Richard J. Cannings and Eva Durance. 1998. Human use of natural resources in the South Okanagan and Lower Similkameen valleys in Smith, I.M., and G.G.E. Scudder, eds. Assessment of species diversity in the Montane Cordillera Ecozone. Burlington: Ecological Monitoring and Assessment Network, 1998.

HUMAN USE OF NATURAL RESOURCES IN THE SOUTH OKANAGAN AND LOWER SIMILKAMEEN VALLEYS

Richard J. Cannings and Eva Durance

AGE STRUCTURE OF POPULATION

"The dominant feature in the age structure for the Regional District is the rapidly increasing number of older people in nearly all communities". ("Population Profile: 1993", p. 9) In 1971, the median age for RDOS was 33; by 1991, this had increased to 41 and by 1996 to 42.4. It is projected to rise to 49.2 by the year 2021. In 1971, there were 7,282 people 65 years old and over; by 1991, this had increased to 18,622, a proportional increase from 13.9% to 22.8%. At the same time, the proportion of people under 20 years of age had declined from 34.7% in 1971 to 23.5% in 1991. The population growth of those 65 and over is at annual average of 4.8% while for those under 20, it is only 0.3%.

median age of population

population projected to 2013