Population ageing and intergenerational relations in Mongolia

Abstract

Population window of opportunity will continue in the coming 20 years in Mongolia and population ageing is projected to follow. According to 2010 census, elderly person estimated 152 thousand and comprise 5.6 percent of Mongolia’s population. The percentage share of older population will increase in the future – 8.3 percent in 2020 and 10.8 percent in 2025. The process of ageing is likely to bring extra burden on the national budget due to increased expenditure health care, retirement and pension benefits. Traditionally, older persons have relied for income on their own earnings, family transfer payments and government handouts both in the form of social pensions and subsidies. Though the tradition of adult offspring and other relatives providing support for older persons remain strong, this support is rapidly shrinking as a result of declining family sizes and some other factors.