More countries, including China, are grappling with shrinking and aging populations

A growing number of countries are confronting the dual challenges of population decline and aging. China said Friday that its population fell for a third straight year in 2024. The United Nations says that population has peaked in 63 countries and territories, about half of which are in Europe. In Italy, the number of births has fallen below 400,000 for the first time since the 19th century. The slow-moving but hard-to-reverse trend has prompted governments to offer financial incentives to encourage people to have children. As societies age, a “silver economy” is emerging with products tailored to older consumers.