Demographic transition and ageing in the ECO countries: a strategic view on regional balance

Tayebeh (Sahel) Taherianfard, Ecole des Hautes Etudes en Sciences Sociales (EHESS)

The aim of this study is to explore the process of demographic transition, age structural change and ageing among the ten members of the Economic Cooperation Organization (ECO) region.Data used in this analysis are mostly taken from the United Nations (2006) recent report on World Ageing and the World Population Prospects (UN, 2005). All countries of the region experienced a rise in fertility and relative share of children of population and a reduction in various indices of ageing between1950-1975.All but two (Afghanistan and Pakistan) manifested clear signs of fertility decline and ageing between 1980-2000.The process of ageing is expected to become more precipitous and pronounced during the first quarter of the 21st century so that by 2025 more than one in ten of the population will be aged 60+ years in eight of the member states of the region.