Life expectancy in Turkey well below EU figures

ANKARA - Anadolu Agency

DAILY NEWS Photo

Turks are expected to live around four year less on average than their European counterparts, according to life expectancy data announced on Oct. 1 by the country’s statistics body.

Turkey’s life expectancy at birth is calculated at 76.3 years for men and 79.4 years for women, the Turkish Statistical Institute (TÜİK) announced, in the country’s first ever official public study of life expectancy figures at both the national and provincial levels.

The average life expectancy at birth within the European Union currently stands at 80.3 years, roughly four years above Turkey’s average life expectancy.

Life expectancy at birth is a key indicator of the status of socio-economic development, quality of life and the levels of mortality for countries.     

The data shows that Turks in the Black Sea province of Giresun have the highest life expectancy at birth, at 78.9 years. Another Black Sea province, Rize, and the northwestern province of Yalova both ranked second, with 78.7 years.

On the other end of the spectrum, locals in the eastern province of Erzurum are expected to live the shortest lives in Turkey, with a life expectancy of just 72.1 years. The eastern provinces of Mardin and Van have the lowest life expectancies at birth after Erzurum, at 73.2 and 73.3 years respectively.