ABSTRACT
Over the 12 years preceding the 2002 Census, the average life expectancy for both men and women over 45 years of age and over 60 years of age has been prolonged by an average of 2 years (Statistical Bulletin of the Ministry of Health 2002). Although the total size of the Polish population has shown only small fluctuations within a range of 500 000 inhabitants, and is generally constant, the number of older persons grew steadily during this same 12-year period (from 4903000 in 1990 to 5 749000 in 2002) (Statistical Yearbooks 2000 and 2001). The 2002 Census found more than 109000 people over the age of 90 living in Poland, including 1541 centenarians. Of these, 79% were women, and more than two-thirds of them live in cities (Polish National Census 2002).
