With an average life expectancy of 86.5 years, Monaco tops the latest world rankings, well ahead of France. This micro-State of two square kilometres outclasses the major powers, thanks to its privileged lifestyle and ultra-efficient public health system.
Monaco in the lead, France lagging behind
The latest world ranking of life expectancy holds a major surprise: the country where people live the longest is not a world power, but a tiny territory on the Côte d’Azur. With a population of around 40,000 and an area 273,200 times smaller than that of France, Monaco nevertheless comes first, with an average life expectancy of 86.5 years. Women there even live to 88.6, a record.
France, despite its solid health infrastructure, only ranks 14th, with an average life expectancy of 83.5 years. It is outranked by a number of European micro-States such as San Marino (85.8 years), Andorra (84.2 years) and Liechtenstein (83.8 years), as well as by Asian countries with very good public health records, such as Hong Kong (85.6 years), Japan (84.8 years) and South Korea (84.4 years). Australia, the only country outside Europe and Asia in the top 10, also has an average age of 84.1 years.
What do these top-ranked countries have in common? Efficient health systems, very high standards of living and a particular focus on prevention. The small size of these countries, such as Monaco and Andorra, also makes it easier to manage public services and access healthcare.
Women live longer everywhere
While Monaco beats all records, one trend is universal among the top 25 countries: women systematically live longer than men. The difference is 4 years on average, but can exceed 6 years in some countries. This is the case in Japan, where women live to 87.9 years compared with 81.8 years for men, and in South Korea, where the difference is 6 years. In France, the gap is 5.6 years: women live to 86.2 on average, compared with 80.6 for men. In Monaco, by comparison, men still live to 84.6, a figure higher than the French average for all sexes combined.
The explanations are well known: biology plays a role, but social behaviour is just as decisive. Men expose themselves more to risky behaviour, consume more tobacco and alcohol, and seek medical advice less frequently. The result is a gap that persists even in countries where overall longevity is very high. It should be noted that the United States, despite having some of the highest health spending in the world, does not appear in the rankings, underlining the fact that a country’s wealth does not necessarily guarantee the longevity of its population.
Source : https://www.visualcapitalist.com/ranked-top-25-countries-with-the-highest-life-expectancy/
