Global life expectancy at birth declined for the second straight year in 2021, as the COVID-19 pandemic reversed decades of increases.

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Average life expectancy at birth was 71 years in 2021, according to the most recent data available through the World Bank, marking a decline since hitting a record of 73 years in 2019.

By region, the average life expectancy was highest in Europe, with life expectancy in European Union member states averaging 80 years.

The countries with the longest expected life spans were wealthy countries in Asia and Europe, with Japan, Lichtenstein, Switzerland and South........

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