In this article, we will look at the 15 countries with the highest life expectancy in Asia. If you wish to skip our detailed analysis, you can go directly to 5 Countries with the Highest Life Expectancy in Asia.
An Overview of Variations in Average Life Expectancy
People across the world are living longer than they used to. The average life expectancy of an individual born in 1900 was only around 32 years, less than half of the life expectancy of an individual born in 2021. In the 1800s, no region in the world had a life expectancy of more than 40 years. According to a report by the National Center for Health Statistics, the average life expectancy of a normal individual is about 71 years in 2021. One of the primary reasons behind an exponential increase in life expectancy at all ages is the reduction in child mortality. Improved healthcare and easier access to medical facilities have further facilitated this improvement, allowing people worldwide to live longer.
According to the National Center for Health Statistics estimates, the average life expectancy at birth was 76.1 years in 2021, down from 77.0 years in 2020. The number thus reduced by 0.9% between 2020 and 2021. Similarly, the average life expectancy for normal males also reduced between 2020 and 2021. It stood at 74.2 years in 2020, reducing by 1.0 to 73.2 years in 2021. The normal life expectancy for females also decreased by 0.8 years, going from 79.9 years in 2020 to 79.1 years in 2021. The COVID-19 pandemic was one of the primary reasons behind this decrease. An increase in deaths caused by the pandemic reduced the overall life expectancy of the total population by 2.7 years between 2019 and 2021. This decrease is distributed into a 3.1-year reduction in life expectancy for males and a 2.3-year reduction for females.
Regional and Gender-Based Differences in Life Expectancy
Gender has a pivotal role in determining individuals' life expectancy. As of 2021, the difference between the life expectancy of different sexes was 5.9 years, up from 5.7 years in 2020. This difference was reduced between 2000 and 2010, even reaching its lowest level of 4.8 years within this period. However, 2020 and 2021 saw a rapid increase in the difference in life expectancy between sexes, increasing it to levels last seen in 1996 when the numbers increased to 6 years.
According to data by the World Bank, the average life expectancy in South Asia is 66 as of 2021, down from 68 in 2020. The people of Maldives have the highest life expectancy in Asia at 79 years, while Afghanistan and Pakistan have the lowest at 59 and 64, respectively. However, Asia ranks fourth in the list of continents with the highest life expectancy in the world, with Oceania at the top and Africa at the bottom. As of 2021, Oceania has a life expectancy of 79.4 years, the highest in the world. Europe comes in second with a life expectancy of 77.0 years as of 2021, and the Americas ranks third with an estimate of 74.2 years. The average life expectancy of the people in the world ranks after Asia at 71.0 years, right above Africa. Africa has the lowest life expectancy across the globe at 61.7 years. The continent's healthcare sector is the primary reason behind these statistics. You can also look at 15 Countries with the Highest Life Expectancy in Africa for further insights.
Life expectancy in the US was 76 years in 2021, down from 77 years in 2020. This reduction was primarily because of COVID-related deaths, and an increase in deaths caused by drug overdose. However, life expectancy in the US bounced back to 77.5 years in 2022.
Importance of Healthcare in Increasing Life Expectancy
According to estimates by the World Health Organization, global life expectancy increased by around six years between 2000 and 2019. It went from 66.8 years in 2000 to 73.4 years in 2019. Healthy life expectancy also increased by 8% in the same period, going from 58.3 years in 2000 to 63.7 years in 2019. These statistics appeared because of reduced mortality rates instead of decreased number of years spent with disabilities. Although the healthy life expectancy has only increased by 5.4 years compared to the 6.6 years increase in life expectancy, several notable healthcare companies are working to improve living conditions and life expectancy for individuals across the globe. A number of them are concentrated in Asia, some of which include Shenzhen Mindray Bio-Medical Electronics Co. Ltd. (SHE:300760) and Olympus Corp. (TYO:7733).
Shenzhen Mindray Bio-Medical Electronics Co. Ltd. (SHE:300760) is a medical instrument manufacturer based in China, headquartered in Shenzhen, Guangdong. On January 29, Reuters reported that the company announced its plans to take over APT Medical Inc. (SHA:688617) for 6.65 billion yuan, or $927 million. According to Shenzhen Mindray Bio-Medical Electronics Co. Ltd. (SHE:300760), the company will buy a 21.2% stake in APT Medical Inc. (SHA:688617) to advance the cause of cardiovascular disease treatment.
Olympus Corp. (TYO:7733) is a Japan-based company that manufactures reprography products and optics necessary for advanced healthcare. The company holds around a 70% share in the global endoscopy market due to its specialized products. Olympus Corp. (TYO:7733) recently attained FDA approval for its RenaFlex single-use ureteroscope system. The system is projected to advance healthcare through its increased maneuverability and technology. The company has also begun the first-ever cloud endoscopy experiment in the world in collaboration with Nippon Telegraph and Telephone Corp. (TYO:9432).
15 Countries with the Highest Life Expectancy in Asia
15 Countries with the Highest Life Expectancy in Asia
Our Methodology
In order to compile a list of the 15 countries with the highest life expectancy in Asia, we have considered total life expectancy at birth as the primary and sole metric. The data has been taken from estimates made by the World Bank regarding the life expectancy of all the countries in the world. The latest data is available from 2021. We have considered Middle Eastern countries and Special Administrative Regions of China as a part of the Asian continent. The 15 countries with the highest life expectancy in Asia are arranged in ascending order of their total life expectancies at birth.
15 Countries with the Highest Life Expectancy in Asia
15. Saudi Arabia
Life Expectancy at Birth in 2021: 77 years
Officially known as the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia, the country is located in the Middle East, or western Asia. It ranks 15th on our list of the 15 countries with the highest life expectancy in Asia, with a life expectancy at birth of 77 years.
14. China
Life Expectancy at Birth in 2021: 78 years
China ranks 14th on our list, with a total life expectancy of 78 years. The country has a female life expectancy of 81 years, while its male life expectancy is relatively lower at 75 years as of 2021.
13. Kuwait
Life Expectancy at Birth in 2021: 79 years
Kuwait is a Middle Eastern country located in the northern tip of Eastern Arabia on the Persian Gulf. It ranks 13th on our list with a life expectancy of 79 years at birth as of 2021.
12. United Arab Emirates
Life Expectancy at Birth in 2021: 79 years
Women in the United Arab Emirates have a life expectancy of 81 years at birth. This estimate is higher than men born in the country, with an average life expectancy of 75 years as of 2021. The United Arab Emirates ranks 12th on our list of the 15 countries with the highest life expectancy in Asia.
11. Thailand
Life Expectancy at Birth in 2021: 79 years
Thailand is a Southeast Asian country with a population of 71.7 million as of 2022, according to estimates by the World Bank. It ranks 11th on our list with a life expectancy of 79 years.
10. Bahrain
Life Expectancy at Birth in 2021: 79 years
The Kingdom of Bahrain has a higher life expectancy for women than men, which is the case for a majority of the countries in the world. Women born in the country have a life expectancy of 80 years, while men have an estimated 78 years. Bahrain's total life expectancy is 79 years, earning it the 10th spot on our list.
9. Qatar
Life Expectancy at Birth in 2021: 79 years
Qatar is a West Asian country located on the northeastern coast of the Arabian peninsula. As of 2022, the country has a population of 2.695 million, according to estimates by the World Bank. It ranks ninth on our list with a life expectancy of 79 years as of 2021.
8. Maldives
Life Expectancy at Birth in 2021: 80 years
Maldives is a South Asian country with a life expectancy of 80 years. The country's men are projected to have a life expectancy of 79 years, while its women have a life expectancy of 81 years.
7. Cyprus
Life Expectancy at Birth in 2021: 81 years
Located in the Middle East, Cyprus is an island country in the eastern Mediterranean Sea with a population of 1.251 million as of 2022. The country ranks seventh on our list with a life expectancy of 81 years as of 2021.
6. Israel
Life Expectancy at Birth in 2021: 83 years
Israel ranks sixth on our list of the 15 countries with the highest life expectancy in Asia, with a life expectancy of 83 years as of 2021. It is located on the eastern coastline of the Mediterranean Sea.
