Population ageing in Asia and the Pacific: Dependency metrics for policy

This paper explores the effects of population ageing in Asia. Standard demographic dependency ratios leave out much of economic significance from demographic projections. We examine, adapt and estimate various measures of dependency, indicative of health, long term care, labour market, economic wellbeing, and fiscal sustainability, and relate them to one another. A range of projection scenarios is used to illustrate the effects of social, institutional and policy changes across several Asia-Pacific economies chosen to represent Asia's demographic, social and economic diversity.