As of 2021, the countries with the highest life expectancy included Japan, Liechtenstein, and South Korea. In Japan, a person could expect to live up to around 84 years. In general, the life expectancy for females is higher than that of males, with lifestyle choices and genetics the two major determining factors of life expectancy.
Life expectancy worldwide
The overall life expectancy worldwide has increased since the development of modern medicine and technology. In 2011, the global life expectancy was 71.01 years. By 2019, it had increased to 72.98 years. However, the years 2020 and 2021 saw a decline in global life expectancy due to the COVID-19 pandemic. Furthermore, not every country has seen a substantial increase in life expectancy. In Chad, for example, the life expectancy is only 53 years, almost 20 years shorter than the global average. In addition to Chad, the countries with the shortest life expectancy include the Nigeria, Lesotho, and the Central African Republic.
Life expectancy in the U.S.
In the United States, life expectancy at birth is currently 76.33 years. Life expectancy in the U.S. generally increases every year however, over the past decade the life expectancy has seen some surprising decreases. The major contributing factors to this drop in life expectancy have been the ongoing opioid epidemic, which claimed around 80,411 lives in 2021 alone, and the COVID-19 pandemic.
Ranking of the 20 countries with the highest life expectancy as of 2021
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World Bank. (August 17, 2023). Ranking of the 20 countries with the highest life expectancy as of 2021 [Graph]. In Statista. Retrieved July 22, 2024, from https://www.statista.com/statistics/264725/ranking-of-the-20-countries-with-the-highest-life-expectancy/
World Bank. "Ranking of the 20 countries with the highest life expectancy as of 2021." Chart. August 17, 2023. Statista. Accessed July 22, 2024. https://www.statista.com/statistics/264725/ranking-of-the-20-countries-with-the-highest-life-expectancy/
World Bank. (2023). Ranking of the 20 countries with the highest life expectancy as of 2021. Statista. Statista Inc.. Accessed: July 22, 2024. https://www.statista.com/statistics/264725/ranking-of-the-20-countries-with-the-highest-life-expectancy/
World Bank. "Ranking of The 20 Countries with The Highest Life Expectancy as of 2021." Statista, Statista Inc., 17 Aug 2023, https://www.statista.com/statistics/264725/ranking-of-the-20-countries-with-the-highest-life-expectancy/
World Bank, Ranking of the 20 countries with the highest life expectancy as of 2021 Statista, https://www.statista.com/statistics/264725/ranking-of-the-20-countries-with-the-highest-life-expectancy/ (last visited July 22, 2024)
Ranking of the 20 countries with the highest life expectancy as of 2021 [Graph], World Bank, August 17, 2023. [Online]. Available: https://www.statista.com/statistics/264725/ranking-of-the-20-countries-with-the-highest-life-expectancy/