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Ageing Population: Identifying the Determinants of Ageing in the Least Developed Countries

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Abstract

The issue of population ageing is no longer exclusively centred on developed countries. Empirical studies have proven that the rise in the proportion of the older age group has been already visible in the least developed countries (LDCs). The primary concern of population ageing in LDCs is that ageing is approaching LDCs even faster than approaching developing and developed countries. We found that despite the common factors such as human capital development, female participation in the labour market and economic growth, the annual growth rate of the ageing of LDCs highly depends on international aids (health care and development) and the rising number of emigrations over the working-age population. Our empirical results suggest that the existence of the ageing population in LDCs determine by the involvement of international bodies in supporting the welfare system of the country and the policy initiatives of developed countries in attracting migrant workers of LDCs to overcome the ageing problem in their countries.

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Fig. 1

Source Own computations based on data from UNDESA population division

Fig. 2

Source Authors’ own design

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Notes

  1. AI measured by the ratio between the old-age group (age above 60) and the young age group (age 0–14).

  2. OAD measured by the ratio between the old-age group (age above 65) and the young working-age group (age 15–64).

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Authors and Affiliations

  1. Science and Technology for Aging Research (STAR) Institute, Gerontology Department, Simon Fraser University, Vancouver, BC, Canada

    N. Renuga Nagarajan

  2. INESC Porto, OBEGEF, CEF.UP, Faculdade de Economia, Universidade Do Porto, Porto, Portugal

    Aurora A. C. Teixeira

  3. CEF.UP, Faculdade de Economia, Universidade Do Porto, Porto, Portugal

    Sandra T. Silva

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  1. N. Renuga Nagarajan
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Renuga Nagarajan, Aurora A.C. Teixeira and Sandra T. Silva declare that they have no conflict of interest.

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Nagarajan, N.R., Teixeira, A.A.C. & Silva, S.T. Ageing Population: Identifying the Determinants of Ageing in the Least Developed Countries. Popul Res Policy Rev 40, 187–210 (2021). https://doi.org/10.1007/s11113-020-09571-1

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