Cyprus aged by 4 years in a decade and by 6.1 years in twenty years and the average age of the population reached 41 years in January 2025 from 34.9 years in 2005 and 37 years in 2015.
During the same period, according to the data published yesterday by Eurostat, the number of elderly people in our country, representing the age group from 65 to 79 years, increased by 5% and the percentage of young people decreased.
Thus, in 2025, people over the age of 65 reached 13.9% of the total. In 2005, however, they accounted for 9.4% of the total population and in 2015 to 11.3% of the total. Children up to the age of 15 constituted 15.2% of the population of Cyprus in 2025 from 19.9% in 2005 and 16.2% in 2015, while people considered to be of working age (20 to 64 years old) represented 61.7% of the population from 60.1% in 2005 and 63.1% in 2015. Let's see what is happening in the age group between 15 and 19 years. This age accounted for 4.9% of the total in 2025 from 7.8% in 2005 and 6.2% in 2015.
Eurostat provides information for all countries, highlighting the European demographic problem. As of 1 January 2025, the EU had 65 million children and young adolescents (under 15), representing 14% of the total EU population.
The percentage varied between EU countries: Ireland topped the list with almost 19%, while Italy had the lowest rate with 12%. During the 2 decades from 2005 to 2025 most EU countries experienced a decrease in this age group, except for Czechia, Bulgaria, Estonia, Latvia and Slovenia, which recorded increases of less than 1%. Meanwhile, young people (under 19 years old) accounted for 20% of the EU population on 1 January 2025. Among EU countries, the highest share of young people was recorded in Ireland (25%), followed by France and Sweden (23% each). The lowest rate was recorded in Malta (16%). Over the last 20 years, the share of people under 19 has decreased in all EU countries.
The EU population aged 80 and over reached 6%. Among EU countries, the highest rates were recorded in Italy (almost 8%), followed by Germany, Greece and Portugal (all 7%). Across the EU, the number of people aged 80 and over has increased in every country over the past 20 years.
The largest increases were recorded in Greece, Portugal, Latvia, Germany, Slovenia, Italy, Estonia, Lithuania and Croatia, where this age group increased by 3 percentage points in each country. On 1 January 2025, there were 99 million people aged 65 and over, representing 22% of the total EU population. Across the EU, the number of people aged 65 and over increased across EU countries compared to 2005 to 2025. The largest increase was recorded in Poland (8 percentage points from 13% in 2005 to 21% in 2025).
Among EU countries, the highest average age in 2025 was observed in Italy (49.1 years), followed by Bulgaria and Portugal (47.3 years each) and Greece (47.2 years), while the lowest was recorded in Ireland (39.6 years), Luxembourg (39.8 years) and Malta (40.0 years).
