Socialist Republic of Vietnam

Ha Noi, Feb. 3 (VNA) -- Viet Nam's average life expectancy is likely to increase from 66 at present to 80 years by 2050, the United Nations Population Fund (UNFPA) forecasts.

The number of elderly people in Viet Nam has increased remarkably over the past five years: From 1.2 million to almost six million now, accounting for 7.5 percent of the nation's population - a rate higher than that of other developing countries.

The achievement was attributed to political and economic stability, improved public healthcare and social welfare. Awareness campaigns have also helped reduce the scale of population growth, a factor that has made Viet Nam's population younger and given it longer-than-expected life expectancy. The country's average life expectancy is 67 for women and 65 for men as compared with 40-50 in 1950.

The number of teenagers is estimated to be four times higher than those aged above 60, but this ratio is likely to drop by a half in the next three decades. Viet Nam's population increased to 77 million in 1999 from 64.376 in 1989, a growth rate of 1.76 a year (as compared to 2.1 percent in the 1979-89 period). Its population is estimated to reach 100 million by 2024, of which the elderly will account for 13 percent. Vietnamese women enjoy a longer life expectancy than men, and two-thirds of those in the above 80 age bracket are women.

There are thousands of centenarians in the country, with most living in rural areas. In central southern Quang Ngai province alone, there are 32 centenarians, including 18 women, said to have lived through three centuries, and the oldest is Do Dao, 108 years old.

Prof. Tran Duc Tho at the National Gerontology Institute said 35 per cent of the elderly enjoyed good and 54.3 percent, normal health.--VNA