Life expectancy is a dramatic indicator of the poverty that affects a significant portion of the population. In Brazil, life expectancy has just reached 68 years, lower than that of countries with much lower GDP per capita such as China, Sri Lanka, Botswana and Jordan. In Latin America, Brazilian life expectancy is below average, below the indices from Mexico, Paraguay, Colombia, Venezuela, Argentina and even the Dominican Republic or El Savior.
Another significant vital indicator is infant mortality, which clearly reflects the consequences of malnutrition and the spread of diseases linked to poor sanitary and health conditions. The drop in infant mortality is one of the highlights of the 2000 Census. The rate dropped from 48 deaths per 1,000 live births in 1990 to 29.6 infant deaths ten years later. ‚ drop of nearly 38%. As a result, Brazil was below the target stipulated by the United Nations (UN). The Northeast was the region that made the most progress: the mortality rate dropped by almost 40%, to 44 deaths per 1,000 babies born alive. The index, however, remains above what is required by the UN.
Life expectancy is the number a newborn can expect to live, on average.