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Singapore had the highest life expectancy at birth of all the Southeast Asian countries in 2023, with its citizens expected to live to an average of **** years. Falling behind by almost 20 years was Myanmar, with a life expectancy of **** years old at birth as of 2023. Interestingly, Singapore made the top ten of countries with the highest average life expectancy worldwide.

Increasing life expectancy

Life expectancy throughout the Southeast Asian region has been rising throughout recent years, likely due to improved healthcare systems. Improvements brought about by increasing healthcare expenditures. The East Asian region also joined Southeast Asia in displaying higher life expectancies at birth, with Hong Kong and Macao all exhibiting life expectancies at birth of over 85 years old. 

Improved healthcare

Thailand, the Philippines and Singapore are just some of the Southeast Asian governments which have released successful universal healthcare plans. As the region faces an aging population, there has been more demand for effective healthcare. Healthcare has been improving not just in the Southeast Asian region but throughout the whole Asia Pacific region, with many countries exhibiting near perfect child immunization rates, offering its citizens better healthcare from birth. With these improvements made, it does not seem surprising that life expectancy at birth has increased.