French, Spanish regions record longest life expectancy in EU

Regions along the northwestern Mediterranean, particularly in France and Spain, have recorded the longest life expectancy in the European Union (EU), according to the EU’s statistical body Eurostat on Wednesday.

The report, which makes life expectancy comparison across the EU regions based on statistics of 2018, was published to mark the International Day of Older Persons to be observed on Oct. 1, said Eurostat.

In 2018, the life expectancy of a newborn in the EU was 81 years. This figure was 5.5 years higher for women (83.7 years) than men (78.2 years), according to Eurostat.

The highest levels of life expectancy were recorded in “a band of regions running from northern Spain through much of western and southern France and into northern and central parts of Italy, as well as the north-western Greek region of Ipeiros,” according to the report.

The report did not elaborate on the reasons for the result, but it is well-known that European Mediterranean areas attract retirees thanks to the proximity to the sea and the pleasant weather.

The livable belt happens to be the areas that have witnessed severe COVID-19 situation, with high infection rate and mortality, according to the EU pandemic updates.

The coronavirus has caused 35,851 deaths in Italy, 31,411 deaths in Spain and 31,808 deaths in France since the beginning of the pandemic in Europe, according to the latest official figures from the European Center for Disease Prevention and Control (ECDC).

Source: Xinhua