Life expectancy in Scotland remains lower than in many EU countries

Although Scotland has seen “considerable” improvement in life expectancy over the past 25 years, Scottish men are expected to live about four years less than those in European countries with the highest life expectancy and women about five years less, new figures show.

Only eastern European countries such as Hungary, Bulgaria, and Slovakia have a lower life expectancy, says the 2009 population report from the Scottish registrar general.

Overall the figures show that life expectancy in Scotland is improving. A man born in …