BCPB Home > Benchmarks > Rankings > Performance Indicator 17: Life Expectancy

Performance Indicator 17: Life Expectancy

Where BC Ranks, Provincial Comparison

 (Updated May 21, 2008)
Year

1997/98

1998/99

1999/00

2000/01

2001/02

2002/03

2003/04

2004/05

2005/06

2006/07

Rank

1

1

1

1

1

1

1

1

1

1

Performance Indicator Seventeen is based on the average number of years that a child is expected to live in its lifetime. In 2006/07, British Columbia ranked first in Canada for life expectancy at birth for both males and females. BC experienced the second-largest increase in life expectancy between 1997/98 and 2006/07.

The gap between male and female life expectancy in British Columbia narrowed by 20.1 percent between 1997/98 and 2006/07.

International Comparison

British Columbia performs very well on life expectancy at birth relative to OECD countries. British Columbia ranked fourth out of 31 jurisdictions with a 2005 life expectancy at birth of 81.2 years, behind only Japan, Switzerland and Iceland.

Canada ranked 11 th in the OECD with average life expectancy at birth of 80.1 years. Turkey ranked last among OECD countries with a life expectancy at birth of 71.2 years.

Why It's Important
This is a key indicator of the overall health of citizens in a jurisdiction.






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