Puerto Rico has the highest life expectancy in Latin America, according to a new ranking based on the latest United Nations population estimates.

The Caribbean island leads the region with an average life expectancy of 82.3 years, followed closely by Chile at 81.7 years and Costa Rica at 81.4 years.

Panama placed fourth at 80.1 years, making it the only other country in the ranking where life expectancy exceeds 80.

Latin America’s Top 10

The ranking lists the countries and territories with the highest projected life expectancy at birth:

1. Puerto Rico — 82.3 years
2. Chile — 81.7 years
3. Costa Rica — 81.4 years
4. Panama — 80.1 years
5. Cuba — 78.6 years
6. Uruguay — 78.6 years
7. Colombia — 78.3 years
8. Peru — 78.3 years
9. Ecuador — 77.9 years
10. Argentina — 77.8 years

Ecuador’s appearance in ninth place puts the country just behind Colombia and Peru, with only 0.4 years separating all three nations.

More Than Just a Number

Life expectancy estimates how long a newborn could be expected to live if current mortality patterns remained the same. It does not predict how long every individual will live.

The figure is influenced by several factors, including access to healthcare, disease prevention, infant mortality, nutrition, public safety, education and overall living conditions.

Puerto Rico, Chile and Costa Rica’s strong results highlight the progress parts of Latin America have made in healthcare and longevity. However, the differences across the region also reveal continuing inequalities in access to medical services and economic opportunities.

As Latin Americans live longer, governments will also face growing pressure to strengthen healthcare, pensions and support for aging populations.

The figures shown are projections based on United Nations Population Division estimates and may differ from national statistics or figures calculated for other years.