| Summary: | Life expectancy in Australia is the highest on record, according to ABS figures. Under current death rates, a boy born today could expect to live 78.5 years while a girl could expect to live 83.3 years. Having survived to age 65, men could expect to live another 18.1 years and women another 21.4 years. Life expectancy in Australia is the highest on record, according to figures released today by the Australian Bureau of Statistics (ABS). Under current death rates, a boy born today could expect to live 78.5 years while a girl could expect to live 83.3 years. Having survived to age 65, men could expect to live another 18.1 years and women another 21.4 years. Since 1985, life expectancy has increased by six years for men and four and a half years for women, reflecting a decrease in death rates over time. The increase in life expectancy is one of the factors contributing to the ageing of Australia's population. Australia's life expectancy is among the highest in the world and compares well with other developed countries. Life expectancy for Australian males is exceeded only by Iceland and Hong Kong, both with 79 years, while the female life expectancy is exceeded only by Japan and Hong Kong, both with 85 years. The Australian Capital Territory recorded the highest life expectancy for both males (79.9 years) and females (84.0 years), while the Northern Territory experienced the lowest life expectancy for both males (72.5 years) and females (78.2 years). In 2005 the standardised death rate (which eliminates the effect of different age structures of different populations) was the lowest on record at 6.0 deaths per 1,000 people. In 1985 the standardised death rate was 9.8 deaths per 1,000 people. There were 130,700 deaths registered (67,200 men and 63,500 women) in Australia in 2005, 1,800 fewer than in 2004.
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