The fact that Italy is one of the oldest countries in the world is not something new. Life expectancy at birth, in fact, is quite high and above the EU average: 78.8 years for men and 84.1 for women. This is mainly due to the fact that, over the past 30 years, the mortality rate has halved. In particular, deaths from cancer and cardiovascular diseases, which have fallen, respectively by 20% and 60%. Not to mention that the number of child deaths has significantly reduced too. These improvements, although life expectancy is still longer in the Centre-North, were recorded in all the Italian regions. Greatly reducing the disadvantage of the South, which has always characterized this Country. This is the picture that emerges from the Report on the State of Health of the Country 2009-2010 prepared by the Ministry of Health.
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