Social pensions are often seen as affordable only for wealthier countries and territories. Since World Bank income classifications were first introduced in 1990, the vast majority of countries that have adopted social pensions did so while they were low- or middle-income economies. Explore the timeline to see when countries introduced social pensions and their income classification at the time.
Explore the chart
Hover over each dot to see when a country introduced its social pension and its World Bank income classification at the time. Use your mouse to zoom in and explore different periods.
- Red = Low income
- Orange = Lower-middle income
- Yellow = Upper-middle income
- Grey = High income
Key findings
- The vast majority (88%) of countries introduced a social pension while they were low- or middle-income countries.
- Almost two-thirds (62%) introduced their social pension while they were classified as low- or lower-middle-income countries.
- The increasing number of countries introducing social pensions over time shows that more governments recognise them as a relevant and feasible policy option.
