Uttar Pradesh may not rank very high on the Human Development Index, but it does seem to suit the elderly. UP, which accounts for 16.5 per cent of India?s population, is home to almost a third of the country?s centenarians.
As per the census of 2011, 1,99,598 residents of UP were 100 years old or more, making up 32.96 per cent of the 6,05,449 lakh Indian residents who are above the age of 100. Centenarians are 0.09 per cent of UP?s 19.98 crore population, nearly double the national average of 0.05 per cent.
The state with the least number of centenarians compared to its population is Bihar. UP?s eastern neighbour had 3,863 residents who were 100 or older in 2011 ? 0.003 per cent of the state?s 10.4 crore.
Bihar accounts for 8.6 per cent of India?s population.
The percentage of centenarians in four other states is higher than the national average. They include Jammu and Kashmir, where centenarians make up 0.07 per cent of the population. In Punjab, West Bengal and Uttarakhand, centenarians were 0.06 per cent of people.
The data suggests women live longer than men. They make up 52.24 per cent of the above-100 population. Also, people in villages seem to have a greater chance of entering three figures: over two thirds, 67.24 per cent, belong to rural India. Rural women as a category make up 35.31 per cent of the centenarian population.
