Female population 70-74 linked to slower growth
Comparing Total population (thousands), annual growth rate with Population ages 70-74, female, per capita across 211 countries, 2025–2025.
- Rank correlation
- -0.83
- Holding size constant
- -0.80
- Countries compared
- 211
- Period
- 2025–2025
What might link these
The relationship between the proportion of females aged 70-74 and a country's total population growth rate might be influenced by factors such as fertility rates, life expectancy, or societal aging. A careful reader should consider that urbanization could be a confounder, as it affects both population growth and age distribution. The correlation suggests a potential demographic connection worth exploring further.
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 aging populations and national growth rates, when in fact, many other demographic and economic factors are likely at play.
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.