Nicknamed the “Billionaires’ Playground,” you’re probably familiar with the lavish luxury that Monaco has to offer.
But did you know that the principality, which is famously so wealthy it doesn’t bother tracking poverty rates, also has the highest life expectancy in the world?
Babies born today in the nation of 40,000 on the south coast of France have a life expectancy of 85.9 years, according to data.
In contrast, the Republic of Chad, a country at the crossroads of North and Central Africa, ranks bottom in the world.
The 10 countries with the SHORTEST life expectancies
The 10 countries with the LONGEST life expectancy
The African country, one of the poorest countries in the world, has a life expectancy of just 52.5 years.
In fact, all 10 countries with the shortest life expectancies are in Africa, followed by Chad, followed by Nigeria, Lesotho, Central African Republic, South Sudan, Somalia, Eswatini, Ivory Coast, Guinea and Mali. Nobody is over 60.
An interactive map published by Our World in Data, which Web app users can see by clicking here, illustrates the wide gap in life expectancy around the world.
It uses the most recent figures from the United Nations Population Division, which tracks how countries are doing.
After Monaco, the countries with the highest life expectancies at birth are Hong Kong (85.5), Macau (85.4), Japan (84.8) and Australia (84.5).
Rounding out the top 10 are Switzerland (84), Malta (83.8), South Korea (83.7), Liechtenstein (83.3) and Norway (83.2).
Neither Great Britain nor the USA made it into the top 30 according to the league table.
The UK ranks 34th with a life expectancy of 80.7 years.
And the US is far below at 69th place, with a life expectancy of just 77.2 years.
Thanks to medical advances, life expectancy has increased drastically over the past few decades.
But Monaco (pictured), a country so wealthy it doesn’t track poverty rates, also has the longest life expectancy
In contrast, the Republic of Chad (pictured), a country at the crossroads of North and Central Africa, has the shortest life expectancy
These include the introduction of vaccinations, antibiotics and increased sanitation – which have eradicated many causes of early death.
In 1950, the average human expected to live 46.5 years, but that number rose to 71 years by 2021.
Health inequality has also improved slightly, as the Republic of Mali in West Africa had a life expectancy of just 28.2 years in 1950, while Norway’s was 71.2 years – a difference of 43 years.
But in 2021, the gap between the best and the worst was 33.4 years.
Another map showing the change in life expectancy between 1800, 1950 and 2015 illustrates the dramatic global divide.
At the beginning of the 19th century, all countries were red, meaning that none had a life expectancy of more than 40 years.
Another map showing the change in life expectancy between 1800, 1950 and 2015 illustrates the dramatic global divide
In 1950, some North American and most European countries were green, meaning they had life expectancies in excess of 60 years, while countries in Africa and South Asia were still red.
By 2015, life expectancy had increased worldwide, but large inequalities remained.
Canada and many central and northern European countries had lived past 80 years, while many African countries were still in their 50s.
Life expectancy growth rates have slowed in high-income countries in recent years, experts say as people near the prime of human existence and cardiovascular disease remains a leading cause of death.
And since Covid, countries at the top and bottom of the list have seen their life expectancy fall due to “unprecedented increases in mortality,” according to a study by researchers from Oxford University and the Max Planck Institute.
Monaco has dropped from 86.5 years in 2019 to 85.9 in 2021.
And Malis fell from 53.3 years to 52.5 years in the same period.
How to age healthily
watch your eyes
The eyes can be affected by age-related diseases.
Regular eye tests can catch these early, while smoking, eating lots of fruits and vegetables, and wearing sunglasses can protect them.
eat well
Boost health with a balanced diet low in saturated fat and high in fruits, vegetables, and whole grains.
Limit alcohol consumption to no more than 14 units — six pints of beer or 10 small glasses of wine — per week and stay alcohol-free for at least two days.
stay active
Regular exercise can reduce the effects of diseases like osteoporosis, diabetes and high blood pressure.
Minimize the amount of time you spend sitting for long periods of time by taking regular walks.
Source: NHS