WADE provides easy access to the innovative dynamic metrics of aging developed at IIASA. These metrics take the changing characteristics of people into account, thereby providing policymakers, researchers, and educators with a view of aging appropriate for our changing demographic environment. All indicators are based on data from the UN’s World Population Prospects 2022 and 2024. They cover the period 1950 to 2100 and are disaggregated by region, subregion, and country. Both types of indicators can also be produced with user-defined data.

The World Aging Data Explorer (WADE) brings together IIASA’s groundbreaking research on aging, offering dynamic metrics that provide more precise evaluations of population aging and inform longevity-adjusted public policies. One such metric takes a forward-looking approach, redefining "old age" based on remaining life expectancy rather than chronological age. Additionally, WADE integrates intergenerationally equitable pension ages, ensuring fairness across generations while supporting economic sustainability and policy stability.

The AGING Data Explorer is freely available online.

World Aging Data Explorer (WADE)

Fast Facts: Key Features of the World Aging Data Explorer

  • Comprehensive Comparisons: Evaluates dynamic aging measures alongside traditional metrics that do not account for changing population characteristics.
  • Dynamic Data Visualization: Interactive plots and tables enable users to explore aging trends by country, region, sex, and other demographic factors.
  • UN Population Projections Comparison: Assesses differences between the 2022 and 2024 UN World Population Prospects (WPP) to understand the impact of updated demographic assumptions on aging indicators.
  • Top and Bottom Performers: Ranks countries by selected indicators, with customizable filters for refined analysis based on population thresholds and other criteria.
  • Comprehensive Metadata: Provides detailed definitions and metadata for IIASA’s aging metrics and equitable pension age measures.
  • User-Friendly Interface: Features seamless navigation, interactive visualizations, and downloadable data to support research, policy-making, and education.

Related Publication

Sanderson, W. & Scherbov, S. (2019). Prospective Longevity: A New Vision of Population Aging. Cambridge, MA: Harvard University Press. ISBN 978-0-06-7497561-3