Wealthier countries import more graphic paper per person and have higher old-age dependency ratios.
Comparing Age dependency ratio, old (% of working-age population) with Graphic papers — Import value, per capita across 181 countries, 2025–2025.
- Rank correlation
- +0.75
- Holding size constant
- +0.66
- Countries compared
- 181
- Period
- 2025–2025
What might link these
Wealthier nations may consume more graphic paper (e.g., magazines, packaging) and also have older populations due to longer life expectancy. A careful reader should note that correlation does not imply causation—other factors like education levels or cultural preferences could drive both trends.
Why this is not proof of anything
This is a correlation across countries, not an experiment. It cannot show that either indicator causes the other, and both may simply follow a third thing. The strong correlation might reflect underlying economic development rather than a direct link between the two indicators.
The second figure above repeats the measurement with national population and income held constant. It is the more conservative number: a relationship that largely disappears there was mostly telling you that larger, richer countries have more of most things.
How this was measured
Both indicators were ranked across every country reporting each, and the two rankings compared — ranks rather than raw values, because a handful of very large countries can otherwise manufacture a relationship on their own. The calculation is arithmetic over figures already published on this site; the commentary above is drafted from the two indicator names and the resulting coefficients.