Aging population linked to imports
Comparing Merchandise imports (current US$), per capita with Population aged 65 years or older (thousands), per capita across 204 countries, 2025–2025.
- Rank correlation
- +0.75
- Holding size constant
- +0.70
- Countries compared
- 204
- Period
- 2025–2025
What might link these
The relationship between merchandise imports and population aged 65 or older might be driven by changes in consumption patterns in aging societies, with older populations potentially importing more goods to support their needs. A careful reader should consider the role of healthcare expenditure as a likely confounder. The correlation persists even after controlling for population and GDP, suggesting a more complex relationship.
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 and imports, when in fact other factors like societal wealth and distribution may be 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.