Japan, San Marino top life expectancy league

GENEVA,23 may 2009– The World Health Organization says women in Japan have the highest life expectancy in the world with 86 years. WHO says men in San Marino have the longest life expectancy for their sex with 81 years.

The Geneva-based body says men from Sierra Leone are expected to live only 39 years. Women in Afghanistan will live to an average age of 42 years.

WHO says the figures are based on statistics gathered from 2007, the latest year available.

The global health agency says countries including Angola, Eritrea and Liberia have made remarkable progress while others including Botswana, Kenya and Lesotho have seen a drop in life expectancy since 1990.

The figures were among more than 100 health trends published Thursday by the World Health Organization.