Life expectancy in selected countries 2022

As of 2022, the countries with the highest life expectancy included Japan, Korea, and Switzerland. As of that time, a new-born child in Japan could expect to live an average of 84.5 years. Around the world, females consistently have a higher average life expectancy than males, with females in Europe expected to live an average of six years longer than males on this continent.

Increases in life expectancy

The overall average life expectancy in OECD countries increased by 11.3 years from 1970 to 2019. The countries that saw the largest increases included Turkey, India, and South Korea. The life expectancy at birth in Turkey increased an astonishing 24.4 years over this period. The countries with the lowest life expectancy worldwide as of 2021 were Chad, Nigeria, and Lesotho where a newborn could be expected to live an average of 54 years.

Life expectancy in the U.S.

The life expectancy in the United States was 76.33 years as of 2021. Shockingly, the life expectancy in the United States has decreased in recent years, while it continues to increase in other similarly developed countries. The COVID-19 pandemic and increasing rates of suicide and drug overdose deaths from the opioid epidemic have been cited as reasons for this decrease.