Life expectancy in Europe in 2019
Additional information on European life expectancy
The difference in life expectancy seen between men and women across all European regions is in line with the global trends of women outliving men, on average. The average life expectancy at birth worldwide by income group shows that the gender life expectancy gap is not only a consistent trend across countries, but also income groups. Moreover, the higher life expectancy for those in high income groups may help to explain the lower average life expectancy for those born in Eastern Europe where average incomes are generally lower than other European regions. Although income and length of life are not directly correlated, higher income individuals are generally able to afford access to superior nutrition and healthcare as well as having leisure time for exercise.
That said, current trends in the increases in life expectancy worldwide by country between 1970 and 2013 suggest economic growth will lead to larger increases in life expectancy. Those increases are less likely to occur to such a degree in the more developed regions of Europe where France, Spain, Luxembourg, Switzerland, Iceland and Austria all rank in the top 20 countries with the highest life expectancy.




