Life expectancy

Life expectancy for men and women

A male child born in the United States today will be 74.5 years old on average. This puts the male citizens of the US in 53rd place in this ranking. On average, US women are even 5.7 years older, reaching an age of 80.2. The world average age of death instead, is a few years lower at 70.6 years for men and 75.1 years for women. Within the European Union, these are 77.8 and respectively 83.3 years.

Birth rate and death rate are given in births/deaths per 1000 inhabitants within 1 year. The table shows the official data from the year 2020. In some minor cases, no data of this year are known, so that the previously published data were used.

Development of life expectancy worldwide

In the years 1960 to 2020, life expectancy has increased perceptibly worldwide. Starting at 50.7 years, it increased for men by 19.8 years to 70.6 years. For women, life expectancy increased since 1960 by 20.5 years from 54.6 up to an average of 75.1 years.

Differentiation by region

What is life expectancy?

The life expectancy indicates the expected age that is estimated for a human at the time of birth. This number of years is determined mainly from the current mortality rates. However, since these data only take into account the past, additional estimates are included to determine the future age due to external influences. These can be environmental factors as well as developments in health care. The average life expectancy is therefore not a measured value, but a prognosis for the future.

As the life expentancy steadily increases in most countries, the currect average age of death is bit lower than the expected. Depending on the country, it is between 2 and 5 years lower.

Above all, life expectancy is a result of the living conditions of a person or a population group. Essential factors are e.g. medical care, a constant and balanced nutrition and drinking water supply. These factors are significantly influenced by political factors, which is why life expectancy often derives from a country's standard of living.

The difference between men and women

In the vast majority of countries, women are 4-8 years older than men. According to many scientists, this is not a purely biological difference. Instead it is also attributed to the different behaviors. According to this view, men are less careful about their bodies than women. In fact, smokers and alcohol consumers are more common among men. Also physical stress with simultaneous aversions against medical treatments and health precaution are responsible for this. Indeed, there is also an additional genetic reason for women's longer lives.

Influence of the mortality rate of children

A significant impact on life expectancy is the mortality rate of children. Both in the Middle Ages, as well as in the developing countries today, the death rate of children at birth or in the first few years of life is disproportionately high. These factors are already included in the average life expectancy. If one subtracts the proportion of children already deceased after the first years of living, the "average" is maintained, but the life expectancy of the rest increases distinctively.