LIFE EXPECTANCY AT BIRTH BY COUNTRY
Source World Health Organisation 2002
For more detailed information and statistics go to www.un.org/esa/population/publications/worldageing19502050/index.htm
As you will see there are huge differences between life expectancy in the developed countries of the world and those living in the poorer countries such as Africa.
In March of this year it has been reported that life expectancy in Zimbabwe has almost halved under dictator Robert Mugabe’s rule. The average Zimbabwean is lucky to reach his or her 33rd birthday. Just 20 years ago life expectancy in this country was 63 – the highest in sub-Saharan Africa. This is less than half than of a Briton. In neighbouring South Africa it is 44, in Kenya 45 and in Nigeria 50.
An interesting book by economist Richard Tren and Roger Bate, Despotism and Disease, examines the policies of Mugabe and the terrible effect on the people of Zimbabwe.
The country’s health service is unable to cope as preventable diseases such as malaria and tuberculosis increase along with an increasing number of AIDs victims.
In the West we have our own preventable diseases caused conversely by the excesses of our lifestyles such as obesity, smoking, alcohol and too little exercise.
COUNTRY MALE FEMALE
Afghanistan 41.9 43.4
Albania 67.3 74.1
Algeria 67.5 71.2
Andorra 76.8 83.7
Angola 37.9 42
Antiga 69 73.9
Argentina 70.8 78.1
Armenia 67 73
Australia 77.9 83
Austria 76.4 82.2
Azebaijan 63 68.6
Bahamas 69 75.2
Bahrain 72.1 74.5
Bangladesh 62.6 62.6
Barbados 70.5 77.9
Belarus 62.6 74.3
Belgium 75.2 81.5
Belize 67.4 72.4
Benin 50.1 52.4
Bhutan 60.2 62.4
Bolivia 61.8 64.7
Bosnia &Herzagovinia 69.3 76.4
Botswana 40.2 40.6
Brazil 65.7 72.3
Brunei 74.8 77.4
Bulgaria 68.7 75.3
Burkina Faso 40.6 42.6
Burundi 38.7 43
Cambodia 51.9 57.1
Cameroon 47.2 49
Canada 77.2 82.3
Cape Verde 66.6 72.9
Central African Republic 42.1 43.7
Chad 46.1 49.3
Chile 73.4 80
China 69.6 72.7
Colombia 67.5 76.3
Comoros 61.6 64.9
Congo 51.6 54.5
Cook Islands 69.2 74.2
Costa Rica 74.8 79.5
Côte dIvoire 43.1 48
Croatia 71 78.6
Cuba 75 79.3
Cyprus 75.5 79.1
Czech Republic 72.4 79
Democratic Republic of Korea 64.4 67.1
Democratic Republic of the Congo 41 46.1
Denmark 74.8 79.5
Djibouti 48.6 50.7
Dominica 71 75.8
Dominican Repubic 64.9 71.5
Ecuador 67.9 71.5
Egypt 65.3 69
El Salvador 66.5 72.8
Equatorial Guinea 51.9 54.8
Eritrea 55.8 59.3
Estonia 65.1 77.1
Ethiopia
Fiji 64.6 70.3
Finland 74.8 81.5
France 75.9 83.5
Gabon 57.3 61.4
Gambia 55.4 58.9
Georgia 68.4 75
Germany 75.6 81.6
Ghana 56.3 58.8
Greece 75.8 81.1
Grenada 65.9 68.8
Guatamala 63.1 69
Guinea 50.9 53.7
Guinea-Bissau 45.7 48.7
Guyana 61.5 66.9
Haiti 49.1 51.1
Honduras 64.2 70.4
Hungary 68.4 76.8
Iceland 78.4 81.8
India 60.1 62
Indonesia 64.9 67.9
Iran 66.5 71.7
Iraq 59.1 63.1
Ireland 74.4 79.8
Israel 77.3 81.4
Italy 76.8 82.5
Jamaica 71.1 74.6
Japan 78.4 85.3
Jordan 68.6 73.3
Kazakhstan 58.7 68.9
Kenya 49.8 51.9
Kiribati 61.8 66.7
Kuwait 75.8 76.9
Kyrgyzstan 60.4 68.9
Lao Peoples Democratic Republic 54.1 56.2
Latvia 64.6 75.8
Lebanon 67.6 72
Lesotho 32.9 38.2
Liberia 40.1 43.7
Libya 70.4 75.5
Lithuania 66.2 77.6
Luxembourg 75.7 81.7
Madagascar 54.4 58.4
Malawi 39.8 40.6
Malaysia 69.6 74.7
Maldives 66.5 65.6
Mali 43.9 45.7
Malta 75.9 80.3
Marshall Islands 61.1 64.6
Mauritania 49.8 54.5
Mauritius 68.4 75.6
Mexico 71.7 77
Micronesia 64.9 68.1
Monaco 77.8 84.5
Mongolia 60.1 65.9
Morocco 68.8 72.8
Mozambique 41.2 43.9
Myanmar 56.2 61.8
Namibia 48.1 50.5
Nauru 59.7 66.5
Nepal 59.9 60.2
Netherlands 76 81.1
New Zealand 76.6 81.2
Nicaragua 67.9 72.4
Niger 42.6 42.7
Nigeria 48 49.6
Niue 67.6 73.3
Norway 76.4 81.7
Oman 71 76.3
Pakistan 61.1 61.6
Palau 66.4 70.9
Panama 72.8 78.2
Papua New Guinea 58.4 61.5
Paraguay 68.7 74.7
Peru 67.5 72
Philippines 65.1 71.7
Poland 70.6 78.7
Portugal 73.6 80.5
Qatar 74.5 73.8
Republic of Korea 71.8 79.4
Republic of Moldova 64 71.6
Romania 68 75
Russian Federation 58.4 72.1
Rwanda 41.9 46.8
Saint Kitts & Nevis 68.7 72.2
St Lucia 69.8 74.4`
St Vincent and the Grenadines 67.8 71.9
Samoa 66.8 69.7
San Marino 77.2 84
Sao Tom & Principe 61.7 63.6
Saudi Arabia 68.4 73.9
Senegal 54.3 57.3
Serbia & Montenegro 62.7 64.9
Seychelles 67 77.2
Sierra Leone 32.4 35.7
Singapore 77.4 81.7
Slovakia 69.8 78.3
Slovenia 72.8 80.5
Solomon Islands 63.6 67.4
Somalia 43 45.2
South Africa 48.7 52.6
Spain 76.1 83
Sri Lanka 667.2 74.3
Sudan 54.9 59.3
Surinam 64.4 70.8
Swaziland 36.9 40.4
Sweden 78 82.6
Switzerland 77.7 83.3
Syria 68.8 73.6
Tajukistan 61 66.5
Thailand 66 72.7
Macedonia 69 75.1
Timor-Leste 54.8 60.5
Togo 50 53.3
Tonga 70 71.4
Trinidad & Tobago 67.1 72.8
Tunisia 69.5 73.9
Turkey 67.9 72.2
Turkmenistan 58.8 66.9
Tuvalu 60 61.4
Uganda 48.9 50.8
Ukraine 61.7 72.9
United Arab Emirates 71.31 75.1
UK 75.8 80.5
Tanzania 45.5 47.5
US 74.6 79.8
Uraguay 71 79.3
Uzbekistan 65.6 70.8
Vanuatu 66.4 69.1
Venezuela 71 76.8
Vietnam 67.1 72.2
Yemen 58.7 62.2
Zambia 39.1 40.2
Zimbabwe 37.7 38