Map reveals countries with the lowest retirement ages - including one that's just 55

People can retire early in the South Asian country – but is it all too good to be true? (Picture: Getty Images)

Have you ever dreamt of an early retirement? Spending the rest of your days sunning it up on a beach or travelling the globe?

Well,for people in Denmark this just got a lot harder as the retirement age will increase from 67 to 70 years by 2040.

The country ties its official retirement age to life expectancy and revises it every five years.

This got us thinking – where in the world can you retire the earliest?

The answer is Sri Lanka at the age of 55,a far cry from Denmark’s retirement age.

We take a look below at the country’s with the lowest and highest retirement ages across the world.

Where are the lowest and highest retirement ages in the world?

Coming in at number one is the sunny island of Sri Lanka,which has the lowest retirement age in the world at 55.

Kakh Harindra lives in Sri Lanka and works in business property development.

He told Metro that while the low age may seem positive,the grass isn’t always greener on the other side.

‘We have the sun,the fresh air,the glistening water,’ he said.

‘But some salaries here are quite low and many people are forced to work beyond the age of 55.

Kakh said he enjoys the lifestyle in Sri Lanka but like with any country it has its problems (Picture: Kakh Harindra

‘Life overall is good,but it would be better if the salaries were higher.’

Kakh believes the retirement age is too low in Sri Lanka and said it should not be lowered in the UK.

‘I’m 50,I have lots of energy and I want to work and a lot of other people are like that here in Sri Lanka,’ he said.

‘I feel like people can still work when they are 60 for example so it could be increased.

‘A lot of people want to work here to try and make a good living. Our country is still developing.’

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He said while the retirement age increase could be possible for office workers,it will prove more difficult for those with physical jobs.

Protests have taken place in the capital Copenhagen over recent weeks,with Jesper Ettrup Rasmussen,the chairman of a Danish trade union confederation,calling the increase ‘completely unfair’.

Could the UK change its retirement age?

At the moment in the UK people born between October 6,1954 and April 5,1960,start to receive their pension at the age of 66.

But this will gradually increase to 67 for people born after this date.

It could also change again in the future based on different factors,such as changes in life expectancy.