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This dataset offers a detailed historical record of global life expectancy, covering data from 1960 to the present. It is meticulously curated to enable deep analysis of trends and gender disparities in life expectancy worldwide.

Dataset Structure & Key Columns:

Country Code (🔤): Unique identifier for each country.

Country Name (🌍): Official name of the country.

Region (🌐): Broad geographical area (e.g., Asia, Europe, Africa).

Sub-Region (🗺️): More specific regional classification within the broader region.

Intermediate Region (🔍): Additional granular geographical grouping when applicable.

Year (📅): The specific year to which the data pertains.

Life Expectancy for Women (👩‍⚕️): Average years a woman is expected to live in that country and year.

Life Expectancy for Men (👨‍⚕️): Average years a man is expected to live in that country and year.

Context & Use Cases:

This dataset is a rich resource for exploring long-term trends in global health and demography. By comparing life expectancy data over decades, researchers can:

Analyze Time Series Trends: Forecast future changes in life expectancy and evaluate the impact of health interventions over time.

Study Gender Disparities: Investigate the differences between life expectancy for women and men, providing insights into social, economic, and healthcare factors influencing these trends.

Regional & Sub-Regional Analysis: Compare and contrast life expectancy across various regions and sub-regions to understand geographical disparities and their underlying causes.

Support Public Policy Research: Inform policymakers by linking life expectancy trends with public health policies, socioeconomic developments, and other key indicators.

Educational & Data Science Applications: Serve as a comprehensive teaching tool for courses on public health, global development, and data analysis, as well as for Kaggle competitions and projects.

With its detailed, structured format and broad temporal coverage, this dataset is ideal for anyone looking to gain a nuanced understanding of global health trends and to drive impactful analyses in public health, social sciences, and beyond.

Feel free to ask for further customizations or additional details as needed!

Historical chart and dataset showing U.K. life expectancy by year from 1950 to 2025.

The dataset contains information on various demographic and health indicators for different countries. It is organized into several columns, each providing essential information about these countries. Here's a description of each column:

1. Country: This column represents the names of different countries or regions included in the dataset. Each row corresponds to a specific country or region, and this column serves as the identifier for each entry.

2. Life Expectancy Males: This column contains data on the average life expectancy of males in each of the listed countries. Life expectancy is a crucial health indicator and provides an estimate of the average number of years a male can expect to live, given current mortality rates and health conditions.

3. Life Expectancy Females: Similar to the "Life Expectancy Males" column, this column provides data on the average life expectancy of females in the same countries. It reflects the average number of years a female can expect to live, considering the prevailing health and mortality conditions.

4. Birth Rate: The "Birth Rate" column contains information about the birth rate in each country. Birth rate is a demographic indicator that represents the number of live births per 1,000 people in a given population over a specific period, usually a year. It can provide insights into a country's population growth or decline.

5. Death Rate: This column presents data on the death rate in each of the listed countries. The death rate is another crucial demographic indicator and represents the number of deaths per 1,000 people in a population over a specific period, often a year. It helps gauge the overall health and mortality conditions within a country.

In 2024 life expectancy in France is a question of region, department and city

In France, life expectancy at birth is 85.3 years for women and 79.4 years for men. This means that on average, a French woman born in 2024 will live to the age of 85.3 years, and a man to the age of 79.4.

However, life expectancy varies considerably depending on the region, department and city where you live.

In region

Life expectancy is highest in Île-de-France, with 86.6 years for women and 81.9 years for men. Then come Provence-Alpes-Côte d’Azur (86.5 years for women, 81.7 years for men), Auvergne-Rhône-Alpes (86.4 years for women, 81.5 years for men) and Brittany (86.2 years for women, 81.3 years for men).

Conversely, life expectancy is lowest in Hauts-de-France, with 83.9 years for women and 78.9 years for men. Then come Normandy (84.1 years for women, 79.1 years for men), Centre-Val de Loire (84.2 years for women, 79.3 years for men) and Burgundy-Franche-Comté (84.3 years for women, 79.4 years for men).

Department

At the departmental level, the departments where we live the longest are Hauts-de-Seine (86.7 years for women, 81.9 years for men), Yvelines (86.4 years for women, 81.6 years for men), Val-de-Marne (86.3 years for women, 81.3 years for men), Paris (86.2 years for women, 81.1 years for men) and Haute-Garonne (86.2 years for women, 81.1 years for men).

Conversely, the departments where we live the least long are Creuse (76.4 years for women, 72.3 years for men), Pas-de-Calais (76.6 years for women, 72.5 years for men), Aisne (76.7 years for women, 72.6 years for men) and Somme (76.8 years for women, 72.7 years for men).

In town

At the municipal level, the cities where we live the longest are Paris (86.2 years for women, 81.1 years for men), Neuilly-sur-Seine (86.1 years for women, 81.0 years for men), Boulogne-Billancourt (85.9 years for women, 80.8 years for men), Rueil-Malmaison (85.8 years for women, 80.7 years for men) and Issy-les-Moulineaux (85.7 years for women, 80.6 years for men).

Conversely, the cities with the least long lived are The Crown (75.4 years for women, 71.3 years for men), Saint-Quentin (75.5 years for women, 71.4 years for men), Maubeuge (75.6 years for women, 71.5 years for men) and Valenciennes (75.7 years for women, 71.6 years for men).

Factors that influence life expectancy

Many factors influence life expectancy, including:

• Standard of living
• Access to care
• The conditions

To view life expectancy for a specific region, department or city, please consult the following document:

Life expectancy at birth and at age 65, by sex, on a three-year average basis.

This table contains 2394 series, with data for years 1991 - 1991 (not all combinations necessarily have data for all years). This table contains data described by the following dimensions (Not all combinations are available): Geography (1 items: Canada ...), Population group (19 items: Entire cohort; Income adequacy quintile 1 (lowest);Income adequacy quintile 2;Income adequacy quintile 3 ...), Age (14 items: At 25 years; At 30 years; At 40 years; At 35 years ...), Sex (3 items: Both sexes; Females; Males ...), Characteristics (3 items: Life expectancy; High 95% confidence interval; life expectancy; Low 95% confidence interval; life expectancy ...).

Do women live longer than men? How long? Does it happen everywhere? Is life expectancy increasing? Everywhere? Which is the country with the lowest life expectancy? Which is the one with the highest? In this project, we will answer all these questions by manipulating and visualizing United Nations life expectancy data using ggplot2.

The dataset can be found here and contains the average life expectancies of men andwomen by country (in years). It covers four periods: 1985-1990, 1990-1995, 1995-2000, and 2000-2005.

Dominican Republic DO: Life Expectancy at Birth: Female data was reported at 77.117 Year in 2016. This records an increase from the previous number of 76.930 Year for 2015. Dominican Republic DO: Life Expectancy at Birth: Female data is updated yearly, averaging 69.322 Year from Dec 1960 (Median) to 2016, with 57 observations. The data reached an all-time high of 77.117 Year in 2016 and a record low of 53.367 Year in 1960. Dominican Republic DO: Life Expectancy at Birth: Female data remains active status in CEIC and is reported by World Bank. The data is categorized under Global Database’s Dominican Republic – Table DO.World Bank: Health Statistics. Life expectancy at birth indicates the number of years a newborn infant would live if prevailing patterns of mortality at the time of its birth were to stay the same throughout its life.; ; (1) United Nations Population Division. World Population Prospects: 2017 Revision. (2) Census reports and other statistical publications from national statistical offices, (3) Eurostat: Demographic Statistics, (4) United Nations Statistical Division. Population and Vital Statistics Reprot (various years), (5) U.S. Census Bureau: International Database, and (6) Secretariat of the Pacific Community: Statistics and Demography Programme.; Weighted average;

Ukraine UA: Life Expectancy at Birth: Female data was reported at 76.460 Year in 2016. This records an increase from the previous number of 76.250 Year for 2015. Ukraine UA: Life Expectancy at Birth: Female data is updated yearly, averaging 74.060 Year from Dec 1960 (Median) to 2016, with 57 observations. The data reached an all-time high of 76.460 Year in 2016 and a record low of 71.091 Year in 1960. Ukraine UA: Life Expectancy at Birth: Female data remains active status in CEIC and is reported by World Bank. The data is categorized under Global Database’s Ukraine – Table UA.World Bank.WDI: Health Statistics. Life expectancy at birth indicates the number of years a newborn infant would live if prevailing patterns of mortality at the time of its birth were to stay the same throughout its life.; ; (1) United Nations Population Division. World Population Prospects: 2017 Revision. (2) Census reports and other statistical publications from national statistical offices, (3) Eurostat: Demographic Statistics, (4) United Nations Statistical Division. Population and Vital Statistics Reprot (various years), (5) U.S. Census Bureau: International Database, and (6) Secretariat of the Pacific Community: Statistics and Demography Programme.; Weighted average;

Mali ML: Life Expectancy at Birth: Female data was reported at 58.674 Year in 2016. This records an increase from the previous number of 58.163 Year for 2015. Mali ML: Life Expectancy at Birth: Female data is updated yearly, averaging 45.552 Year from Dec 1960 (Median) to 2016, with 57 observations. The data reached an all-time high of 58.674 Year in 2016 and a record low of 29.026 Year in 1960. Mali ML: Life Expectancy at Birth: Female data remains active status in CEIC and is reported by World Bank. The data is categorized under Global Database’s Mali – Table ML.World Bank: Health Statistics. Life expectancy at birth indicates the number of years a newborn infant would live if prevailing patterns of mortality at the time of its birth were to stay the same throughout its life.; ; (1) United Nations Population Division. World Population Prospects: 2017 Revision. (2) Census reports and other statistical publications from national statistical offices, (3) Eurostat: Demographic Statistics, (4) United Nations Statistical Division. Population and Vital Statistics Reprot (various years), (5) U.S. Census Bureau: International Database, and (6) Secretariat of the Pacific Community: Statistics and Demography Programme.; Weighted average;

United States US: Life Expectancy at Birth: Female data was reported at 81.200 Year in 2016. This stayed constant from the previous number of 81.200 Year for 2015. United States US: Life Expectancy at Birth: Female data is updated yearly, averaging 78.300 Year from Dec 1960 (Median) to 2016, with 57 observations. The data reached an all-time high of 81.300 Year in 2014 and a record low of 73.100 Year in 1960. United States US: Life Expectancy at Birth: Female data remains active status in CEIC and is reported by World Bank. The data is categorized under Global Database’s USA – Table US.World Bank: Health Statistics. Life expectancy at birth indicates the number of years a newborn infant would live if prevailing patterns of mortality at the time of its birth were to stay the same throughout its life.; ; (1) United Nations Population Division. World Population Prospects: 2017 Revision. (2) Census reports and other statistical publications from national statistical offices, (3) Eurostat: Demographic Statistics, (4) United Nations Statistical Division. Population and Vital Statistics Reprot (various years), (5) U.S. Census Bureau: International Database, and (6) Secretariat of the Pacific Community: Statistics and Demography Programme.; Weighted average;

Historical chart and dataset showing Thailand life expectancy by year from 1950 to 2025.

The average number of years that a group of individuals could expect to live at a given age if they are at risk of dying observed at each age during the reference year(s). The calculation is done over several years in order to have a more stable estimate. Note: The entity's life expectancy may be influenced by the presence or absence of a nursing home in the entity's territory. Although the calculation includes all the deaths observed over the selected period, the impact of some deaths on life expectancy remains greater in a sparsely populated entity. The classification of entities according to their life expectancy should therefore be interpreted with caution.

This table contains mortality indicators by sex for Canada and all provinces except Prince Edward Island. These indicators are derived from three-year complete life tables. Mortality indicators derived from single-year life tables are also available (table 13-10-0837). For Prince Edward Island, Yukon, the Northwest Territories and Nunavut, mortality indicators derived from three-year abridged life tables are available (table 13-10-0140).

This indicator measures inequalities in life expectancy at birth within England as a whole, each English region, and each local authority. Life expectancy at birth is calculated for each deprivation decile of lower super output areas within each area and then the slope index of inequality (SII) is calculated based on these figures.

The SII is a measure of the social gradient in life expectancy, i.e., how much life expectancy varies with deprivation. It takes account of health inequalities across the whole range of deprivation within each area and summarises this in a single number. This represents the range in years of life expectancy across the social gradient from most to least deprived, based on a statistical analysis of the relationship between life expectancy and deprivation across all deprivation deciles.

Life expectancy at birth is a measure of the average number of years a person would expect to live based on contemporary mortality rates. For a particular area and time period, it is an estimate of the average number of years a newborn baby would survive if he or she experienced the age-specific mortality rates for that area and time period throughout his or her life.

The SII for England and for regions have been presented alongside the local authority figures in order to improve the display of the indicators on the overview page. However, they should not be considered as comparators for the local authority figures. The SII for England takes account of the full range of deprivation and mortality across the whole country. This does not therefore provide a suitable benchmark with which to compare local authority results, which take into account the range of deprivation and mortality within much smaller geographies.

Data is Powered by LG Inform Plus and automatically checked for new data on the 3rd of each month.

🔗 Check out my notebook here: Link

This dataset includes malnutrition indicators and some of the features that might impact malnutrition. The detailed description of the dataset is given below:

• Percentage-of-underweight-children-data: Percentage of children aged 5 years or below who are underweight by country.

• Prevalence of Underweight among Female Adults (Age Standardized Estimate): Percentage of female adults whos BMI is less than 18.

• GDP per capita (constant 2015 US$): GDP per capita is gross domestic product divided by midyear population. GDP is the sum of gross value added by all resident producers in the economy plus any product taxes and minus any subsidies not included in the value of the products. It is calculated without making deductions for depreciation of fabricated assets or for depletion and degradation of natural resources. Data are in constant 2015 U.S. dollars.

• Domestic general government health expenditure (% of GDP): Public expenditure on health from domestic sources as a share of the economy as measured by GDP.

• Maternal mortality ratio (modeled estimate, per 100,000 live births): Maternal mortality ratio is the number of women who die from pregnancy-related causes while pregnant or within 42 days of pregnancy termination per 100,000 live births. The data are estimated with a regression model using information on the proportion of maternal deaths among non-AIDS deaths in women ages 15-49, fertility, birth attendants, and GDP measured using purchasing power parities (PPPs).

• Mean-age-at-first-birth-of-women-aged-20-50-data: Average age at which women of age 20-50 years have their first child.

• School enrollment, secondary, female (% gross): Gross enrollment ratio is the ratio of total enrollment, regardless of age, to the population of the age group that officially corresponds to the level of education shown. Secondary education completes the provision of basic education that began at the primary level, and aims at laying the foundations for lifelong learning and human development, by offering more subject- or skill-oriented instruction using more specialized teachers.

The 1992 Malawi Demographic and Health Survey (MDHS) was a nationally representative sample survey designed to provide information on levels and trends in fertility, early childhood mortality and morbidity, family planning knowledge and use, and maternal and child health. The survey was implemented by the National Statistical Office during September to November 1992. In 5323 households, 4849 women age 15-49 years and 1151 men age 20-54 years were interviewed. The Malawi Demographic and Health Survey (MDHS) was a national sample survey of women and men of reproductive age designed to provide, among other things, information on fertility, family planning, child survival, and health of mothers and children. Specifically, the main objectives of the survey were to: Collect up-to-date information on fertility, infant and child mortality, and family planning Collect information on health-related matters, including breastleeding, antenatal and maternity services, vaccinations, and childhood diseases and treatment Assess the nutritional status of mothers and children Collect information on knowledge and attitudes regarding AIDS Collect information suitable for the estimation of mortality related to pregnancy and childbearing Assess the availability of health and family planning services. MAIN FINDINGS The findings indicate that fertility in Malawi has been declining over the last decade; at current levels a woman will give birth to an average of 6.7 children during her lifetime. Fertility in rural areas is 6.9 children per woman compared to 5.5 children in urban areas. Fertility is higher in the Central Region (7.4 children per woman) than in the Northem Region (6.7) or Southern Region (6.2). Over the last decade, the average age at which a woman first gives birth has risen slightly over the last decade from 18.3 to 18.9 years. Still, over one third of women currently under 20 years of age have either already given birlh to at least one child or are currently pregnant. Although 58 percent of currently married women would like to have another child, only 19 percent want one within the next two years. Thirty-seven percent would prefer to walt two or more years. Nearly one quarter of married women want no more children than they already have. Thus, a majority of women (61 percent) want either to delay their next birth or end childbearing altogether. This represents the proportion of women who are potentially in need of family planning. Women reported an average ideal family size of 5.7 children (i.e., wanted fertility), one child less than the actual fertility level measured in the surveyfurther evidence of the need for family planning methods. Knowledge of contraceptive methods is high among all age groups and socioeconomic strata of women and men. Most women and men also know of a source to obtain a contraceptive method, although this varies by the type of method. The contraceptive pill is the most commonly cited method known by women; men are most familiar with condoms. Despite widespread knowledge of family planning, current use of contraception remains quite low. Only 7 percent of currently married women were using a modem method and another 6 percent were using a traditional method of family planning at the time of the survey. This does, however, represent an increase in the contraceptive prevalence rate (modem methods) from about 1 percent estimated from data collected in the 1984 Family Formation Survey. The modem methods most commonly used by women are the pill (2.2 percent), female sterilisation (1.7 percent), condoms (1.7 percent), and injections (1.5 percent). Men reported higher rates of contraceptive use (13 percent use of modem methods) than women. However, when comparing method-specific use rates, nearly all of the difference in use between men and women is explained by much higher condom use among men. Early childhood mortality remains high in Malawi; the under-five mortality rate currently stands at 234 deaths per 1000 live births. The infant mortality rate was estimated at 134 per 10130 live births. This means that nearly one in seven children dies before his first birthday, and nearly one in four children does not reach his fifth birthday. The probability of child death is linked to several factors, most strikingly, low levels of maternal education and short intervals between births. Children of uneducated women are twice as likely to die in the first five years of life as children of women with a secondary education. Similarly, the probablity of under-five mortality for children with a previous birth interval of less than 2 years is two times greater than for children with a birth interval of 4 or more years. Children living in rural areas have a higher rate ofunder-fwe mortality than urban children, and children in the Central Region have higher mortality than their counterparts in the Northem and Southem Regions. Data were collected that allow estimation ofmatemalmortality. It is estimated that for every 100,000 live births, 620 women die due to causes related to pregnancy and childbearing. The height and weight of children under five years old and their mothers were collected in the survey. The results show that nearly one half of children under age five are stunted, i.e., too short for their age; about half of these are severely stunted. By age 3, two-thirds of children are stunted. As with childhood mortality, chronic undernutrition is more common in rural areas and among children of uneducated women. The duration of breastfeeding is relatively long in Malawi (median length, 21 months), but supplemental liquids and foods are introduced at an early age. By age 2-3 months, 76 percent of children are already receiving supplements. Mothers were asked to report on recent episodes of illness among their young children. The results indicate that children age 6-23 months are the most vulnerable to fever, acute respiratory infection (ARI), and diarrhea. Over half of the children in this age group were reported to have had a fever, about 40 percent had a bout with diarrhea, and 20 percent had symptoms indicating ARI in the two-week period before the survey. Less than half of recently sick children had been taken to a health facility for treatment. Sixty-three percent of children with diarrhea were given rehydration therapy, using either prepackaged rehydration salts or a home-based preparation. However, one quarter of children with diarrhea received less fluid than normal during the illness, and for 17 percent of children still being breastfed, breastfeeding of the sick child was reduced. Use of basic, preventive maternal and child health services is generally high. For 90 percent of recent births, mothers had received antenatal care from a trained medical person, most commonly a nurse or trained midwife. For 86 percent of births, mothers had received at least one dose of tetanus toxoid during pregnancy. Over half of recent births were delivered in a health facility. Child vaccination coverage is high; 82 percent of children age 12-23 months had received the full complement of recommended vaccines, 67 percent by exact age 12 months. BCG coverage and first dose coverage for DPT and polio vaccine were 97 percent. However, 9 percent of children age 12-23 months who received the first doses of DPT and polio vaccine failed to eventually receive the recommended third doses. Information was collected on knowledge and attitudes regarding AIDS. General knowledge of AIDS is nearly universal in Malawi; 98 percent of men and 95 percent of women said they had heard of AIDS. Further, the vast majority of men and women know that the disease is transmitted through sexual intercourse. Men tended to know more different ways of disease transmission than women, and were more likely to mention condom use as a means to prevent spread of AIDS. Women, especially those living in rural areas, are more likely to hold misconceptions about modes of disease transmission. Thirty percent of rural women believe that AIDS can not be prevented.

Sweden SE: Life Expectancy at Birth: Female data was reported at 84.100 Year in 2016. This stayed constant from the previous number of 84.100 Year for 2015. Sweden SE: Life Expectancy at Birth: Female data is updated yearly, averaging 80.150 Year from Dec 1960 (Median) to 2016, with 57 observations. The data reached an all-time high of 84.200 Year in 2014 and a record low of 74.870 Year in 1960. Sweden SE: Life Expectancy at Birth: Female data remains active status in CEIC and is reported by World Bank. The data is categorized under Global Database’s Sweden – Table SE.World Bank: Health Statistics. Life expectancy at birth indicates the number of years a newborn infant would live if prevailing patterns of mortality at the time of its birth were to stay the same throughout its life.; ; (1) United Nations Population Division. World Population Prospects: 2017 Revision. (2) Census reports and other statistical publications from national statistical offices, (3) Eurostat: Demographic Statistics, (4) United Nations Statistical Division. Population and Vital Statistics Reprot (various years), (5) U.S. Census Bureau: International Database, and (6) Secretariat of the Pacific Community: Statistics and Demography Programme.; Weighted average;

The second National Family Health Survey (NFHS-2), conducted in 1998-99, provides information on fertility, mortality, family planning, and important aspects of nutrition, health, and health care. The International Institute for Population Sciences (IIPS) coordinated the survey, which collected information from a nationally representative sample of more than 90,000 ever-married women age 15-49. The NFHS-2 sample covers 99 percent of India's population living in all 26 states. This report is based on the survey data for 25 of the 26 states, however, since data collection in Tripura was delayed due to local problems in the state. IIPS also coordinated the first National Family Health Survey (NFHS-1) in 1992-93. Most of the types of information collected in NFHS-2 were also collected in the earlier survey, making it possible to identify trends over the intervening period of six and one-half years. In addition, the NFHS-2 questionnaire covered a number of new or expanded topics with important policy implications, such as reproductive health, women's autonomy, domestic violence, women's nutrition, anaemia, and salt iodization. The NFHS-2 survey was carried out in two phases. Ten states were surveyed in the first phase which began in November 1998 and the remaining states (except Tripura) were surveyed in the second phase which began in March 1999. The field staff collected information from 91,196 households in these 25 states and interviewed 89,199 eligible women in these households. In addition, the survey collected information on 32,393 children born in the three years preceding the survey. One health investigator on each survey team measured the height and weight of eligible women and children and took blood samples to assess the prevalence of anaemia. SUMMARY OF FINDINGS POPULATION CHARACTERISTICS Three-quarters (73 percent) of the population lives in rural areas. The age distribution is typical of populations that have recently experienced a fertility decline, with relatively low proportions in the younger and older age groups. Thirty-six percent of the population is below age 15, and 5 percent is age 65 and above. The sex ratio is 957 females for every 1,000 males in rural areas but only 928 females for every 1,000 males in urban areas, suggesting that more men than women have migrated to urban areas. The survey provides a variety of demographic and socioeconomic background information. In the country as a whole, 82 percent of household heads are Hindu, 12 percent are Muslim, 3 percent are Christian, and 2 percent are Sikh. Muslims live disproportionately in urban areas, where they comprise 15 percent of household heads. Nineteen percent of household heads belong to scheduled castes, 9 percent belong to scheduled tribes, and 32 percent belong to other backward classes (OBCs). Two-fifths of household heads do not belong to any of these groups. Questions about housing conditions and the standard of living of households indicate some improvements since the time of NFHS-1. Sixty percent of households in India now have electricity and 39 percent have piped drinking water compared with 51 percent and 33 percent, respectively, at the time of NFHS-1. Sixty-four percent of households have no toilet facility compared with 70 percent at the time of NFHS-1. About three-fourths (75 percent) of males and half (51 percent) of females age six and above are literate, an increase of 6-8 percentage points from literacy rates at the time of NFHS-1. The percentage of illiterate males varies from 6-7 percent in Mizoram and Kerala to 37 percent in Bihar and the percentage of illiterate females varies from 11 percent in Mizoram and 15 percent in Kerala to 65 percent in Bihar. Seventy-nine percent of children age 6-14 are attending school, up from 68 percent in NFHS-1. The proportion of children attending school has increased for all ages, particularly for girls, but girls continue to lag behind boys in school attendance. Moreover, the disparity in school attendance by sex grows with increasing age of children. At age 6-10, 85 percent of boys attend school compared with 78 percent of girls. By age 15-17, 58 percent of boys attend school compared with 40 percent of girls. The percentage of girls 6-17 attending school varies from 51 percent in Bihar and 56 percent in Rajasthan to over 90 percent in Himachal Pradesh and Kerala. Women in India tend to marry at an early age. Thirty-four percent of women age 15-19 are already married including 4 percent who are married but gauna has yet to be performed. These proportions are even higher in the rural areas. Older women are more likely than younger women to have married at an early age: 39 percent of women currently age 45-49 married before age 15 compared with 14 percent of women currently age 15-19. Although this indicates that the proportion of women who marry young is declining rapidly, half the women even in the age group 20-24 have married before reaching the legal minimum age of 18 years. On average, women are five years younger than the men they marry. The median age at marriage varies from about 15 years in Madhya Pradesh, Bihar, Uttar Pradesh, Rajasthan, and Andhra Pradesh to 23 years in Goa. As part of an increasing emphasis on gender issues, NFHS-2 asked women about their participation in household decisionmaking. In India, 91 percent of women are involved in decision-making on at least one of four selected topics. A much lower proportion (52 percent), however, are involved in making decisions about their own health care. There are large variations among states in India with regard to women's involvement in household decisionmaking. More than three out of four women are involved in decisions about their own health care in Himachal Pradesh, Meghalaya, and Punjab compared with about two out of five or less in Madhya Pradesh, Orissa, and Rajasthan. Thirty-nine percent of women do work other than housework, and more than two-thirds of these women work for cash. Only 41 percent of women who earn cash can decide independently how to spend the money that they earn. Forty-three percent of working women report that their earnings constitute at least half of total family earnings, including 18 percent who report that the family is entirely dependent on their earnings. Women's work-participation rates vary from 9 percent in Punjab and 13 percent in Haryana to 60-70 percent in Manipur, Nagaland, and Arunachal Pradesh. FERTILITY AND FAMILY PLANNING Fertility continues to decline in India. At current fertility levels, women will have an average of 2.9 children each throughout their childbearing years. The total fertility rate (TFR) is down from 3.4 children per woman at the time of NFHS-1, but is still well above the replacement level of just over two children per woman. There are large variations in fertility among the states in India. Goa and Kerala have attained below replacement level fertility and Karnataka, Himachal Pradesh, Tamil Nadu, and Punjab are at or close to replacement level fertility. By contrast, fertility is 3.3 or more children per woman in Meghalaya, Uttar Pradesh, Rajasthan, Nagaland, Bihar, and Madhya Pradesh. More than one-third to less than half of all births in these latter states are fourth or higher-order births compared with 7-9 percent of births in Kerala, Goa, and Tamil Nadu. Efforts to encourage the trend towards lower fertility might usefully focus on groups within the population that have higher fertility than average. In India, rural women and women from scheduled tribes and scheduled castes have somewhat higher fertility than other women, but fertility is particularly high for illiterate women, poor women, and Muslim women. Another striking feature is the high level of childbearing among young women. More than half of women age 20-49 had their first birth before reaching age 20, and women age 15-19 account for almost one-fifth of total fertility. Studies in India and elsewhere have shown that health and mortality risks increase when women give birth at such young ages?both for the women themselves and for their children. Family planning programmes focusing on women in this age group could make a significant impact on maternal and child health and help to reduce fertility. INFANT AND CHILD MORTALITY NFHS-2 provides estimates of infant and child mortality and examines factors associated with the survival of young children. During the five years preceding the survey, the infant mortality rate was 68 deaths at age 0-11 months per 1,000 live births, substantially lower than 79 per 1,000 in the five years preceding the NFHS-1 survey. The child mortality rate, 29 deaths at age 1-4 years per 1,000 children reaching age one, also declined from the corresponding rate of 33 per 1,000 in NFHS-1. Ninety-five children out of 1,000 born do not live to age five years. Expressed differently, 1 in 15 children die in the first year of life, and 1 in 11 die before reaching age five. Child-survival programmes might usefully focus on specific groups of children with particularly high infant and child mortality rates, such as children who live in rural areas, children whose mothers are illiterate, children belonging to scheduled castes or scheduled tribes, and children from poor households. Infant mortality rates are more than two and one-half times as high for women who did not receive any of the recommended types of maternity related medical care than for mothers who did receive all recommended types of care. HEALTH, HEALTH CARE, AND NUTRITION Promotion of maternal and child health has been one of the most important components of the Family Welfare Programme of the Government of India. One goal is for each pregnant woman to receive at least three antenatal check-ups plus two tetanus toxoid injections and a full course of iron and folic acid supplementation. In India, mothers of 65 percent of the children born in the three years preceding NFHS-2 received at least one antenatal

Women are, on average, more often absent from work for health reasons than men, but live longer. This conflicting pattern suggests that the gender absenteeism gap arises partly from factors unrelated to objective health. An overlooked explanation is that men and women might have different preferences for absenteeism due to different attitudes to, for example, risk. Using detailed administrative data on absenteeism, hospitalizations, and mortality, we evaluate the existence of gender-specific preferences for absenteeism and analyze whether these differences are socially determined. We find robust evidence of gender differences in absenteeism that cannot be explained by poorer objective health among women.