Older women linked to lower imports
Comparing Population ages 65-69, female, per unit of GDP with Imports of goods and services (constant 2015 US$), per capita across 171 countries, 2015–2025.
- Rank correlation
- -0.88
- Holding size constant
- -0.80
- Countries compared
- 171
- Period
- 2015–2025
What might link these
A possible link between the two indicators could be that countries with a higher proportion of older females per unit of GDP may have different consumption patterns or social security systems, affecting imports. However, a careful reader should be cautious about potential confounders such as urbanization rates or education levels. The correlation might also be influenced by differences in healthcare systems.
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 relationship between older women and trade policies, when in fact it may be driven by broader societal or economic factors.
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.