Number of people aged 85 and over continues to increase
By June 2018, the number of people aged 85 and over living in Northern Ireland had risen to 37,700 people.
This is a 1.5%, or 600 person, increase on the mid-2017 statistic.
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This is one of the main findings in new statistics published by the Statistics & Research Agency (NISRA).
Over the last decade (2008-18), the population aged 85 and over has increased by 30%.
This population, referred to as the oldest old, has grown at a rate five times higher than the population of Northern Ireland as a whole.
Women account for two thirds (66%) of the oldest old.
The new statistics also point to an estimated 300 centenarians (i.e. those aged 100 years or more) living in Northern Ireland.
This is equivalent to one centenarian for every 10,000 people living in Northern Ireland.
The oldest old make up 2% of the population – which is lower than the other United Kingdom countries.
However, the growth rate in Northern Ireland (30%) over the last decade is higher than the rest of the UK (23%).
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