INDIA REGISTERED AN INCREASE OF FIVE YEARS IN LIFE EXPECTANCY RATE

• India registered an increase of five years in the average life expectancy rate. The average life expectancy rate increased from 63.9 years in 2004 to 69.6 years in 2014.
• The increase in the life expectancy was the result of consistent investments in public health sector by the government.
• Life expectancy is defined as the average number of years a person born in a given country would live if mortality rates at each age were to remain constant in the future.
• As per the census of 2011, the life expectancy in India was 65.48 years as compared to the global average life expectancy of 67.88 years.
• Japan, Switzerland, San Marino are the countries with highest average life expectancy of 83 years.
• On the other hand, poor countries of Africa like Somalia, Lesotho have an average life expectancy of 50 years with Sierra Leone having the least life expectancy at 47 years.
• Although India has improved its performance but it still has a life expectancy rate which is relatively very low in South Asia.
•  For instance, Bhutan has the life expectancy of 65.79 years while Pakistan has managed to improve its overall Life expectancy to 67 years.
• China’s life expectancy rate is 72.90 years, Bangladesh has life expectancy of 70 years and Sri Lanka has life expectancy of 75 years.
• Among the BRICS countries also India fares badly. For instance, Brazil’s life expectancy rate stands at 74 years, Russia’s life expectancy is 69 years and South Africa has a poor life expectancy of 58 years.