COUNTRIES WITH LONG LIFE EXPECTATIONS

AUSTRALIA

82.09

Despite the dangers of Australia, terrifying creatures, rising

obesity rates, and the world’s highest prevalence of skin

cancer.  Australians are resolutely hardy people, living

on average up to 82.09 years. Health professionals credit

a decrease in smoking (the largest preventable cause of

death in Oz) and a high literacy among Aussies

for such long lifespans.

SPAIN

82.27

Spaniards have remarkably long spans largely due to diet

and the favourable climate. Beyond these, Spain also has the

sixth lowest suicide rate in the OECD. Countries with lower

suicide rates include Turkey, Mexico, Greece, Israel.

ICELAND

82.3

The long-living Icelanders can thank their natural surroundings

for giving them such long lives. Beyond an efficient public

health system and plenty of fresh fish in their diets, Icelanders

live in one of the least polluted countries on Earth. Iceland

keeps itself environmentally pure by emphasizing

geothermal energy and providing residents with hot water

direct from the island’s hot springs and volcanism.

SINGAPORE

82.64

Home to one of the richest populations on Earth, Singapore is

the world’s sole island city-state. Most Singaporeans live to

age 82 and beyond, largely thanks to a government with

tremendous foresight. Controlling the amount of cars

(and thus pollution) on the road and managing a widely-

comprehensive healthcare system, the government has

also placed a focus on chronic disease prevention

and management.

SWITZERLAND

82.66

An Alpine paradise, Switzerland boasts high incomes,

clean air, and happy people. A major reason why the

Swiss live so long? The World Economic Forum’s Human

Capital Report in 2013 cites Switzerland as the country

which invests the most in its citizens’ health, talent and

education. Combine a well-cared-for population with low

crime rates and strong social cohesion and you have

the working for one of the longest lifespans in the world.

ITALY

82.84

Italians are a bit of an enigma, despite all the smoking,

carbs, and the lower incomes than other countries on

this list, Italy has the third highest life expectancy in the world.

Glossing over the previously-discussed Mediterranean diet

and temperate climate’s positive effects, Italy has long-been

a more cohesive society. Lower levels of social turmoil

and inequality seem to play an important role in

Italians’ better health.

JAPAN

83.3

Cited by some researchers as the healthiest people on the

planet, the Japanese enjoy an average lifespan of 83.3 years.

Japan has been studied by scientists across the world for

having the highest per capita number of centenarians

(people living to over 100 years old) at 34.85 per 100,000.

The highest proportion of these centenarians are on the

island of Okinawa: the highest consumer of seaweed in

the world.

HONG KONG

83.73

And the top spot on our list goes to…Hong Kongers!

The cramped-living, busy-working city dwellers may surprise

some people to take the top spot on our list. But Hong Kongers

live on average for nearly 84 years! Though work is often

cited as a primary stress factor, the “emptiness syndrome”

that comes from having nothing to do, rarely affects

Hong Kongers who frequently work into their 80’s. A

highly-steamed Cantonese diet, body-moving tai chi (found

to increase balance and cardiovascular strength), and

brain-stimulating Mahjong game (found to delay the onset

of dementia) help to make Hong Kongers the longest

living nationality on Earth.