The population of Wales grew by 12% in the period 1951 to 2001.
The population of Wales is now older overall than it was in 1951. While the proportion aged under 16 has decreased to 20% from 24% on Census day 1951, the population aged 60 and over has increased to 23% from 16% on Census day 1951. Thus, the number of people aged over 60 now comfortably exceed the number of children. This ageing of the population reflects longer life expectancy due to improvements in living standards and health care. It also reflects the fact that there have not been any events with a corresponding effect on life expectancy like that of the first and second world wars.
The ageing of the population of Wales is particularly evident when the number of people aged 85 and over is considered. On Census day 1951, there were almost 11 thousand people aged 85 and over (0.4% of the total population) in Wales. By Census day 2001, this had grown to over 58 thousand (2.0% of the total population).
Population data (released Sep 02)
