Cypriots can expect to live on average 65 years in good health, according to the latest 2023 figures from Eurostat, a full two years longer than EU average of 63.1 years.

The term “healthy life years” refers to the number of years a person can expect to live free from activity limitations.

In Cyprus, this represents 78 per cent of total life expectancy, matching the EU average proportion.

Breaking down the numbers, women in Cyprus enjoy 65.7 healthy years, slightly ahead of men at 64.4 years. However, women’s overall life expectancy reaches 85.3 years, four years longer than men’s 81.3 years, meaning they spend a smaller proportion of their lives free from limitations (77 per cent for women, compared with 79 per cent for men)

In 2022, healthy life years at birth in Cyprus stood at 66 years overall (66.3 for women, 65.7 for men). Back in 2020, the number were lower, 63.1 years for women and 62.5 for men, and in both cases slightly below the EU average at the time.

Today, Cyprus ranks among the healthier nations in the bloc, far outperforming countries such as Latvia, where women average just 54.3 healthy years and men 51.2 years.

Across the EU in 2023, women enjoy an average of 63.3 healthy years and men 62.8. Life expectancy at birth for women is 84 years, 5.3 years longer than men’s 78.7, but men tend to spend a greater share of their shorter lives without activity limitations.

The healthiest ageing populations are found in Malta, topping the table for both sexes with 71.1 healthy years for women and 71.1 for men. At the other end, Latvia Estonia and Slovakia record the lowest figures for men, while Latvia, Denmark and Finland are lowest for women.