Average life expectancy in Taiwan climbed to 81.3 years last year, Ministry of the Interior data showed yesterday.
The data indicate the nation’s upward trend has continued since the ministry posted an average life expectancy of 79.1 years in 2010.
Ministry officials attributed the trend to Taiwan’s high-quality healthcare, an increased focus on food safety, improved living conditions and that Taiwanese of all ages engage in physical activities.
The ministry found that men’s average life expectancy was 78.1 years, while women on average lived to 84.7 years.
Both numbers are the highest on record, the ministry added.
When the COVID-19 pandemic started to spread worldwide last year, the nation swiftly imposed strict border controls and measures to curb the spread of the virus within Taiwan, the ministry said.
Taiwanese quickly adapted to a new pandemic prevention lifestyle, which contributed to fewer deaths being recorded last year compared with previous years, it said.
Taiwan recorded 173,162 deaths last year, the data showed.
Among the six special municipalities, Taipei had the highest life expectancy at 84.1 years, followed by New Taipei City, Taoyuan, Taichung and Tainan.
Counties in eastern Taiwan have lower life expectancies, with residents of Taitung on average living 4.8 years less than the national average, the data showed.
Tropical Storm Usagi strengthened to a typhoon yesterday morning and remains on track to brush past southeastern Taiwan from tomorrow to Sunday, the Central Weather Administration (CWA) said yesterday. As of 2pm yesterday, the storm was approximately 950km east-southeast of Oluanpi (鵝鑾鼻), Taiwan proper’s southernmost point, the CWA said. It is expected to enter the Bashi Channel and then turn north, moving into waters southeast of Taiwan, it said. The agency said it could issue a sea warning in the early hours of today and a land warning in the afternoon. As of 2pm yesterday, the storm was moving at
UPDATED FORECAST: The warning covered areas of Pingtung County and Hengchun Peninsula, while a sea warning covering the southern Taiwan Strait was amended The Central Weather Administration (CWA) at 5:30pm yesterday issued a land warning for Typhoon Usagi as the storm approached Taiwan from the south after passing over the Philippines. As of 5pm, Usagi was 420km south-southeast of Oluanpi (鵝鑾鼻), Taiwan proper’s southernmost tip, with an average radius of 150km, the CWA said. The land warning covered areas of Pingtung County and the Hengchun Peninsula (恆春), and came with an amended sea warning, updating a warning issued yesterday morning to cover the southern part of the Taiwan Strait. No local governments had announced any class or office closures as of press time last night. The typhoon
At least 35 people were killed and dozens more injured when a man plowed his car into pedestrians exercising around a sports center in the southern Chinese city of Zhuhai on Monday night. Footage showing bodies lying on the pavement appeared on social media in the hours after the crash, but had vanished by early Tuesday morning, and local police reported only “injuries.” It took officials nearly 24 hours to reveal that dozens had died — in one of the country’s deadliest incidents in years. China heavily monitors social media platforms, where it is common for words and topics deemed
Typhoon Usagi yesterday had weakened into a tropical storm, but a land warning issued by the Central Weather Administration (CWA) was still in effect in four areas in southern Taiwan. As of 5pm yesterday, Tropical Storm Usagi was over waters 120km south-southwest of Oluanpi (鵝鑾鼻), the southernmost tip of Taiwan proper, and was moving north at 9kph, CWA data showed. The storm was expected to veer northeast later yesterday. It had maximum sustained winds of 101kph, with gusts of up to 126kph, the data showed. The CWA urged residents of Kaohsiung, Pingtung County, Taitung County and the Hengchun Peninsula (恆春) to remain alert to