A report released by the World Health Organisation yesterday revealed that global life expectancy has increased by five years since the turn of the millennium.
The report also claimed, however, that health inequalities persist despite this marked improvement.
Regionally, the increase was greatest in the continent of Africa, where average life expectancy has increased by 9.4 years to 60 years.
Global life expectancy overall now stands at 71.4 years, with women having a higher average than men. On average, a woman born in 2015 can expect to live to 73.8 years, compared to the male average of 69.1 years.
Or course, this greatly depends where somebody is born. Japan has the highest life expectancy in the world – with an average life expectancy over 86 years for its women. Switzerland has the highest male life expectancy at 81.3 years. Some countries in sub-Saharan Africa still have life expectancies of less than 60 years.
Ireland is on the stronger end of the life expectancy scale. Someone born in Ireland in 2012 can expect to live to see 2092. Women outlive men in general with an average life expectancy of roughly 82 compared to roughly 78 for men.
But it’s not a competition, right guys? Right?
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