Latest World Health Organization Statistics

LONGEVITY. Japanese live longest (women, 82.5 years; men, 76.1). Average lifespan in Africa: 52.6.

OVERALL MORTALITY. Leading cause of death: heart attacks and strokes (25% of all deaths). Highest auto death rate: Suriname (33.5 deaths per 100,000 people). Lowest: Malta (1.6 per 100,000).

INFANT MORTALITY. Number of children who die before age 5: 12.9 million. Percentage of those deaths caused by malaria: 20% to 30%.