Australia’s Life Expectancy climbs to Record High: Report

Canberra, Nov 12: Life expectancy in Australia has hit record highs, according to the figures released by the Australian Bureau of Statistics on Thursday. Australians born today are expected to live the longest of any previous generation, with both males and females touted to live beyond 80 years, reported Xinhua news agency.

Male life expectancy in Australia rose to 80.3 years, up from 80.1 in 2013, while females are now expected to live until they are 84.4 years of age. Beidar Cho of the statistics agency said Australians had one of the highest life expectancies in the world as “there are only six other countries worldwide where both men and women have a life expectancy over 80 years”.

“These countries are Japan, Italy, Switzerland, Iceland, Israel and Sweden.” Cho said that compared to other nations of similar demographics, Australia has the highest life expectancy.

“Australia has a higher life expectancy, at both the male and female level, than many similar countries to ours, such as New Zealand, the United Kingdom and the US.”

The statistics agency also said on Thursday that the number of registered deaths in Australia rose 4 percent to 153,580 in 2014 from 147,678 in 2013, which it said is “indicative of Australia’s growing and ageing population”. (IANS)