Life Expectancy (Men)
Region | Years | % Russian mean |
North Caucasus | 61 | 104 |
Central Black Earth | 60 | 104 |
Volga | 60 | 103 |
Volgo-Vyatka | 59 | 101 |
RUSSIAN MEAN | 58 | 100 |
Urals | 58 | 100 |
North-west | 58 | 100 |
West Siberia | 58 | 99 |
Central | 58 | 99 |
Northern | 57 | 97 |
Far East | 57 | 97 |
East Siberia | 55 | 95 |
Source: Regiony Rossii [Russian Regions], 1996. |
Equality of life expectancy for men has been achieved in Russia: the healthiest regions are only four percentage points above the national mean, the least healthy region only five per cent.
However, in this instance equality goes along with a decline in life expectancy to levels that are much lower than anywhere in the OECD world. In Hungary, a post-Communist society with a poor record, the average newborn male can expect to live 67 years; and in Turkey 68 years,. By contrast, in Russia the average male life expectancy is now forecast to be 58 years, a figure below the average for Latin America, Asia or the Middle East and North Africa.