Cypriots can expect to live on average 65 years in good health, according to the latest 2023 figures from Eurostat, surpassing the EU average of 63.1 years by two full years. This term, ‘healthy life years’, signifies the duration individuals can anticipate living without any activity limitations.
In Cyprus, healthy life years account for 78 per cent of the total life expectancy, aligning with the EU average proportion. A closer look at the demographics reveals that women in Cyprus enjoy an average of 65.7 healthy years, while men slightly lag behind at 64.4 years. Despite this, the overall life expectancy for women reaches 85.3 years, outpacing men’s expectancy of 81.3 years. This indicates that while women live longer, they spend a smaller percentage of their lives free from limitations—77 per cent compared to 79 per cent for men.
The figures from 2022 showed that healthy life years at birth in Cyprus were recorded at 66 years overall, with women at 66.3 years and men at 65.7 years. In comparison, the numbers were lower in 2020, when women averaged 63.1 years and men 62.5 years, both slightly below the EU average at that time.
Cyprus now stands among the healthier nations within the EU, significantly outperforming countries like Latvia, where women average only 54.3 healthy years and men 51.2 years. The EU averages for healthy life years in 2023 show women enjoying 63.3 years and men 62.8 years. Furthermore, while life expectancy at birth for women is 84 years—5.3 years longer than men’s 78.7—men tend to spend a greater share of those shorter lives without activity limitations.
Malta claims the top spot for the healthiest ageing populations, boasting 71.1 healthy years for both women and men. In stark contrast, Latvia, Estonia, and Slovakia record the lowest figures for men, while Latvia, Denmark, and Finland bring up the rear for women.
