Female life expectancy at birth in all countries (EU average 83.6 years) exceeded that of males (EU average 78.2 years). The average gender difference in Central and Eastern European countries (7.7 years) was greater than the EU average (5.4 years) and significantly greater than the average for the other EU countries (4.7 years). So the gender gap in life expectancy is greater in the EU countries that have higher mortality.