Fed: Population continues to age

AAP General News (Australia)
12-18-2001
Fed: Population continues to age

By Elizabeth Gosch

CANBERRA, Dec 18 AAP - The number of Australians aged 85 and over grew by more than
five per cent over the past year, continuing the trend of an ageing nation, new figures
show.

The Australian Bureau of Statistics (ABS) said Australia's population continued to
age in 2000/01 on the back of increasing life expectancy and fewer births.

Over the year to June 2001, the number of people aged 85 years and over jumped 5.7
per cent to 262,700.

"This continues the trend of a rapid increase in the elderly population, which has
grown by 156 per cent over the past 20 years compared to a total population growth of
30 per cent over the same period," the ABS said.

The median age of the Australian population also increased, up 5.8 years over the past
20 years, to 35.4 in June 2001.

The median age is the point when half the population is older and half is younger.

The ageing of the population was reflected in the small growths in other age groups.

During the year to June 2001, the number of children aged 0-14 years increased only
0.03 per cent and the number of those aged 15-64 rose 1.4 per cent.

The group of people aged 65 years and over grew by 1.8 per cent.

"Since June 1981 there has been very slow growth in the number of children aged 0-14
years in the population of five per cent," the ABS said.

"Conversely, the number of persons aged 15-64 years has increased by 34 per cent while
those aged 65 years and over have increased by 65 per cent."

Since 1981, the proportion of children in the population has dropped to 20 per cent
from 25 per cent.

Over the same time, the proportion of those aged 15-64 years and 65 years and over
rose two and three per cent respectively to 67 per cent and 12 per cent.

Across the country, South Australia has the oldest population with a median age of
37.4 years and the Northern Territory has the youngest with a median age of 29.3 years.

AAP eg/daw/mg

KEYWORD: AGEING

2001 AAP Information Services Pty Limited (AAP) or its Licensors.