The tale of life is defined by its uncertain nature. No one truly knows for how long they will live, and while the destination is inevitable, the timing remains a profound mystery.
At the heart of this enigmatic narrative lies the concept of life expectancy, a powerful metric that offers a glimpse into the overall health and well-being of a population.
It serves as a compass guiding us through the waters of existence, measuring the average years a person born in a specific region can expect to live under current conditions. Importantly, improvements in life expectancy despite being exclusive to particular countries are a landmark sign of progress.
Take Africa for example, the life expectancy has increased on average by 10 years per in the past two decades, according to the United Nations. The sharp rise during the period is a testament to the region’s drive for improved health and well-being of the population.
In its World Population Prospect for 2022, the intergovernmental organisation revealed a newborn is expected to live over 77 years in Algeria. Cabo Verde, Tunisia, and Mauritius followed, with a life expectancy of 76 years.
While we previously explored the 10 African countries with the lowest life expectancy, here are the 10 African countries with the highest life expectancy according to the United Nations:
| Rank | Country | Life expectancy |
|---|---|---|
| 1 | Algeria | 77 years |
| 2 | Capo Verde | 76 years |
| 3 | Tunisia | 76 years |
| 4 | Morocco | 75 years |
| 5 | Mauritius | 75 years |
| 6 | Seychelles | 75 years |
| 7 | Libya | 73 years |
| 8 | Western Sahara | 71 years |
| 9 | Egypt | 70 years |
| 10 | Senegal | 69 years |
