Number of centenarians in the Netherlands stabilises

Photo: Depositphotos.com
Photo: Depositphotos.com

There were 2,189 people aged at least 100 in the Netherlands at the beginning of this year, nine up on 2018 but down 36 on 2017, the national statistics office CBS said on Wednesday.

The figures show that the number of centenarians in the Netherlands is stagnating – their total had increased for years but is now fairly stable at around 2,200. This may be due to the drop in the number of live births in 2019 and the recent flu epidemics, the CBS said.

Some 85% of the centenarians are women and most live in the provinces of Zeeland and Zuid-Holland, the CBS said. The CBS said it expects a further increase next year, because of the 1920 post WWI baby boom.

The oldest person in the Netherlands at the moment is Geertje Kuijntjes who will soon turn 114.

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