Women live longer than men, but how much longer varies widely around the world

In every country in the world, women live longer than men — but the size of this gap in life expectancy varies widely.

The difference is striking in some countries, like Russia and Ukraine, where women’s life expectancy is over 10 years longer. Their gaps have been wide due to higher death rates in young and middle-aged men — often due to alcohol use, smoking, and other risks. The war in Ukraine has widened this gap further, as men face high mortality from conflict.

The gap is much smaller in other countries, including in West Africa and South Asia. There are likely multiple reasons for this, including higher rates of maternal mortality and HIV among women. Just a few decades ago, Bangladesh and India had shorter female than male life expectancies due to higher rates of female infanticide and neglect in childhood, and the gap in lifespans in these countries is still relatively small.

Many factors affect life expectancy, and the sex gap in lifespans has varied widely across countries and over time.