Between 1934 and 1964, the Dutch repeatedly enjoyed the highest life expectancy in the world. Since then, both men and women experienced a long period of stagnation and by now life expectancy in... Show moreBetween 1934 and 1964, the Dutch repeatedly enjoyed the highest life expectancy in the world. Since then, both men and women experienced a long period of stagnation and by now life expectancy in the Netherlands has been surpassed by many countries. It has dropped from its first place position to the ninth place in the European Union (EU-15). As a longer life expectancy reflects the fact that good health is being maintained for longer, it is of key importance to better understand differences in life expectancy among countries. Show less