Younger males per GDP linked to fewer elderly males
Comparing Population ages 80 and above, male, per capita with Population ages 30-34, male, per unit of GDP across 211 countries, 2025–2025.
- Rank correlation
- -0.84
- Holding size constant
- -0.80
- Countries compared
- 211
- Period
- 2025–2025
What might link these
The relationship might be driven by differences in life expectancy or mortality rates across countries, which could influence both the proportion of younger and older males. A careful reader should consider that healthcare quality could be a confounder. The correlation suggests a pattern, but its underlying causes are complex.
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. This correlation could mislead by implying a direct link between the two age groups, when in fact, other factors like healthcare and economic systems are likely driving the relationship.
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.