Centenarian

A centenarian is a human being who has reached the age of 100 years or more. Because life expectancy at birth worldwide remains well below 100, the term is closely associated with exceptional longevity and is often used as an indicator of population ageing. The number of people living to 100 has risen markedly in recent decades and is expected to continue increasing throughout the 21st century as both global population and life expectancy grow.

Definition and demographic trends

In demographic and gerontological contexts, a centenarian is strictly defined as a person who has attained their 100th birthday. The category therefore lies beyond the usual classifications of older adults and is frequently studied in connection with healthy ageing, genetics, lifestyle factors and the limits of human lifespan.
The United Nations has estimated that the global centenarian population rose from about 23,000 in 1950 to well over 300,000 in the early 21st century, with figures continuing to climb. By 2012 the estimated world total stood at roughly 316,600, and by 2020 at around 573,000, almost four times the estimated figure for 2000. Projections suggest that, as longevity increases and large cohorts born in the mid-20th century reach advanced old age, the number of centenarians could approach or exceed one million worldwide within the coming decades.
In some countries official statistics indicate that a substantial proportion of babies born today are expected to survive to 100 if current mortality trends persist. In the United Kingdom, for example, it has been estimated that roughly one-third of babies born in 2013 may reach their hundredth birthday.

Global incidence and gender patterns

The exact number of centenarians in the world at any given time is difficult to determine. Estimates are complicated by incomplete civil registration systems, varying standards of age verification and, in some cases, deliberate or accidental overstatement of age. Nevertheless, broad patterns can be identified.
Japan is frequently cited as a leading example of a “longevity society”. A United Nations survey in 1998 projected that Japan might have 272,000 centenarians by 2050, though some later analyses have suggested the number could be closer to one million. In 2008 the incidence of centenarians in Japan was approximately one per 3,522 people. The Japanese centenarian population is highly skewed towards females: in the 2016 fiscal year there were over 57,000 female centenarians and just over 8,000 male centenarians, a ratio of roughly 7:1. The annual increase has also been disproportionately female.
More generally, the sex ratio among centenarians worldwide is strongly biased towards women, reflecting lower mortality among women throughout adulthood and into old age. In many populations, women account for 80 per cent or more of all centenarians.
At the same time, researchers have highlighted that national centenarian counts may be inflated by pension and welfare fraud, age exaggeration and poor record-keeping. These issues are not uniform across jurisdictions, meaning that international comparisons must be interpreted with caution.

Supercentenarians and the extremes of longevity

Within the broader group of centenarians, a smaller category is distinguished: the supercentenarian. A supercentenarian is a person who has reached the age of at least 110 years. This milestone is attained by only about one in every thousand centenarians, making supercentenarians extremely rare.
An even smaller set of individuals have been verified as reaching the age of 115 or more. Fewer than one hundred such cases are universally accepted by age-validation organisations, and only a tiny minority of them are men. As of the early 2020s only a few living people have been reliably documented as reaching the age of 115, such as Ethel Caterham and Marie-Rose Tessier.
The longest-lived person whose age has been verified to date is Jeanne Calment of France, who died in 1997 at the age of 122 years. She remains the only person in documented history to have reached at least 120 years.

Centenarians in the United States

In the United States the centenarian population has expanded rapidly. The 2010 census recorded just over 53,000 centenarians, while by 2020 the figure had risen to more than 80,000. Estimates for 2019 suggested an intermediate figure of around 72,000. However, the U.S. Census Bureau has cautioned that earlier counts may have included significant numbers of individuals whose ages were overstated, perhaps by as much as one-third in some estimates.
Centenarians in the United States may request a formal letter of congratulation from the President to mark their 100th birthday. This practice has added a ceremonial aspect to reaching 100. In a notable historical milestone, Jimmy Carter became the first and, so far, only former U.S. president to reach the age of 100 on 1 October 2024.
American television has also popularised public recognition of extreme old age. A long-running morning programme includes a segment honouring centenarians and older individuals, a tradition begun in 1983 by weather presenter Willard Scott and continued by his successors. In the state of New Mexico, residents who are at least 100 years old and not dependants of another taxpayer have been exempt from state income tax since the 2002 tax year.

Cultural blessings and traditions

The idea of living to 100 features prominently in the blessings, proverbs and songs of many cultures. Longevity is often seen as a sign of good fortune, virtue or divine favour, and the age of 100 serves as a symbolic target of a long and fulfilled life.
Examples include:

• India: among Hindus, touching the feet of elders is a traditional gesture of respect; elders often respond with the blessing “May you live a hundred years.”
• Poland: the expression Sto lat (“a hundred years”) is a widespread toast and birthday wish, and the song of the same name is sung on celebratory occasions.
• Judaism: “Live until 120” is a common blessing, referencing the biblical age of Moses and extending the wish beyond the centenary.
• Italy: phrases such as cento di questi giorni (“a hundred of these days”) and a cent’anni (“to a hundred years”) are used in birthday greetings.
• Greece: birthday wishes often conclude with a phrase meaning “may you reach a hundred birthdays.”
• Sweden: the traditional birthday song includes a line translated as “may he/she live for a hundred years.”
• Sri Lanka: a customary blessing may extend even further, wishing that a person live to 220.

Legends and historical traditions in several civilisations ascribe extraordinarily long lifespans to sages, rulers or mythic figures, such as ancient Indian philosophers, Chinese emperors hailed to live “ten thousand years”, or other rulers praised for millennial reigns. These expressions symbolise idealised longevity rather than literal demographic expectations.

Official recognition around the world

Many countries formally recognise centenarians through greetings, medals or financial gifts, often delivered by heads of state or other senior offices.
In Asia, Japanese centenarians receive a ceremonial silver cup and a certificate from the Prime Minister on Respect for the Aged Day following their 100th birthday, honouring their contribution to society. In the Indian state of Madhya Pradesh, the Shatayu Samman award is presented to those who reach at least 100, promoting awareness of healthy living. In North Korea, centenarians can receive a personal congratulatory letter from the country’s leader. The Philippines’ Centenarians Act of 2016 guarantees every Filipino centenarian, whether resident at home or overseas, both a congratulatory letter from the President and a cash “Centenarian Gift”. In Taiwan, people aged 100 or above receive a golden pendant each year on the Double Ninth (Chong Yang) Festival, presented on behalf of the President and the Ministry of Health and Welfare.
Across Europe, similar practices occur. German centenarians receive a letter from the Federal President. In Ireland there is a Centenarians’ Bounty, which includes a cash payment and a letter from the President, available even to Irish citizens living abroad; those reaching 101 may also receive a specially minted silver coin. Italian-born centenarians are formally congratulated by the President of Italy. In the Netherlands centenarians receive congratulations from the monarch and provincial commissioners on their 100th birthday and again on each birthday from the age of 105 onwards. In Sweden centenarians receive an official telegram from the monarch.
In the Commonwealth realms—including the United Kingdom, Canada, Australia and New Zealand—citizens turning 100 may receive a congratulatory message from the reigning monarch. In the United Kingdom such greetings, now typically in the form of a card, are also sent on every birthday from 105 onwards. In Canada and New Zealand recipients or their families must apply through official channels, and additional greetings may be sent on significant later birthdays. Governors-general may also send greetings in realms where the monarch does not reside.
The British tradition of royal congratulations dates back to the early 20th century. Informal letters from Edward VII in the first decade of the century were followed by a more formal system established under George V in 1917. Initially only a small number of telegrams were sent, reflecting the rarity of reaching 100 at that time. As life expectancy has risen and the population has aged, the number of such messages has increased dramatically, turning royal greetings into a familiar feature of centenarian celebrations.