The Best (and Worst) Countries to Grow Old

5. Rwanda

> Total population: 11.5 million

> Pct. population 60+: 4.4% (20th lowest)

> GDP per capita: $1,077 (18th lowest)

> Life expectancy at 60: 16 years (tied for 16th least)

Only 2.8% of the Rwandan population aged 60 and over had completed secondary or higher education, among the lowest levels worldwide. When people 50 years or older were asked whether they were satisfied or dissatisfied with their freedom to choose what to do with their lives, nearly nine out of 10 respondents said they were satisfied, higher than in the U.S. Recent budget increases and improvements to the country’s electoral code may help improve the conditions for future generations of older residents.

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4. Jordan

> Total population: 7.0 million

> Pct. population 60+: 5.9% (54th lowest)

> GDP per capita: $5,250 (77th lowest)

> Life expectancy at 60: 19 years (83rd most)

Like many of the worst countries for old people, Jordan’s older population is small, at just under 6%. Less than half of the people over 50 were satisfied with the public transportation system, which means many older people were less able to connect with friends and families and access services. According to the AgeWatch Index, older people fare much worse finding employment than the younger population, and they are less educated. Just one-quarter of the population aged 55 to 64 were employed and had completed secondary or higher education in the country. Otherwise, older people in Jordan felt relatively safe and free to live their own lives.

3. Pakistan

> Total population: 179.2 million

> Pct. population 60+: 6.5% (70th lowest)

> GDP per capita: $2,397 (46th lowest)

> Life expectancy at 60: 18 years (tied for 62nd least)

Older Pakistani residents reported the least freedom to live independent and self-reliant lives out of the countries analyzed in the report. Less than one in three people in Pakistan over 50 were satisfied with the freedom of choice in their life. The country also has lower levels of pension coverage than much of the world. The report also notes, “Compared with their counterparts in neighbouring countries, rankings for social connections indicate that older people in Pakistan feel less safe, less connected to the rest of society, and less able to enjoy civic freedoms.”

2. United Republic of Tanzania

> Total population: 47.8 million

> Pct. population 60+: 4.9% (tied for 34th lowest)

> GDP per capita: $1,293 (23rd lowest)

> Life expectancy at 60: 17 years (tied for 36th least)

Tanzania had among the highest percentages of working older people — nearly 95% of the country’s population aged 55 to 64 was employed. But if the older population’s poverty rate there is any indication, these jobs likely offer very low wages and little opportunity to save. As many as 33% of older residents in Tanzania lived in relative poverty — the third highest after Thailand and the Republic of Korea. Education was also a problem; just over 3% of the population aged 60 and over had completed secondary or higher education of any kind. Only 3.2% of the country’s residents over 65 years old received a pension of any kind. In the U.S., it was 82.6%.

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1. Afghanistan

> Total population: 29.8 million

> Pct. population 60+: 3.8% (8th lowest)

> GDP per capita: $977 (14th lowest)

> Life expectancy at 60: 16 years (tied for 16th least)

Afghanistan had among the smallest proportion of residents at least 60 years old, at less than 4% of the total population. This is due in part to the country’s low life expectancy — 59 years for men and 61 for women. Life expectancy is 16 years for residents that are 60 years old, but only about nine of those years will be in good health. According to the AgeWatch Index, more than half of Afghan people over 50 do not feel safe walking alone at night where they live. With the American military scheduled to withdraw in 2014, the Afghan government worries the country will not be safe from foreign and domestic attacks.