Compare life expectancy across 18 countries with overall, male, and female breakdowns based on World Health Organization data.
| Country | Overall | Male | Female |
|---|---|---|---|
| Japan | 84.6 | 81.5 | 87.6 |
| Switzerland | 83.4 | 81.7 | 85.1 |
| Australia | 83.3 | 81.3 | 85.3 |
| South Korea | 83.3 | 80.3 | 86.1 |
| Spain | 83 | 80.2 | 85.7 |
| Italy | 82.9 | 80.5 | 85.2 |
| France | 82.5 | 79.4 | 85.5 |
| Canada | 82.3 | 80.4 | 84.1 |
| United Kingdom | 81 | 79 | 82.9 |
| Germany | 80.9 | 78.6 | 83.2 |
| China | 78.2 | 75.5 | 81 |
| United States | 77.5 | 74.8 | 80.2 |
| Saudi Arabia | 76.9 | 75.5 | 78.5 |
| Turkey | 76 | 73.4 | 78.6 |
| Brazil | 75.9 | 72.4 | 79.4 |
| Mexico | 75.1 | 72.1 | 78.1 |
| Indonesia | 71.7 | 69.7 | 73.8 |
| India | 70.8 | 69.5 | 72.2 |
Japan consistently ranks as the country with the highest life expectancy, at approximately 84.6 years overall. Japanese women have an especially high life expectancy of about 87.6 years. Factors contributing to Japan's longevity include diet, healthcare access, and social cohesion.
Women outlive men in virtually every country, typically by 3-7 years. This is attributed to a combination of biological factors (hormonal protection, two X chromosomes), behavioral differences (lower rates of smoking and risk-taking), and social factors. The gender gap in life expectancy has been narrowing in recent decades.
The United States has a lower life expectancy (77.5 years) compared to other wealthy nations due to several factors including higher rates of obesity, gun violence, drug overdoses, lack of universal healthcare, and greater income inequality. The COVID-19 pandemic further reduced US life expectancy.
The main factors influencing life expectancy include healthcare quality and access, diet and nutrition, exercise habits, environmental conditions, income and education levels, social connections, and genetic factors. Public health measures like clean water, sanitation, and vaccination programs have been the biggest drivers of increased global life expectancy.
Global life expectancy has been steadily increasing over the past century, from about 47 years in 1950 to over 73 years today. However, progress has slowed in some regions due to factors like the opioid crisis, obesity epidemic, and COVID-19 pandemic. Most projections suggest continued gradual increases in the coming decades.