One of the dominant features of demographic change over the coming decades will be the rise in the number of people aged 80 and over. By 2050 their percentage of the EU's total population will increase three- to four-fold to around 12%, which will be only slightly lower than the percentage of children up to 14 years old. In absolute terms, Europe's 80+ population is projected to rise from 18 million in 2004 to nearly 50 million in 2050.