Italy is among the longest-living countries in the world (here's why)

There's a record Italians can be proud of, and it's not about sports or cuisine. It's about life itself. Italy is now among the longest-living countries in the world. This achievement isn't the result of chance, but of decades of healthcare, social, and cultural progress that have profoundly transformed the quality of life in our country.

Italy is officially among the longest-living countries in the worldThis is confirmed by the new Istat report "Health: a conquest to be defended": life expectancy at birth has reached 83,4 years, with men at 81,5 and women at 85,6.

Behind this result lies a century of progress: nutrition, hygiene, vaccinations and a high-quality healthcare system. Infant mortality, which in the 19th century was 230 children per thousand births, has now dropped to 2,7 per thousand: one of the lowest rates in the world.

But there's a crack in the picture. The median age at death varies from under 82 in Campania to over 86 in Marche, with the entire Southern region at a disadvantage. A four-year difference that reflects an Italy still torn in two.