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Tuesday, August 13, 2019

Here's That "American Exceptionalism" For You


Here you go.

Just one more way we are "exceptional" as a nation.

There is an article out just now on countries with the best life expectancy.

Slide 1 of 51: People live notably longer in some parts of the world, and research suggests that diet, climate, social class, and overall happiness play a significant role in boosting lifespan.

While Japan has been at the top of the life expectancy list for several years, research published in October 2018 by the Institute for Health Metrics and Evaluation suggests that Spain may overtake Japan's life expectancy by 2040. Analysis from Bloomberg's 2019 Healthiest Country Index also revealed Spain to be #1 out of 169 countries in terms of factors contributing to overall health.

After analyzing life expectancy data from the World Health Organization's World Health Statistics 2019 report and total population data for each country from the United Nations' World Population Prospects 2019 report, Stacker ranked each country by life expectancy. In the event of a tie, countries with lower under-five mortality rates were favored.

WHO's annual report compiles life expectancy data and health-related sustainable development goals to determine life spans in each country. In total, 194 countries were included in WHO's 2019 report, but only 181 of these countries were ranked and analyzed since 13 had no life expectancy data.

The total population for each country was taken from the United Nations' Population Division—World Population Prospects 2019. The report released in 2019 involves data from 2016. However, data concerning the percent of government spending going to public health come from 2014, data involving maternal mortality ratios come from 2015, and data involving under-five mortality rates come from 2017.

While no countries on this list have reached supercentenarian status in terms of life expectancy, many nations seem to be getting closer to seeing more of their citizens live to 100 years old.

Click through to find out more about the top 50 countries with the best life expectancy.

You may also like: What the world was like when your grandparents were born


And get this.

The top countries are all Democratic Socialist nations…

And they all have universal healthcare.

We, the US, are at---wait for it--the number 34 position.

34

Cuba is in the number 33 position. They live longer in Cuba, freaking Cuba, than we do here in the States.

We also have a worse life expectancy than Slovenia.

Coincidentally, Israel, to whom we give millions of dollars, has a far higher life expectancy than we in the US. They are #14 on the list. And yes, it really is true they have universal healthcare, too. We don't but they do.

People in the Republic of Korea have a longer life expectancy, at number 9.

Singapore is number 4---number 4---on the list. Far better, far higher than the US.

This, ladies and gentlemen, is what lots of guns and money and zero universal healthcare gets us.

Enjoy that exceptionalism, folks.


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