The Japanese Have The World's Longest Life Expectancy

Trade has a significant impact on a population's overall health and prosperity, which is closely linked to life expectancy. A graphic created by Visual Capitalist's Julia Wendling and the Hinrich Foundation visualizes life expectancy at birth across 29 major economies. The data comes from the United Nations' Human Development Index and the 2024 Sustainable Trade Index. The STI's lifespan metric converts life expectancy data into a numerical index score, with higher scores indicating higher life expectancy. A country's openness to trade affects access to essential resources, including medical supplies, healthcare services, and nutritious food, which in turn impact public health and lifespans. Japan has a remarkably high life expectancy due to its advanced healthcare system, low obesity rates, and active lifestyle. Countries with lower GDP per capita, such as Myanmar and Papua New Guinea, tend to have lower life expectancies, while those with higher GDP per capita, like Australia and Singapore, tend to have longer lifespans. The US is an outlier, with a high GDP per capita but a lower lifespan ranking due to its lack of Universal Health Coverage. The Sustainable Trade Index evaluates 30 major economies using 72 indicators, and a free report is available from the Hinrich Foundation. The index provides a comprehensive look at the relationship between trade, health, and prosperity.