The composition of a nation by age groups. The age structure of the UK population has become older, the median age rising from 34.1 years in 1971 to 38.4 in 2003 and projected to rise to 43.3 in 2031 (UK National Statistics). Europe, with more than 15% of the population over 60, suffers from age dependency, while South Asia, with 45–55% of its population under 16, is concerned to limit population growth.