UPSC Prelims 2024 Question:

Consider the following countries

1. Italy
2. Japan
3. Nigeria
4. South Korea 
5. South Africa
   
   

Which of the above countries are frequently mentioned in the media for their low birth rates, or ageing population or declining population?

Explanation:

With the number of over-65s set to more than double by 2050, the world needs to adjust to a new demographic era, according to a World Economic Forum report.

• Japan is often name-checked in headlines about ageing populations. With the world’s second-largest ageing population, Japan is also contending with a low birth rate. But it’s the tiny city-state of Monaco that trumps all other countries in the longevity stakes, with over a third of its roughly 39,000 inhabitants older than 65. So, point 2 is correct.
  
  
• While South Korea does not currently have an ageing population, it may be heading that way. The country’s fertility rate is the lowest in the world, with the UN warning in 2021 that South Korea was on track to halve its population by 2100. So, point 4 is correct.
  
  
• Close to a quarter of Italy’s population is aged over 65, Statista data shows, ranking it fourth among the world’s most ageing societies. As of 2022, 10 Italian regions have a law dedicated to what the World Health Organization terms ‘active aging’ – namely, ensuring that as people age, there are “opportunities for health, participation and security, in order to enhance quality of life”. So, point 1 is correct.
  
  

Therefore, option (1) is the correct answer.

Subject: Polity | International Relations