Walter Finch
SPAIN boasts the region with the highest life expectancy in all of the EU, according to the latest Eurostat data from 2023.
People in the Comunidad de Madrid are expected to have a lifespan of an impressive 86.1 years, beating out competition from regions in Italy and Finland.
The figures reveal Spain’s longevity dominance, with Comunidad Foral de Navarra also ranking among the top regions at 85.0 years.
This places Spain significantly above the EU average of 81.4 years.
Andalucia was the only Spanish region to lag behind the top age bracket of 83 years or over, coming in with an average life expectancy of 82.7.
Italian regions like Provincia Autonoma di Trento (85.1 years) and Provincia Autonoma di Bolzano/Bozen (85.0 years) closely follow Spain’s leading regions.
Meanwhile, neighbouring Portugal struggles, with life expectancy as low as 80.8 in some regions.
Spain’s achievement comes as part of a broader EU recovery in life expectancy, which increased by 0.8 years from 2022 to 2023.
The pandemic had previously caused declines in 2020 and 2021, but figures now exceed pre-pandemic levels from 2019.
Across the EU, women continue to outlive men by an average of 5.3 years, with women’s life expectancy reaching 84.0 years compared to men’s 78.7 years.
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Spain’s gender gap is narrower than in Eastern European countries like Latvia, where women live 10.1 years longer than men.
The contrast between Spain’s high-performing regions and the EU’s lowest-ranking areas is stark.
While Madrid residents can expect to live well into their 80s, regions in Bulgaria struggle with life expectancies as low as 73.9 years.
The data reinforces Spain’s reputation as a global leader in longevity, often attributed to the Mediterranean diet, lifestyle, and healthcare system.
