FIFTH REPORT - World Health Organization

6 FIFTH REPORT ON THE WORLD HEALTH SITUATION
mortality rates. In the least developed countries the
general mortality rate, where it is known, is still high
(above 18 -20 per thousand). In the developing countries
where the health services can reach a high proportion
of the population the general mortality rate
drops rapidly and may fall below five per thousand.
In the developed countries it rises again to about
10 per thousand because of the growing number of
people over 65 -those who have reached or who exceed
the average life expectancy. This situation is illustrated
in graphs 1, 2 and 3.
Graph 1 shows the distribution of the populations
of the six WHO regions according to crude mortality
rate. The distribution of the countries in the African
Region shows the existence of two subregions. The
histogram for the Americas is more homogeneous
since it relates to a group of developed countries and
countries that are less developed but have a young
population. The countries of South -East Asia are at a
fairly comparable stage of development. The histogram
for Europe tapers off at rather high mean values
because of the large proportion of old people. The
countries of the Eastern Mediterranean Region have
reached varying levels of development, which explains
the heterogeneous nature of the graph. Finally, the
histogram for the Western Pacific is influenced by the
rate for the vast population of the People's Republic
GRAPH 2.
PERCENTAGE DISTRIBUTION OF POPULATIONS BY MEAN LIFE EXPECTANCY
AT BIRTH IN THE WHO REGIONS
(1970 or latest available data)
100
80
60
40
20
0
80
60
40
20
0
80
60
40
20
0
80
60
40
20
0
80
60
40
20
0
80
60
40
20
0
80
60
40
20
o
AFRICA
AMERICAS
SOUTH -EAST ASIA
EUROPE
EASTERN MEDITERRANEAN
WESTERN PACIFIC
WORLD
25 30 35 40 45 50 55 60 65
Mean life expectancy (years)
70 75
Percentage of
population to
which the
calculation
applies
Total
population
(millions)
99.5 234.6
72.1 509.5
27.5 721.0
99.6 769.7
98.6 284.7
92.3 1049.0
78.3 3608.5