Life expectancy in Europe has started to rise again after the pandemic. In 2024, the average in the European Union reached 81,5 years.
The number represents an increase of 0,1 years compared to 2023 and surpasses the level recorded before the Covid-19 pandemic, when the average was 81,3 years in 2019.
At the height of the health crisis in 2021, life expectancy had fallen to 80,1 years in the bloc.
The recent data comes from Eurostat, the statistical office of the European Union.
Spain leads among EU countries.
Among the countries of the European Union, Spain has the highest life expectancy.
In 2024, the average age reached 84 years.
Switzerland, which is not part of the EU, recorded an even higher rate of 84,2 years.
Other countries with above-average life expectancy compared to Europe include:
- Sweden, with an average age of 83,8 years.
- Italy, aged 83,7 years.
- Norway, aged 83,2 years.
- France, aged 83.
- Austria, aged 82,1 years.
- Denmark, at 82 years old.
In Germany, life expectancy was 81,2 years, slightly below the European Union average.
Regions with higher longevity
Regional analysis reveals even greater differences within Europe itself.
Four regions have the highest life expectancies.
Madrid, in Spain, leads with 85,7 years.
The Italian provinces of Trento e Bolzano They appear next, both aged 85.
The region around Stockholm, the capital of Sweden, also has an average life expectancy of 85 years.
Regions with lower life expectancy
The lowest rates were recorded in Eastern Europe.
Three regions of Bulgaria have a life expectancy between 73,9 and 75,4 years.
Examples include:
Mayotte, an overseas territory of France, with an average age of 74,5 years. Észak-Magyarország, in Hungary, with an average age of 75,1 years.
Diferença entre homens e mulheres
The data shows a significant difference between the life expectancy of men and women in Europe.
- On average, women live 84,1 years.
- Men live 78,9 years.
- The average difference is 5,2 years.
Between 2023 and 2024, the increase in life expectancy was greater among men, who registered a growth of 0,2 years. Among women, the increase was 0,1 years.
Countries with the smallest gender gap
Some countries show smaller differences between the genders.
- In the Netherlands, the difference is 2,8 years.
- In Sweden, it's 3,1 years.
- In Ireland, 3,4 years.
In Sweden, life expectancy is 85,3 years for women and 82,3 years for men.
In Denmark, women live an average of 83,9 years and men 80,2 years.
In Norway, life expectancy is 84,8 years for women and 81,6 for men.
Where women live longer
Spanish women have the highest life expectancy in Europe.
The average age is 86,5 years.
Among Spanish men, the average age is 81,4 years.
In other European countries, the life expectancy for women also exceeds 85 years.
- In Switzerland, it reaches 85,9 years.
- In France, 85,8 years.
- In Italy, 85,7 years.
In Austria, women live an average of 84,3 years, while men reach 79,8 years.
In Germany, the average life expectancy is 83,5 years for women and 78,9 for men.
Countries with the greatest difference in longevity
The greatest contrasts between men and women appear in Eastern Europe.
- In Latvia, the difference reaches 9,8 years.
- In Lithuania, it is 8,6 years.
- In Estonia, it reaches 8,4 years.
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