Finnish boys’ life expectancy reaches 80-year milestone

Life expectancy for newborn boys in Finland has reached 80 years for the first time, Yle reports, citing Statistics Finland.

The gap between men’s and women’s life expectancy has also narrowed to less than five years, its smallest level in more than a century.

Boys’ life expectancy has risen rapidly after falling during the coronavirus pandemic. Girls’ life expectancy is already close to 85 years, having reached 80 in 1994.

Statistics Finland noted that Finland still has ground to make up compared with the other Nordic countries. According to Eurostat data from 2024, Finnish boys had the shortest life expectancy among the Nordic countries.