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== Traditions ==
== Traditions ==
[[Image:MosulChaldean107yrs.jpg|thumb|A [[Chaldean Christians|Chaldean]] man from Mosul, Iraq, 1895, said to be 107 years old. ]]
[[Image:MosulChaldean107yrs.jpg|thumb|A [[Chaldean Christians|Chaldean]] man from Mosul, Iraq, 1895, said to be 107 years old. ]]
In many countries, people receive a gift or congratulations on their 100th birthday. In the United States, centenarians traditionally receive a letter from the [[President of the United States|president]], congratulating them for their longevity. [[NBC]]'s ''[[Today (NBC program)|The Today Show]]'' show has also named new centenarians on air since 1983. In the United Kingdom and the [[Commonwealth Realms]], the [[List of British monarchs|Queen]] sends greetings (formerly as a [[telegram]]) on the 100th birthday and on every birthday starting with the 105th. Centenarians born in Ireland receive a €2,540 "Centenarians' Bounty" and a letter from the [[President of Ireland]], even if they are [[Irish diaspora|resident abroad]].<ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.irishtimes.com/newspaper/breaking/2006/0328/breaking61.htm |title=ireland.com - Breaking News - Centenarians abroad to get birthday bonus |publisher=Irishtimes.com |date=2006-03-03 |accessdate=2010-11-04}}</ref> Japanese centenarians receive a silver cup and a certificate from the [[Prime Minister of Japan]] upon their 100th birthday, honouring them for their longevity and prosperity in their lives. Swedish centenarians receive a [[telegram]] from the [[Monarchy of Sweden|King and Queen of Sweden]].<ref>Göteborgs-Posten: [http://www.gp.se/nyheter/sverige/1.279934-fler-100-aringar-ger-hovet-merarbete Fler 100-åringar ger hovet merarbete], 2009-12-29</ref> Centenarians born in Italy receive a letter from the [[President of Italy]].
In many countries, people receive a gift or congratulations on their 100th birthday. In the United States, centenarians traditionally receive a letter from the [[President of the United States|President]], congratulating them for their longevity. [[NBC]]'s ''[[Today (NBC program)|The Today Show]]'' show has also named new centenarians on air since 1983. In the United Kingdom and the [[Commonwealth Realms]], the [[List of British monarchs|Queen]] sends greetings (formerly as a [[telegram]]) on the 100th birthday and on every birthday starting with the 105th. Centenarians born in Ireland receive a €2,540 "Centenarians' Bounty" and a letter from the [[President of Ireland]], even if they are [[Irish diaspora|resident abroad]].<ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.irishtimes.com/newspaper/breaking/2006/0328/breaking61.htm |title=ireland.com - Breaking News - Centenarians abroad to get birthday bonus |publisher=Irishtimes.com |date=2006-03-03 |accessdate=2010-11-04}}</ref> Japanese centenarians receive a silver cup and a certificate from the [[Prime Minister of Japan]] upon their 100th birthday, honouring them for their longevity and prosperity in their lives. Swedish centenarians receive a [[telegram]] from the [[Monarchy of Sweden|King and Queen of Sweden]].<ref>Göteborgs-Posten: [http://www.gp.se/nyheter/sverige/1.279934-fler-100-aringar-ger-hovet-merarbete Fler 100-åringar ger hovet merarbete], 2009-12-29</ref> Centenarians born in Italy receive a letter from the [[President of Italy]].


An aspect of [[blessing]] in many cultures is to offer a wish that the recipient lives to 100. Among [[Hindu]]s, people who touch the feet of elders are often blessed with "May you live a hundred years". In Sweden, the traditional birthday song states, ''May he/she live for one hundred years.'' In [[Judaism]], the term ''May you live to be 120 years old'' is used for blessing someone. In Poland, ''[[Sto lat]]'', a wish to live a hundred years, is a traditional form of praise and good wishes, and the song "sto lat, sto lat" is sang on the occasion of the birthday celebrations--arguably, it is the most popular song in Poland and among Poles around the globe.
An aspect of [[blessing]] in many cultures is to offer a wish that the recipient lives to 100. Among [[Hindu]]s, people who touch the feet of elders are often blessed with "May you live a hundred years". In Sweden, the traditional birthday song states, ''May he/she live for one hundred years.'' In [[Judaism]], the term ''May you live to be 120 years old'' is used for blessing someone. In Poland, ''[[Sto lat]]'', a wish to live a hundred years, is a traditional form of praise and good wishes, and the song "sto lat, sto lat" is sang on the occasion of the birthday celebrations--arguably, it is the most popular song in Poland and among Poles around the globe.

Revision as of 17:48, 25 January 2012

A centenarian is a person who lives to or beyond the age of 100 years. Because current average life expectancies across the world are less than 100, the term is invariably associated with longevity. A supercentenarian is a person who has lived to the age of 110 or more, something only achieved by about one in a thousand centenarians. Even rarer is a person who has lived to 115 years old; only one in 50,000 centenarians make it to this age.[1][2][3] In 2009, the United Nations estimated that there were 455,000 centenarians in the world.[4]

Current incidence

Photo of Canadian centenarian Muriel Duckworth, taken in honor of her 100th birthday.

The United States currently has the greatest number of centenarians in the world, estimated at 70,490 on September 1, 2010.[5] This statistic is partly a result of America's large population in 1890–1910, its large farm population a century ago, and its increased emphasis on long-term care facilities.[citation needed]

Japan has the second largest number of centenarians, with 47,756 estimated as of September 2011.[6] Japan started its surveys in 1963, at which time the number of Japanese centenarians was found to be 153. This number surpassed the 10,000 mark in 1998; 20,000 in 2003 and 40,000 in 2009. According to a UN Demographic survey, by 2050 Japan is expected to have 272,000 centenarians.[7] However, some sources suggest that the number could be closer to 1 million.[8] Many experts attribute Japan's high life expectancy to the Japanese diet, which is particularly low in refined simple carbohydrates, and to hygienic practices. In addition, the number of centenarians in relation to the total population was, in September 2010, 114% higher in Shimane Prefecture than the ratio for the whole of Japan. This ratio was also 92% higher in Okinawa Prefecture.[9] Okinawa Prefecture used to have the highest percentage of centenarians in Japan. Early estimates were possibly exaggerated, but the corrected ratio was still 139% higher than the average for Japan in September 2006.[10] In addition to diet, there are four other factors that have been found to increase the life expectancy for Okinawans, as noted later in the "research into centenarians" section of this article.[11]

The incidence of centenarians in Japan was 1 per 3,522 people in 2008[12] (but much higher in Okinawa, at 1 per 1,838 people in 2006), and 1 per 4,400 in the United States.[13]

However, the number of Japanese centenarians was called into question in 2010 following a series of reports showing that hundreds of thousands of elderly people had gone "missing" in the country. The deaths of many centenarians had not been reported, casting doubt on the reliability of not only the Japanese statistics, but also the country's reputation for having a large population of centenarians.[14][15][16][17]

Traditions

A Chaldean man from Mosul, Iraq, 1895, said to be 107 years old.

In many countries, people receive a gift or congratulations on their 100th birthday. In the United States, centenarians traditionally receive a letter from the President, congratulating them for their longevity. NBC's The Today Show show has also named new centenarians on air since 1983. In the United Kingdom and the Commonwealth Realms, the Queen sends greetings (formerly as a telegram) on the 100th birthday and on every birthday starting with the 105th. Centenarians born in Ireland receive a €2,540 "Centenarians' Bounty" and a letter from the President of Ireland, even if they are resident abroad.[18] Japanese centenarians receive a silver cup and a certificate from the Prime Minister of Japan upon their 100th birthday, honouring them for their longevity and prosperity in their lives. Swedish centenarians receive a telegram from the King and Queen of Sweden.[19] Centenarians born in Italy receive a letter from the President of Italy.

An aspect of blessing in many cultures is to offer a wish that the recipient lives to 100. Among Hindus, people who touch the feet of elders are often blessed with "May you live a hundred years". In Sweden, the traditional birthday song states, May he/she live for one hundred years. In Judaism, the term May you live to be 120 years old is used for blessing someone. In Poland, Sto lat, a wish to live a hundred years, is a traditional form of praise and good wishes, and the song "sto lat, sto lat" is sang on the occasion of the birthday celebrations--arguably, it is the most popular song in Poland and among Poles around the globe. Chinese emperors were hailed to live ten thousand years, while empresses were hailed to live a thousand years. In Italy, "A hundred of these days!" (cento di questi giorni) is an augury for birthdays, to live to celebrate 100 more birthdays.[verification needed] Some Italians say "Cent'anni!", which means "a hundred years", in that they wish that they could all live happily for a hundred years. In Greece, wishing someone Happy Birthday ends with the expression na ta ekatostisis, which can be loosely translated as "may you make it one hundred birthdays".

In Japan, September 15 is "National Respect for the Aged Day".

Centenarians in ancient times

While the density of centenarians per capita was much less in ancient times than today, the data suggest that reaching the age of 100 was not unheard of. However, ancient demographics are biased in favor of wealthy or powerful individuals rather than the ordinary person. Grmek and Gourevitch speculate that during the Classical Greek Period, anyone who made it past the age of five years — surviving all the common childhood illness of that day — had a reasonable chance of living to a ripe old age. Life expectancy at 400 B.C. was estimated to be around 30 years of age. One demographer of ancient civilizations reported that Greek men lived to 45 years (based on a sample size of 91), while women lived to 36.2 years (based on a sample size of 55). Curiously, the gender statistics are inverted compared to today, since child-birth was a much more traumatic experience at that time than now, and it certainly skewed female statistics downward. It was common for average citizens to take great care in their hygiene (sanitation), Mediterranean diet (fish, figs, olive oil, wine, etc.), and exercise program (sports/gymnasium), although there was much more male trauma per capita than today, due to military service being virtually universal for citizens. This also biased the statistics for men downward.[20]

Diogenes Laertius (c. 250) gives one of the earliest references regarding (plausible centenarian) longevity given by a scientist, the astronomer Hipparchus of Nicea (c. 185 – c. 120 B.C.), who, according to the doxographer, assured that the philosopher Democritus of Abdera (c. 470/460 – c. 370/360 B.C.) lived 109 years. All other accounts about Democritus given by the ancients appear to agree on the fact that the philosopher lived over 100 years. Such longevity would not be dramatically out of line with that of other ancient Greek philosophers thought to have lived beyond the age of 90 (e.g.: Xenophanes of Colophon, c. 570/565 – c. 475/470 B.C.; Pyrrho of Ellis, c. 360 - c. 270 B.C.; Eratosthenes of Cirene c. 285 – c. 190 B.C., etc.). The case of Democritus differs from the case of, for example, Epimenides of Crete (7th, 6th centuries B.C.), who is said to have lived an implausible 154, 157 or 290 years, depending on the source.

The sixth dynasty Egyptian ruler Pepi II is believed by some Egyptologists to have lived to the age of 100 or more (c. 2278 BC - c. 2184 BC), as he ruled for 94 years.[21] However this is under dispute, as others claim the length of his reign was actually 64 years.[22]

The Indian Sufi poet, Kabir (1398-1518?) is believed by some to have lived to an implausible age of 120 while others believe that he lived for no more than 80 years.

Ultimately, there is no reason to believe that centenarians did not exist 2500 years ago, even if they were not commonplace.[23]

Hosius of Córdoba, the man who convinced Constantine the Great to call the First Council of Nicaea, reportedly lived to age 102.

The Chronicon of Bernold of Constance records the death in 1097 of Azzo marchio de Longobardia, pater Welfonis ducis de Baiowaria, commenting that he was iam maior centenario.[24]

Conchobar Mac Con Rí of Galway, Ireland, (died 1580), is said to have "died at the extraordinary age of two hundred and twenty years".

Research into centenarians

Research carried out in Italy suggests that healthy centenarians have high levels of vitamin A and vitamin E and that this seems to be important in guaranteeing their extreme longevity.[25] Other research contradicts this, however, and has found that these findings do not apply to centenarians from Sardinia, for whom other factors probably play a more important role.[26] A preliminary study carried out in Poland showed that, in comparison with young healthy female adults, centenarians living in Upper Silesia had significantly higher red blood cell glutathione reductase and catalase activities and higher, although insignificantly, serum levels of vitamin E.[27] Researchers in Denmark have also found that centenarians exhibit a high activity of glutathione reductase in red blood cells. In this study, those centenarians having the best cognitive and physical functional capacity tended to have the highest activity of this enzyme.[28]

Other research has found that people having parents who became centenarians have an increased number of naïve B cells. It is well known that the children of parents who have a long life are also likely to reach a healthy age, but it is not known why, although the inherited genes are probably important.[29] A variation in the gene FOXO3A is known to have a positive effect on the life expectancy of humans, and is found much more often in people living to 100 and beyond - moreover, this appears to be true worldwide.[30]

Men and women who are 100 or older tend to have something else in common, an extraverted personality, says Thomas T. Perls, M.D., M.P.H., the director of the New England Centenarian Study at Boston University. Centenarians will often have many friends, strong ties to relatives and a healthy dose of self-esteem.[31]

Some research suggests that centenarian offspring are more likely to age in better cardiovascular health than their peers.[32]

In John W. Santrock's book "A Topical Approach to Life-Span Development", there are five factors that research has suggested that are most important to longevity in centenarians:[11] 1) heredity and family history 2) health, i.e. weight, diet, whether or not a person smokes, amount of exercise 3) education level 4) personality 5) lifestyle.[11]

Santrock's book also noted that the largest group of centenarians are women who have never been married.[11] Also, people who have been through traumatic life events, such as Holocaust survivors, learn to cope better with stress and poverty and are more likely to reach centenarian status.[11]

In Okinawa, Japan, studies have shown five factors that have contributed to the large number of centenarians in that region:[11]

  1. A diet that is heavy on grains, fish, and vegetables and light on meat, eggs, and dairy products.
  2. Low-stress lifestyles, which are proven significantly less stressful than that of the mainland inhabitants of Japan.
  3. A caring community, where older adults are not isolated and are taken better care of.
  4. High levels of activity, where locals work until an older age than the average age in other countries, and more emphasis on activities like walking and gardening to keep active.
  5. Spirituality, where a sense of purpose comes from involvement in spiritual matters and prayer eases the mind of stress and problems.[11]

Although these factors vary from those mentioned in the previous study, the culture of Okinawa has proven these factors to be important in its large population of centenarians.[11]

Centenarian populations

The total number of centenarians in the world is not well known. It has been estimated by the Population Division of the United Nations as 23,000 in 1950, 110,000 in 1990, 150,000 in 1995, 209,000 in 2000 and 324,000 in 2005.[33] There were an estimated 455,000 centenarians in the world in 2009.[4] However, these estimates do not take into account the recent downward adjustments of national estimates made by several countries, such as the United States.[34]

Country Latest number of centenarians (year) Earliest number of centenarians (year)
Australia 3,700 (30 June 2010)[35] 203 (30 June 1971)
Belgium 1,559 (1 January 2010)[36] 546 (1990)
Brazil 23,760 (17 September 2010)[37] 13.865 (1991)
Canada 6,530 (1 July 2010)[38] 3,125 (2001)
China 17,800 (2007)[39] -
Czech Republic 404 (Nov.2006)[40] -
UK 11,600 (2009)[41] 102 (1911)[42]
France 16,791 (1 January 2011)[43] 7,754 (1 January 1999)
Germany 8,839 (2006)[44] 232 (1885)[45]
Hungary 799 (2009)[46] 227 (1990)
Italy 6,313 (2001)[47] -
Japan 44,449 (September 2010)[48] 155 (1960)[49]
Netherlands 1,743 (2010)[50] 10 (1900)
Peru 1,682 (7 February 2011)[51] -
Poland 2,414 (25 July 2009)[52] 500 (1970)[53]
South Korea 961 (2005)[54] -
Spain 5,891 (1 January 2009)[55] -
Switzerland 796 (2000)[56] 10 (1860)
USA 70,490 (September 2010)[57] 2,300 (1950)[58]

Centenarian controversy in Japan

In July 2010, a centenarian listed as the oldest living male in Tokyo, registered to be at age of 111, was found to have died some 30 years ago. The body was found mummified in its bed,[59] resulting in the launching of a police investigation regarding centenarians who are over 105.

Soon after the discovery, the Japan police further found that at least 200 Japanese centenarians are missing, with the total likely to rise amid a nationwide search that began in early August 2010.[60] In one case, the remains of a mother thought to be 104 had been stuffed into her son's backpack for nearly a decade.[61]

There are growing concerns that Japan's welfare system can be exploited by unscrupulous family members keen to continue receiving benefits after the pensioners die.[60] In one case, a man received around 9.5 million yen in pension payments despite his wife having died six years previously.[60]

See also

References

  1. ^ "Emergence of supercentenarians in low-mortality countries. North American Actuarial Journal, 2002, Vol.6, No.3, pages 54-63" (PDF). Retrieved 2010-11-04.
  2. ^ "Supercentenarians.org". Supercentenarians.org. doi:10.1016/S0531-5565. Retrieved 2010-11-04.
  3. ^ "Supercentenarians by H. Maier, J. Gampe, B. Jeune, J.-M. Robine and J.W. Vaupel. Springer 2010". Springerlink.com. Retrieved 2010-11-04.
  4. ^ a b P.27 in United Nations "World Population Ageing 2009", ST/ESA/SER.A/295, Population Division, Department of Economic and Social Affairs, United Nations, New York, Oct. 2010, liv + 73 pp.
  5. ^ Beginning 2010, the Bureau of the Census has reduced by one-third its estimates of the number of centenarians in the U.S. See Bureau of the Census "Resident Population. National Population Estimates for the 2000s. Monthly Postcensal Resident Population, by single year of age, sex, race, and Hispanic Origin, July to September 2010".
  6. ^ Telegraph: Japanese centenarians hit record high for 41st consecutive year.
  7. ^ "Demographics of older persons". UN. 1998-10-01. Retrieved 2010-11-04.
  8. ^ "Japan centenarians at record high". BBC News. 2008-09-12. Retrieved 2010-11-04.
  9. ^ Japan Times "Centenarians to Hit Record 44,000", September 15, 2010.
  10. ^ In 2006, official data from the Okinawa Prefectural government were slightly inflated because of a methodological flaw. See Willcox, D. Craig; Willcox, Bradley J.; He Qimei; Wang Nien-chiang and Suzuki Makoto "They Really Are That Old: A Validation Study of Centenarian Prevalence in Okinawa", The Journals of Gerontology Series A: Biological Sciences and Medical Sciences, Vol. 63, 2008, pp. 338-349.
  11. ^ a b c d e f g h Santrock, John. (2008). Physical Development and Biological Aging. In Mike Ryan, Michael J. Sugarman, Maureen Spada, and Emily Pecora (Eds.), A Topical Approach to Life-Span Development (pp. 129-132). New York: McGraw-Hill Companies, Inc.
  12. ^ AFP De plus en plus de centenaires au Japon, Agence France presse, 12 September 2008.
  13. ^ Data for September 2010. See Bureau of the Census "Resident Population. National Population Estimates for the 2000s. Monthly Postcensal Resident Population, by single year of age, sex, race, and Hispanic Origin, July to September 2010".
  14. ^ Fackler, Martin (September 10, 2010). "Japan's Elderly Count Was Off by 234,000". New York Times.
  15. ^ "BBC News - More than 230,000 Japanese centenarians 'missing'". Bbc.co.uk. 2010-09-10. Retrieved 2010-11-04.
  16. ^ Font size Print E-mail Share 2 Comments (2010-09-10). "More Than 230,000 Centenarians Missing in Japan". CBS News. Retrieved 2010-11-04.{{cite web}}: CS1 maint: numeric names: authors list (link)
  17. ^ "234,000 centenarians listed in registries missing | The Japan Times Online". Search.japantimes.co.jp. 2010-09-11. Retrieved 2010-11-04.
  18. ^ "ireland.com - Breaking News - Centenarians abroad to get birthday bonus". Irishtimes.com. 2006-03-03. Retrieved 2010-11-04.
  19. ^ Göteborgs-Posten: Fler 100-åringar ger hovet merarbete, 2009-12-29
  20. ^ Mirko Grmek and Danielle Gourevitch, Illness in Antiquity (Fayard; 1998)
  21. ^ "A Short History of Egypt: Part I: From the Predynastic Period to the Old Kingdom" (PDF). Retrieved 2010-11-04.
  22. ^ Jacques Kinnaer. "The Ancient Egypt site - Pepi II". Ancient-egypt.org. Retrieved 2010-11-04.
  23. ^ Postel-Vinay O (Jul–Aug 1999). "Histoire Le Cas de la Grèce Antique". La Recherche Special (in French). 322: 90.{{cite journal}}: CS1 maint: date format (link)
    Note: La Recherche is the French equivalent of Scientific American in the English-speaking world.
  24. ^ Bernoldi Chronicon 1097, MGH SS V, p. 465.
  25. ^ Mecocci P, Polidori MC, Troiano L; et al. (2000). "Plasma antioxidants and longevity: a study on healthy centenarians". Free Radic Biol Med. 28 (8): 1243–8. doi:10.1016/S0891-5849(00)00246-X. PMID 10889454. Retrieved 2011-01-18. {{cite journal}}: Explicit use of et al. in: |author= (help); Unknown parameter |month= ignored (help)CS1 maint: multiple names: authors list (link)
  26. ^ Polidori MC, Mariani E, Baggio G; et al. (2007). "Different antioxidant profiles in Italian centenarians: the Sardinian peculiarity". Eur J Clin Nutr. 61 (7): 922–4. doi:10.1038/sj.ejcn.1602596. PMID 17228351. {{cite journal}}: Explicit use of et al. in: |author= (help); Unknown parameter |month= ignored (help)CS1 maint: multiple names: authors list (link)
  27. ^ Kłapcińska B, Derejczyk J, Wieczorowska-Tobis K, Sobczak A, Sadowska-Krepa E, Danch A (2000). "Antioxidant defense in centenarians (a preliminary study)" (PDF). Acta Biochim Pol. 47 (2): 281–92. PMID 11051193.{{cite journal}}: CS1 maint: multiple names: authors list (link)
  28. ^ Andersen HR, Jeune B, Nybo H, Nielsen JB, Andersen-Ranberg K, Grandjean P (1998). "Low activity of superoxide dismutase and high activity of glutathione reductase in erythrocytes from centenarians". Age Ageing. 27 (5): 643–8. doi:10.1093/ageing/27.5.643. PMID 12675104. Retrieved 2011-01-18. {{cite journal}}: Unknown parameter |month= ignored (help)CS1 maint: multiple names: authors list (link)
  29. ^ Blood tests 'could be used to predict lifespan' Daily Telegraph, UK. Published June 25, 2008. Retrieved June 30, 2008.
  30. ^ Living longer thanks to the 'longevity gene' Physorg.com. Published February 3, 2009. Retrieved February 4, 2009.
  31. ^ Tweed, Katherine (September 2009). "Healthy Living to 100 and Beyond". AOL Health. Retrieved September 2009. {{cite web}}: Check |authorlink= value (help); Check date values in: |accessdate= (help); External link in |authorlink= (help)[dead link]
  32. ^ Adams ER, Nolan VG, Andersen SL, Perls TT, Terry DF (2008). "Centenarian offspring: start healthier and stay healthier". J Am Geriatr Soc. 56 (11): 2089–92. doi:10.1111/j.1532-5415.2008.01949.x. PMC 2892731. PMID 18811609. {{cite journal}}: Unknown parameter |month= ignored (help)CS1 maint: multiple names: authors list (link)
  33. ^ United Nations "World Population Prospects: The 2008 Revision".
  34. ^ The UN estimate for Japan (76,000 in 2009) is nearly twice the official Japanese figure (40,399).
  35. ^ ABS “3201.0 - Population by Age and Sex, Australian States and Territories, Jun 2010”. Australian Bureau of Statistics, 21 Dec. 2010.
  36. ^ Structure de la population selon l'âge et le sexe : centenaires, Direction générale Statistique et Information économique (DGSIE).
  37. ^ ABS IBGE Instituto Brasileiro de Geografia e Estatística, Instituto Brasileiro de Geografia e Estatística (IBGE).
  38. ^ "Population estimates by sex and age group as of July 1, 2010, Canada". Statcan.gc.ca. 2010-09-29. Retrieved 2011-05-14.
  39. ^ China News 2007-12-14[dead link]
  40. ^ Horaova, Pavla "Number of Centenarians Rising as Population Ageing Continues". Radio Praha, 15 Nov. 2006.
  41. ^ Office for National Statistics Record Number of Centenarians in UK. Press release, 30 September 2010; Centenarians. Number of Centenarians Grows. National Statistics, 30 Sep. 2010; United Kingdom Mid-2002 to Mid-2009 Population Estimates of the Very Elderly (Including Centenarians).
  42. ^ [1][dead link]
  43. ^ Insee « Pyramide des âges au 1er janvier 2011 » or « Population totale par sexe et âge au 1er janvier 2011, France entière », Jan. 2011.
  44. ^ "EUROPEAN PAPERS ON THE NEW WELFARE » The number of centenarians in Europe" (in Template:It icon). Eng.newwelfare.org. 2009-10-10. Retrieved 2010-11-04.{{cite web}}: CS1 maint: unrecognized language (link)
  45. ^ [ Displaying Abstract ] (2010-10-25). "CENTENARIANS IN GERMANY. - Article - NYTimes.com". New York Times. Retrieved 2010-11-04.
  46. ^ [2]
  47. ^ Marziali, Maria Teresa "MERI - Mapping Existing Research and Identifying Knowledge Gaps Concerning the Situation of Older Women in Europe. Italy", Quality of Life and Management of Living Resources. Key Action 6: The ageing population and disabilities, July 2004, 29 pp.
  48. ^ Japan Times "Centenarians to Hit Record 44,000". The Japan Times, September 15, 2010.
  49. ^ Kannisto, Väinö "Development of Oldest-Old Mortality, 1950–1990: Evidence from 28 Developed Countries". Monographs on Population Aging, No.1, Odense University Press, Odense, Denmark, 1994, 108 pp. Updated by V. Castanova, 1-Feb-1999. Table5.
  50. ^ Garssen, Joop and Harmsen, Carel "More Male Centenarians". Statistics Netherlands (CBS), 16 September 2010.
  51. ^ EleccionesPeru and Elcomercio.pe 1,682 electors are over 100 years. Lima, Peru, 07 February 2011.
  52. ^ http://pl.wikipedia.org/wiki/Najstarsi_ludzie
  53. ^ http://www.money.pl/emerytury/wiadomosci/artykul/specemerytura;dla;stulatka,62,0,181054.html
  54. ^ www.korea.net 2006-06-21[dead link]
  55. ^ Indicadores demográficos - G1.2. Pirámide de población a nivel nacional, a 1 de enero de 2009.
  56. ^ Robine, Jean-Marie et Paccaud, Fred (2004). « La démographie des nonagénaires et des centenaires en Suisse ». Cahiers québécois de démographie, vol. 33, n° 1, 2004, p. 51-81.
  57. ^ Bureau of the Census "Resident Population. National Population Estimates for the 2000s. Monthly Postcensal Resident Population, by single year of age, sex, race, and Hispanic Origin, July to September 2010".
  58. ^ Krach, Constance A. and Velkoff, Victoria A. "Centenarians in the United States". Current Population Reports, Series P23-199RV, U.S. Bureau of the Census, U.S. Government Printing Office, Washington, D.C.., 1999, iii + 18 pp.
  59. ^ Tokyo's 'oldest man' dead for 30 years, 29 Jul 2010, Telegraph
  60. ^ a b c Nearly 200 of Japan's oldest citizens 'missing', Aug 11, 2010, AFP
  61. ^ Japanese man kept dead mother in backpack, 20 Aug 2010, Telegraph

Further reading

  • Koch, Tina; Kralik, Debbie; Power, Charmaine (2005). 100 Years Old: 24 Australian Centenarians Tell Their Stories. Camberwell, Vic: Viking. ISBN 067002872X.