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Figures from the Statistics New Zealand 2006 Census show more and more people are hitting their centenary -- and the numbers of birthday candles are predicted to keep rising.
New Zealand boasted 531 people aged 100 or over at the last census, up from 300 in 1999.
The increased longevity is attributed to improvements in diet, medical care and overall health.
The trend is set to keep rising, with projections for 2051 predicting a staggering 12,000 people, including a raft of long-in-the-tooth baby boomers, will have celebrated their 100th birthday.
By 2051, the median age is expected to have risen from 35.9 in the 2006 census to 45.
- NZPA
