Shocking: Bulgaria Ranks Last in EU for Life Expectancy!

Photo: Stella Ivanova @novinite.com

Bulgaria continues to have the lowest life expectancy at birth in the European Union, according to Eurostat data from 2021, which assesses various factors influencing longevity. This alarming trend raises questions about living conditions and health within the country.

In the EU, life expectancy rose over the past decade until 2019, with an average of 81.3 years. However, in 2020 and 2021, this dropped to 80.1 years, influenced by various factors such as the COVID-19 pandemic.

Bulgaria's life expectancy falls far below the EU average, with the lowest figures reported in five of its six regions. Northeast Bulgaria has an average life expectancy of 71.2 years, followed by Southeast Bulgaria (71.0 years), North and Southeastern Bulgaria (70.6 years), North Central Bulgaria (70.4 years), and Northwest Bulgaria (69.7 years). South-Western Bulgaria, where Sofia is located, is the exception.

Mayotte, a French overseas territory, has slightly better life expectancy (71.5 years) compared to Bulgaria. Notably, women in Bulgaria are expected to live less than their counterparts in Mayotte, with an average life expectancy of 75.1 years versus 72.6 years. However, the situation is reversed for men, with an average life expectancy of 68 years in Bulgaria, compared to 70 years in Mayotte.

Women across the EU have a significantly higher life expectancy (82.9 years in 2021) than men (77.2 years on average), with the largest gender gap seen in Latvia, where women outlive men by nearly a decade.

In Bulgaria, a notable regional difference exists. In the North-Western region, women's life expectancy exceeds that of men by almost eight years.

The highest life expectancy for women in 2021 was recorded in Madrid (88.2 years), followed by several...

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