Wealthier countries have fewer young people
Comparing Population ages 0-14 (% of total population) with GDP (current US$), per capita across 209 countries, 2025–2025.
- Rank correlation
- -0.85
- Holding size constant
- -0.79
- Countries compared
- 209
- Period
- 2025–2025
What might link these
The negative correlation between per capita GDP and the percentage of the population aged 0-14 might be linked to factors such as lower fertility rates in more affluent societies or differences in population growth rates. A careful reader should consider education level as a potential confounder, as it often correlates with both wealth and family size. The relationship could be influenced by various socio-economic factors.
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 causal link between wealth and youth population, when in fact it may be driven by other underlying 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.