U.S. Life Expectancy Compared to Other Countries

 

Following are three sources, reporting a low U.S. life expectancy of either 78 years or the more current 79 years.

Select one of the three links to see the performance details of the United States among:

—    6 countries: as per the OECD
                   Organization for Economic Cooperation and Development
— 193 countries: as per the World Health Organization
                   USA: 30th in world; down from 27th
— 224 countries: as per the CIA
                   USA: 50th in world; down from 47th

The USA has 3 to 5 years shorter lifespan than the other free-market countries

          Since the CIA compares a larger number of countries,
          about 220 instead of about 200, the U.S. has a rank
          20 positions lower among the CIA data.

    Position at the barchart or the WHO details.

As seen in the table below, life expectancies are improving,
such as the U.S. moving from 78 years to 79 years. But the
United States life expectancy relative to others dropped by three positions, from 27th to 30th.

World Health Organization:
U.S. was 27th, then it went to 30th in life expectancy rank

CIA View of U.S. Life Expectancy:
U.S. ranked 47th; now 50th

CIA World Factbook – Rank Order - Life expectancy at birth: the status of the Factbook as of March 27, 2008, the United States was 50th in life expectancy based on 2009 estimates.
Position at chart    Update: it’s 49th based on 2010 estimates.

The CIA Factbook, at which the following information of estimates was posted on June 19, 2008:

1 Andorra 83.53 2008 est.
2 Macau 82.35 2008 est.
3 Japan 82.07 2008 est.
4 Singapore 81.89 2008 est.
5 San Marino 81.88 2008 est.
6 Hong Kong 81.77 2008 est.
7 Canada 81.16 2008 est.
8 France 80.87 2008 est.
9 Sweden 80.74 2008 est.
10 Switzerland 80.74 2008 est.
11 Australia 80.73 2008 est.
12 Guernsey 80.65 2008 est.
13 Israel 80.61 2008 est.
14 Iceland 80.55 2008 est.
15 Anguilla 80.53 2008 est.
16 Cayman Islands 80.32 2008 est.
17 New Zealand 80.24 2008 est.
18 Italy 80.07 2008 est.
19 Gibraltar 80.06 2008 est.
20 Monaco 79.96 2008 est.
21 Liechtenstein 79.95 2008 est.
22 Spain 79.92 2008 est.
23 Norway 79.81 2008 est.
24 Jersey 79.65 2008 est.
25 Greece 79.52 2008 est.
26 Austria 79.36 2008 est.
27 Virgin Islands 79.34 2008 est.
28 Malta 79.30 2008 est.
29 Faroe Islands 79.29 2008 est.
30 Netherlands 79.25 2008 est.
31 Luxembourg 79.18 2008 est.
32 Montserrat 79.15 2008 est.
33 Germany 79.10 2008 est.
34 Belgium 79.07 2008 est.
35 Guam 78.93 2008 est.

36 Saint Pierre and Miquelon 78.91 2008 est.
37 United Kingdom 78.85 2008 est.
38 Finland 78.82 2008 est.
39 Isle of Man 78.80 2008 est.
40 Jordan 78.71 2008 est.
41 Puerto Rico 78.58 2008 est.
42 European Union 78.51 2008 est.
43 Bosnia and Herzegovina 78.33 2008 est.
44 Bermuda 78.30 2008 est.
45 Saint Helena 78.27 2008 est.
46 Cyprus 78.15 2008 est.
47 United States 78.14 2008 est.

Additional Information

The relative drop in U.S. life expectancy logically corresponds with the drop in U.S. rank in avoidable deaths and as seen in the comparison to the six top performing countries regarding avoidable deaths (amenable mortality).

27th? See Health Care Meltdown 2007 edition, page 155, for the reporting of the United States being 27th in life expectancy from the 2005 World Health Organization report. The U.S. is now 30th in life expectancy based on the 2011 World Health Organization report.