Fed: Fewer babies and longer lives leads to ageing population

AAP General News (Australia)
12-16-1999
Fed: Fewer babies and longer lives leads to ageing population

CANBERRA, Dec 16 AAP - Fewer births and longer lives continue to shape Australia's
population, more than doubling the over-65 age group in the past 20 years.

New data from the Australian Bureau of Statistics (ABS) offered further proof Australians
were getting older.

"Australia's population is ageing because of sustained levels of low fertility and
increased life expectancy which have resulted in proportionally fewer children in the
population," the ABS said.

In the year to June 1999, the number of children aged zero to four years fell by 0.8
per cent or 10,200.

In contrast the number of people aged 85 years and over increased by 7.4 per cent or
16,700 people over the same period.

The population as a whole grew by 1.3 per cent in the year to June 1999 compared to
1.1 per cent in the preceding year.

Since June 1979 the number of children aged less than 15 years in the population had
grown very slowly, whereas the number of people aged 15-64 years had increased by 35 per
cent and those aged 65 years and over had increased by 70 per cent, the ABS said.

The median age of the Australian population (the age of which half the population is
older and half is younger) increased by almost six years over the past 20 years from 29
in June 1979 to 35 years in June 1999.

Of the states and territories, South Australia had the oldest population, 37 years,
at June 1999, followed by Tasmania, 36 years, New South Wales and Victoria, 35 years,
Queensland and Western Australia, 34 years and the Australian Capital Territory, 32 years.

The Northern Territory had the youngest population in Australia of 29 years.

The ABS said the age structure of Australia's population in 1999 was closest to that
of Canada and the United States.

"Generally, European countries, Japan and Hong Kong have older populations than Australia.

"In contrast, countries from the Asian regions have younger populations comprising
proportionally more children and far fewer older people."

AAP eg/mfh/jnb

KEYWORD: POPULATION

1999 AAP Information Services Pty Limited (AAP) or its Licensors.