Final answer:
Life expectancy is lowest on average in Africa, falling below 45 years in some areas. Other regions like Asia and Europe report higher average life expectancies, with Japan reaching 82.5 years. Factors such as health disparities related to ethnicity and geography, as well as infant mortality rates, contribute to these differences.
Step-by-step explanation:
Life expectancy is lowest on average in Africa. Information provided by the World Bank and the World Data website indicates that life expectancy varies greatly around the world with regions in Africa having the lowest average life expectancy, falling below 45 years in some areas. The highest life expectancies can be found in countries within Asia and Europe. For instance, Japan, located in East Asia, has a notably high life expectancy of 82.5 years. Moreover, the data reveals that overall, women tend to live about five years longer than men.
It is also important to consider other factors when looking at life expectancy such as ethnic disparities in health outcomes. Ethnicity combined with geography can result in significant differences in life expectancy, as shown by the difference between African-American boys in Washington DC and Asian-American girls in Boston. The causes for these disparities include diverse lifestyles, dietary practices, access to healthcare, and potentially genetics.
Infant mortality rates also contribute to average life expectancy, with the highest rates found in Africa and Afghanistan. Such high rates of infant and child mortality significantly impact overall life expectancy in these regions.