Israel’s Central Bureau of Statistics reports that 93% of Israelis say they are ‘happy’ or ‘very happy’ with their lives
• 30’s & 40’s year-olds are less happy
• Life expectancy for both Israeli men & women has increased by more than a decade since 1973.

By Zeev Klein

Israel just missed out on a place in the top 10 happiest countries on a list compiled by the Organization of Economic Cooperation and Development and was ranked No. 11.

Friends enjoying Saturday night dinner & drinks, by the Hatzbani River in northern Israel – Photo: IsraelandStuff/PP

However, Israel still came out ahead of Germany, the U.S., Japan, Italy, Ireland, Luxembourg, the Czech Republic, Britain, Brazil, France and Mexico.

According to data from Israel’s Central Bureau of Statistics, over 93% of Israelis say they are happy or very happy with their lives. The happiest age groups were 20-24, 55-59, and 65-74. The number of Israelis aged 30-39, 45-49, and over 75 who said they were happy was lower, but still over 85%.

Israel also ranked 11th in terms of life expectancy, according to the OECD. The average Israeli lives 82.45 years, compared to the OECD average of 80.5. Countries with longer average life expectancy than Israel included Japan, Spain, Australia and most of Scandinavia. Israelis live, on average, longer than Canadians, Austrians, Belgians, Greeks, British, Danes, Germans, Americans, Turks, Poles, Hungarians and Mexicans.

The average life expectancy for women in Israel was 84.2 in 2017, compared to 79.5 in 1995 and 73.9 in 1975. The average life expectancy for men was 80.7 in 2017, compared to 75.5 in 1995 and 70.3 in 1973. Since the 1973 Yom Kippur War, the average life expectancy for both men and women in Israel has increased by more than 10 years.

View original Israel Hayom publication at:
http://www.israelhayom.com/2017/12/31/israel-ranked-no-11-on-oecd-list-of-worlds-happiest-countries/