Nearly 2,000 centenarians in the Netherlands

On 1 January this year, 1,940 people in the Netherlands – mainly women – were one hundred years or older. The eldest Dutch resident is a 110-year-old woman. Approximately half of all centenarians are living on their own.

Vast majority of centenarians are women

There were 1,940 people aged one hundred years or older in the Netherlands on 1 January 2013. With 87 percent, women constituted a vast majority. Women in particular contributed to the sharp increase in centenarians over the past decades. In fact, with an 81 percent increase since the turn of the century, centenarians are the fastest growing age category among women. The growth rate is equally high in the 90 to 95-year-old male population. Therefore, the number of male centenarians is anticipated to grow considerably over the next decade.

Number of centenarians 

Half of centenarians are living on their own

Approximately half of all centenarians are living on their own, with or without support. Men – less often than women – are living in nursing homes and homes for the elderly.

Currently, 7 percent of male centenarians are living with a partner, versus only 1 percent of female centenarians, because men usually have younger partners and women on average grow older than men.

Type of household centenarians, 1 January 2013

Relatively few centenarians in the Netherlands

The Netherlands is not among the leaders in Europe with respect to the number of centenarians in the population; there are 114 centenarians in every million inhabitants. The ratio is more than twice as high in countries like Italy and Greece. This is partly due to the ageing of the population in these countries. Italy and Greece are among the most aged countries in Europe. The ageing process in the Dutch population is in a less advanced stage.

Centenarians in various European countries, 2012

Joop Garssen and Carel Harmsen