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Published: 22 October 2020

Average life expectancy at birth was 79.2 years for boys and 84.5 years for girls in 2019

According to Statistics Finland, the life expectancy at birth was 79.2 years for boys and 84.5 years for girls in 2019. The life expectancy of both boys and girls lengthened by 0.3 years compared with 2018. Life expectancy is an age-standardised indicator that describes the level of mortality observed during the calculation period.

Life expectancy at birth by sex in 1971 to 2019

Men are catching up with women in life expectancy

In 2019, the difference between sexes in life expectancy at birth was 5.4 years. In the past 30 years, the life expectancy of newborn boys has lengthened by 8.5 years and that of girls by 5.8 years. The difference between sexes was largest in the late 1970s when it was nine years.

The life expectancy of men aged 65 was 18.6 years and that of women aged 65 was 22 years in 2019. Compared with 1988, the life expectancy of men aged 65 has lengthened by 5 years and that of women by 4.5 years.

Life expectancy of persons aged 65 by sex in 1971 to 2019

Regional differences in life expectancy bigger for boys than for girls

In the period 2017 to 2019, the life expectancy of both newborn boys and girls was longest in Åland: 81.2 years for boys and 85.8 years for girls. In turn, the life expectancy of newborn boys was shortest in North Karelia, 77.3 years, and of newborn girls in Lapland, 83.3 years.

Differences between regions in life expectancies were bigger for men than women. The life expectancy of a boy born in Åland was 3.9 years longer than in North Karelia, where boys’ life expectancy was shortest. For girls, the corresponding difference between the longest and shortest life expectancy was 2.5 years.

Men's life expectancy was shorter than that of women in all regions. In the period 2017 to 2019, the difference between sexes was biggest in Kainuu, where men’s life expectancy was 6.7 years shorter than women's. The difference between sexes was smallest in Central Ostrobothnia, 3.9 years.

Life expectancy at birth was highest for both men and women in urban municipalities and lowest in rural municipalities, when municipalities are divided by the statistical grouping of municipalities. The life expectancy of newborn boys in urban municipalities, 79.1 years, was nearly one year longer than in rural municipalities, 78,1 years. The life expectancy of girls in urban municipalities was 84.4 years and in rural municipalities 84,1 years.

Examined by native language, there were differences in the lengths of life expectancy in the period 2017 to 2019. The life expectancy of boys speaking Swedish as their native language was 81 years, which is over two years longer than the life expectancy of boys speaking Finnish as their native language, 78.7 years. The difference for girls was similar but not as large. The life expectancy of girls speaking Swedish as their native language was 85.4 years and the life expectancy of girls speaking Finnish as their native language was a good year shorter, 84.3 years.

Finnish women have caught up with Sweden and Norway in life expectancy over 30 years

Finnish women fare well when comparing life expectancies in Nordic countries. During 30 years, the life expectancy has lengthened most in Finland for both women and men.

Finnish women have over 30 years reached the same level of life expectancy as Sweden and Norway. In 2019, women's life expectancy was good 84 years in all three countries. Danish women's life expectancy has stayed at a lower level throughout the reference period.

Life expectancy at birth in Nordic countries in 1986 to 2019, females

In the 1980s, Finnish men had the shortest life expectancy in the Nordic countries. During 30 years, the difference to Danish men has diminished, but in both countries the life expectancy in 2019 was still about two years shorter than in Sweden and Norway.

Life expectancy at birth in Nordic countries in 1986 to 2019, males

Source: Deaths 2019

Inquiries: Katariina Heikkilä 029 551 3638, info@stat.fi

Head of Department in charge: Hannele Orjala

Publication in pdf-format (277.7 kB)

Tables

Tables in databases

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• Database tables and their variables
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Figures

• Appendix figure 1. Life expectancy at birth in EU28 countries in 2018, males (22.10.2020)
• Appendix figure 2. Life expectancy at birth in EU28 countries in 2018, females (22.10.2020)

Quality descriptions

• Quality description, deaths 2019 (22.10.2020)

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Updated 22.10.2020