New Zealand life expectancy increasing

New Zealand life expectancy increasing

8 May 2015

Life expectancy at birth has increased 1.0 years for females and 1.5 years for males since 2005–07, Statistics New Zealand said today. Life expectancy at birth was 83.2 years for females and 79.5 years for males, based on death rates in 2012–14. The gap between male and female life expectancy at birth has narrowed. Females were expected to live 4.0 years longer than males in 2005–07, but are now expected to live 3.7 years longer.

"Life expectancy at birth for all available ethnic groups has increased since 2005–07," population statistics manager Vina Cullum said. "In particular, the difference between Māori and non-Māori life expectancy has decreased".

In 2005–07, a non-Māori person was expected to live 8.2 years longer than a Māori person. That gap has now fallen to 7.1 years. Life expectancy at birth is 77.1 years for Māori females, and 73.0 years for Māori males. In comparison, non-Māori females are expected to live to 83.9 years, while non-Māori males are expected to live to 80.3 years.

Life expectancy at birth was 78.7 years for Pacific females and 74.5 years for Pacific males. This is the first time we have published Pacific life tables. It is now possible because of an increase in the size of the Pacific population and new methods for deriving the life tables.

For more information about these statistics:

• Visit New Zealand Period Life Tables: 2012–14

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