Dying to know: Ireland’s new life expectancies have been released…

We've a good few years left... to plan our funerals.

A report released yesterday revealed that global life expectancy has increased by five years since the turn of the millennium. Happy (1825 extra) days. The report carried out by the World Health Organisation also claimed that health inequalities persist despite this marked improvement. Regionally, the increase was greatest in the continent of Africa, where average life expectancy has increased by 9.4 years to 60 years. Global life expectancy overall now stands at 71.4 years, with women having a higher average than men. On average, a woman born in 2015 can expect to live to 73.8 years, compared to the male average of 69.1 years. Of course, this greatly depends on where somebody is born. Japan has the highest life expectancy in the world - with an average life expectancy of 86 years for its women. Switzerland has the highest male life expectancy at 81.3 years. Some countries in sub-Saharan Africa still have life expectancies of less than 60 years. Good news for Ireland, we're on the stronger end of the life expectancy scale. Someone born in Ireland in 2012 can expect to live to see 2092. Women outlive men in general with an average life expectancy of roughly 82 compared to roughly 78 for men. Sorry JOE.ie, we'll be around for a bit longer. Maybe we should all just move to Japan?