According to recent data from the United Nations World Population Prospects 2024 and ASEAN economic projections for 2025, Southeast Asia is navigating a period of significant demographic and economic transition.
The region’s demographic landscape is increasingly youthful, reflecting a global trend where younger generations now represent the majority of the population. Simultaneously, ASEAN’s economic centers are projected to maintain steady growth, with key metropolitan areas serving as the primary engines for regional wealth.
The demographic structure is currently dominated by Generation Alpha, Generation Z, and Millennials, who together account for nearly 70% of the world’s population. Generation Alpha leads this shift with 2.0 billion people (24.4%), followed closely by Generation Z at 1.9 billion (22.9%) and Millennials at 1.7 billion (21.2%).
This youthful surge is mirrored in the economic dynamism of Southeast Asian regions, where cities like Singapore, Jakarta, and Bangkok are forecast to be the top economic powerhouses by 2025.
Singapore is projected to maintain the highest GDP in the region at $564.77 billion, followed by Jakarta at $338.45 billion and Greater Bangkok at $312.60 billion. While older cohorts such as the Baby Boomers and the Silent Generation comprise a shrinking portion of the global population—at 12.8% and 2.0% respectively—the concentration of economic activity in these top ASEAN hubs underscores a strategic focus on future-ready infrastructure for younger, urbanizing populations.
