On April 7th, World Health Day, the WHO World Health Report 2006 was published revealing that Japan again topped the list for life expectancy, with women living to an average of 86 years, while men reach 79 years, sharing the top spot with men in Iceland and San Marino. The figures give an average life expectancy of 82 years for the nation.

Life expectancy at birth reached over 80 years in 16 countries, an increase of three from the previous report.

The above figures contrast dramatically with those for Zimbabwe, where life expectancy is now 34 years for women and 37 for men.

WHO linked this shocking statistic to the high incidence of HIV/AIDS, and said that in just one year Zimbabwean women's lives had become, on average, two years shorter.

Interestingly, WHO announced last year that Zimbabwe had become the first country in sub-Saharan Africa to record a decline in HIV/AIDS infection, to about a fifth of the population, apparently because of improved information campaigns and use of condoms.

According to the WHO report, all ten countries with the world's lowest life expectancy are in Africa. People in Swaziland and Sierra Leone are also expected to die before they reach the age of 40.