9–51.4	29.528.1–30.5	31.8
2030	51.551.2–51.8	29.628.1–30.8	32
2031	51.851.4–52.1	29.728–31.2	32.2
2032	5251.6–52.4	29.927.9–31.5	32.4
2033	52.251.7–52.7	3027.9–31.8	32.6
2034	52.451.8–52.9	30.128–32.1	32.8
2035	52.551.9–53.2	30.228.1–32.3	33
2036	52.751.9–53.4	30.328.1–32.5	33.2
2037	52.852–53.6	30.528.3–32.8	33.4
2038	52.952–53.8	30.628.4–33	33.6
2039	5351.9–54	30.828.4–33.2	33.8
2040	53.151.9–54.2	3128.5–33.5	34
2041	53.151.8–54.4	31.228.6–33.8	34.2
2042	53.151.7–54.6	31.328.6–34.1	34.4
2043	53.151.5–54.7	31.528.7–34.4	34.6
2044	53.151.3–54.9	31.628.7–34.6	34.8
2045	5351.1–55	31.828.7–34.9	35
2046	5351–55.1	31.928.7–35.1	35.2
2047	52.950.8–55.2	3228.8–35.3	35.4
2048	52.850.6–55.3	32.128.8–35.5	35.6
2049	52.850.5–55.3	32.228.9–35.7	35.9
2050	52.850.4–55.4	32.329–35.9	36.1
2051	52.750.2–55.5	32.429.1–36.1	36.3
2052	52.750.2–55.6	32.629.2–36.3	36.5
2053	52.750.1–55.7	32.729.3–36.5	36.7
2054	52.750.1–55.8	32.929.4–36.6	36.9
2055	52.850.1–55.9	33.129.6–36.9	37.1
2056	52.850.1–56	33.329.7–37.1	37.3
2057	52.950.1–56.2	33.529.8–37.3	37.5
2058	5350.2–56.3	33.630–37.6	37.6
2059	5350.3–56.5	33.830.1–37.9	37.8
2060	53.150.4–56.6	3430.2–38.2	37.9
2061	53.250.4–56.8	34.130.3–38.5	38
2062	53.350.5–57	34.230.5–38.7	38.1
2063	53.350.6–57.1	34.430.6–39	38.3
2064	53.450.6–57.2	34.530.7–39.2	38.4
2065	53.550.6–57.3	34.630.8–39.4	38.5
2066	53.550.6–57.5	34.830.9–39.6	38.6
2067	53.550.6–57.6	34.931–39.7	38.7
2068	53.650.5–57.7	3531.1–39.8	38.8
2069	53.650.4–57.9	35.131.2–39.9	38.9
2070	53.650.3–58	35.231.3–40	39
2071	53.650.1–58.2	35.331.4–40.1	39.1
2072	53.649.8–58.3	35.431.5–40.2	39.2
2073	53.549.6–58.5	35.531.5–40.3	39.3
2074	53.549.3–58.6	35.631.6–40.4	39.4
2075	53.449–58.8	35.731.7–40.5	39.5
2076	53.248.8–59	35.831.8–40.7	39.6
2077	53.148.6–59.1	35.931.9–40.7	39.7
2078	5348.4–59.2	3632–40.8	39.8
2079	52.848.2–59.4	36.132.1–40.9	40
2080	52.748–59.5	36.232.2–41	40.1
2081	52.647.9–59.6	36.332.4–41.1	40.2
2082	52.547.8–59.6	36.432.5–41.2	40.3
2083	52.447.7–59.7	36.532.6–41.2	40.4
2084	52.447.7–59.7	36.632.6–41.3	40.5
2085	52.347.7–59.8	36.732.7–41.4	40.6
2086	52.347.6–59.8	36.832.9–41.6	40.7
2087	52.347.6–59.8	36.933–41.7	40.9
2088	52.347.6–59.8	37.133.1–41.9	41
2089	52.347.7–59.8	37.233.2–42	41.1
2090	52.447.8–59.8	37.333.3–42.2	41.2
2091	52.447.8–59.8	37.433.4–42.3	41.3
2092	52.547.9–59.9	37.533.5–42.4	41.4
2093	52.548–59.9	37.633.5–42.6	41.5
2094	52.648.1–60	37.733.6–42.7	41.6
2095	52.748.1–60	37.833.7–42.8	41.7
2096	52.848.2–60.1	37.933.8–43	41.8
2097	52.848.3–60.2	3833.9–43.1	41.9
2098	52.948.4–60.2	38.134–43.2	42
2099	52.948.4–60.3	38.234.1–43.3	42
2100	5348.5–60.4	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

Japan vs South Africa: Median age

What the numbers say

Every year

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