Elderly couple. Credit: Pexels, Magda Ehlers
Life expectancy at birth in the European Union (EU) has increased to 81.4 years, according to recent Eurostat data.
This marks a 0.8-year rise from 2022 and exceeds pre-pandemic levels. After declining in 2020 and 2021 due to COVID-19, this is now the highest recorded life expectancy since 2002, showing an overall increase of 3.8 years.
Where in Europe do people live the longest?
Out of all the EU regions, Spain’s Comunidad de Madrid recorded the highest life expectancy at birth at 86.1 years. Other regions with high longevity include Provincia Autonoma di Trento in Italy and Åland in Finland (both at 85.1 years), as well as Comunidad Foral de Navarra in Spain and Provincia Autonoma di Bolzano/Bozen in Italy (85 years).
Seems like Spain is doing something right for the elderly. Perhaps the good pensions are a big help? Spain was recently recognised as having one of the most generous pension systems in Europe.
Where in Europe has the lowest life expectancy?
At the other end of the scale, the lowest life expectancy in the EU was recorded in three Bulgarian regions: Severozapaden (73.9 years), Severen tsentralen (75.2 years), and Yugoiztochen (75.1 years). Other regions with lower life expectancy include Észak-Magyarország in Hungary (74.9 years) and Mayotte in France (74.9 years).
EU women are living longer than men
When you think of gender disparity, you most likely think of the gender pay gap, but Eurostat’s data highlights another gender gap in life expectancy. In 2023, women in the EU had an average life expectancy of 84.0 years, compared to just 78.7 years for men. This means women are expected to live 5.3 years longer than men.
The largest differences were recorded in Latvia (where women live 10.1 years longer than men), followed by Lithuania (9.0 years) and Estonia (8.8 years). In contrast, the smallest gender gaps were found in the Netherlands (3.0 years), Sweden (3.3 years), and Luxembourg (3.3 years).
For more details, read the full Eurostat report here.
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