EU composition - all reference to the European Union assume its 2020 composition (27 Member States), also for previous years. This makes it easier to compare EU data over time.

Time coverage - in general depends on data availability. More in detail:
- The time coverage for the first three geographical levels of the top menu (namely EU, Member States, and Regional), has been limited to 2001-2020 unless the original data covers a shorter period.
- For the last geographical level (namely Local), the estimates are projections, based on 2011 census data, covering three points in time: 2015, 2020, 2030 and 2050.
- Finally, the time coverage is defined independently in each of the stories, according to what described in the report "The Demographic Landscape of EU Territories".

Population pyramids – show on top the open-ended age class 85+ (individuals aged 85 years and above). This is the top group which is common over time and across countries and regions.

Empty charts and missing figures - are generally due to data unavailability or to missed selection of a territorial unit in the left hand map.

Extraction date and updates - will follow this reasoning:
- Data underpinning the first three geographical levels of the top menu (namely EU, Member States, and Regional) are continuously updated. The information on data publication is provided together with the link to the original sources.
- The last geographical level will be updated as soon as a new release of the LUISA dataset will be available.
- Finally, data underpinning the stories have been extracted at the end of 2020, before the publication of the report "The Demographic Landscape of EU Territories" (February 2021), and will not be updated.

Maps - The designations employed and the presentation of material on the map do not imply the expression of any opinion whatsoever on the part of the European Union concerning the legal status of any country, territory or area or of its authorities, or concerning the the delimitation of its frontiers or boundaries.

EU overview

DESCRIPTION
The numbered charts show the following:
1 The age and sex composition of the EU population in Year A .
2 The age and sex composition of the EU population in Year B.
3 Changes in the size of each age group between the two years (the total change and percentage change).
4 Changes in the overall size of the EU population from 2001 to 2020.
5 Changes in the dependency ratio for the EU population from 2001 to 2020.
6 The distribution of the EU population in broad age groups for two selected years, or changes in the dependency ratio over time.

HOW TO USE IT
Use the filters to set:
- Year A: the starting year for data to be shown on charts 1, 3 and 6.
- Year B: the most recent year for data shown on charts 2, 3, and 6.
- Variation type: selects between absolute figures or percentage change (on chart 5).
- Trend variable: selects between dependency ratios or broad age groups (on chart 6).

To see more information about each chart, hold the mouse over it until the pop-up appears.