At the beginning of 2025, the average age of the European population reached 44.9 years. Italy holds the record as the “oldest country,” with the highest median age overall: 49.1 years. The figures come from Eurostat data collected across all European states. The lowest average age is recorded in Ireland, at 39.6 years. Over the past decade, since 2015, the average age has increased by 2.1 years – a trend common to all countries except Germany and Malta, where it decreased by 0.4 years. The most pronounced aging occurred in Slovakia and Cyprus (+4 years), with Italy close behind (+3.9 years), followed by Greece and Poland (+3.8) and Portugal (+3.7). Out of 450.6 million people – the European population as of January 1, 2025 – children aged 0–14 accounted for 14.4% of the total, compared with 22% aged 65 and over, a share that continues to rise (+2.9% over ten years). Italy has a lower-than-average share of children (11.9%), ranking last, followed by Malta and Portugal. At the top are Ireland (18.5% children), Sweden (16.8%), and France (16.6%). Older adults make up 24.7% of Italy’s population—the highest proportion in Europe.