# Which Country's Life Expectacy Crashed in 1940-1941 **URL:** \ **Category:** Factual Questions\ **Created:** [January 7, 2011, 6:28am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/which-countrys-life-expectacy-crashed-in-1940-1941/566722 "2011-01-07T06:28:56Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 14\ **Page:** 2
**Author:** ![Derleth](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/b9e5f3/32.png) [@Derleth](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Derleth)\ **Post date:** [January 9, 2011, 8:06am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/which-countrys-life-expectacy-crashed-in-1940-1941/566722/21 "2011-01-09T08:06:19Z")
> [@Boyo\_Jim](#): > > Iceland is the strangest at all. It takes 3 separate dips down to practically zero during the 19th century. Might be related to [this](https://www.nytimes.com/2008/12/05/business/worldbusiness/05iht-iceland.4.18445521.html): > [@](#): > > Iceland’s biggest wave of emigration was in the late 1800s and early 1900s. Then, 15,000 out of a total population of 70,000 left, joining a flow to North America from countries including Norway, Sweden and Ireland. I can’t see anything else happening in Iceland in that timeframe that would have such an effect. ---
**Author:** ![flodnak](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/f/838e76/32.png) [@flodnak](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/flodnak)\ **Post date:** [January 9, 2011, 10:30am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/which-countrys-life-expectacy-crashed-in-1940-1941/566722/22 "2011-01-09T10:30:51Z")
> [@Boyo\_Jim](#): > > Iceland is the strangest at all. It takes 3 separate dips down to practically zero during the 19th century. My guess: crop failures or vulcanism… or crop failures _due to_ vulcanism. When you’re out on an island in the middle of the North Atlantic, and something goes wrong, help is a long, long way away - at least until reliable phone connections and air travel come along. When the island is made of volcanoes that can pump out toxic gasses, well, things are going to go wrong from time to time. ---
**Author:** ![fiddlesticks](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/fiddlesticks/32/18129_2.png) [@fiddlesticks](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/fiddlesticks)\ **Post date:** [January 10, 2011, 4:38pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/which-countrys-life-expectacy-crashed-in-1940-1941/566722/23 "2011-01-10T16:38:46Z")
The eruption of the Laki volcano in Iceland from 1783-1784 wiped out a quarter of the population and a larger portion of the country’s livestock, but I’m guessing that this event isn’t being captured by this “last 200 years” plot. Wikipedia suggests that most of the population drop in Iceland in the 19th century was emigration due to worsening climate and better opportunities in the New World. ---
**Author:** ![Boyo\_Jim](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/b/87869e/32.png) [@Boyo\_Jim](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Boyo_Jim)\ **Post date:** [January 10, 2011, 4:54pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/which-countrys-life-expectacy-crashed-in-1940-1941/566722/24 "2011-01-10T16:54:31Z")
Yes, but if you [run the chart with Iceland isolated](http://www.gapminder.org/world/#$majorMode=chart$is;shi=t;ly=2003;lb=f;il=t;fs=11;al=0;stl=t;st=t;nsl=t;se=t$wst;tts=C$ts;sp=5.59290322580644;ti=1945$zpv;v=0$inc_x;mmid=XCOORDS;iid=phAwcNAVuyj1jiMAkmq1iMg;by=ind$inc_y;mmid=YCOORDS;iid=phAwcNAVuyj2tPLxKvvnNPA;by=ind$inc_s;uniValue=8.21;iid=phAwcNAVuyj0XOoBL_n5tAQ;by=ind$inc_c;uniValue=255;gid=CATID0;by=grp$map_x;scale=log;dataMin=295;dataMax=79210$map_y;scale=lin;dataMin=19;dataMax=86$map_s;sma=49;smi=2.65$cd;bd=0$inds=i100_t001800,,,,;modified=75), there are 3 distinct and extremely sharp spikes (1846, 1860, and 1882) when the life expectancy dips below twenty. These do not appear to be obviously related to emigration over the course of a century. ---
**Author:** ![Boyo\_Jim](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/b/87869e/32.png) [@Boyo\_Jim](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Boyo_Jim)\ **Post date:** [January 10, 2011, 5:02pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/which-countrys-life-expectacy-crashed-in-1940-1941/566722/25 "2011-01-10T17:02:14Z")
Doing a little more googling, I found [this article](http://www.sciencedirect.com/science?_ob=ArticleURL&_udi=B6WJN-4D5W1FY-4D&_user=10&_coverDate=10%2F31%2F1983&_rdoc=1&_fmt=high&_orig=search&_origin=search&_sort=d&_docanchor=&view=c&_searchStrId=1602305208&_rerunOrigin=google&_acct=C000050221&_version=1&_urlVersion=0&_userid=10&md5=110253b5d96547fa9526c0d68acbe428&searchtype=a) about measles epidemics in Iceland in 1846 and 1882. I wasn’t aware measles was so deadly, so I’m not certain of how strong this link might be. ---
**Author:** ![Boyo\_Jim](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/b/87869e/32.png) [@Boyo\_Jim](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Boyo_Jim)\ **Post date:** [January 10, 2011, 5:04pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/which-countrys-life-expectacy-crashed-in-1940-1941/566722/26 "2011-01-10T17:04:23Z")
I’m gonna do a GQ question about this. ---
**Author:** ![even\_sven](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/e/dfb087/32.png) [@even\_sven](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/even_sven)\ **Post date:** [January 10, 2011, 5:50pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/which-countrys-life-expectacy-crashed-in-1940-1941/566722/27 "2011-01-10T17:50:08Z")
I’d suspect that a one-time sharp drop to zero represents a lack of available data. ---
**Author:** ![Neidhart](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/n/bbe5ce/32.png) [@Neidhart](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Neidhart)\ **Post date:** [January 11, 2011, 12:24am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/which-countrys-life-expectacy-crashed-in-1940-1941/566722/28 "2011-01-11T00:24:49Z")
Life expectancy in the Philippines crashed to 13 in 1902. The guerilla war against the US occupation? I didn’t know casualties were that high. ---
**Author:** ![Boyo\_Jim](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/b/87869e/32.png) [@Boyo\_Jim](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Boyo_Jim)\ **Post date:** [January 11, 2011, 12:36am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/which-countrys-life-expectacy-crashed-in-1940-1941/566722/29 "2011-01-11T00:36:30Z")
> [@Neidhart](#): > > Life expectancy in the Philippines crashed to 13 in 1902. The guerilla war against the US occupation? I didn’t know casualties were that high. From what I’ve been reading, life expectancy is much more related to infant mortality than adult mortality. Combat casualties would be hardly a blip. But if crops are destroyed and disease runs through the populations, and hits newborns,life expectancy for people born at that time drops through the floor. I’m not certain how pregnancy or birth rates figure in. I would guess that there are a lot fewer pregnancies during times of tremendous social upheaval. ---
**Author:** ![BMax](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/bmax/32/4267_2.png) [@BMax](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/BMax)\ **Post date:** [January 11, 2011, 2:28am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/which-countrys-life-expectacy-crashed-in-1940-1941/566722/30 "2011-01-11T02:28:50Z")
What was life expectancy in Cambodia in the 70’s under Pol Pot? 15? ---
**Author:** ![Boyo\_Jim](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/b/87869e/32.png) [@Boyo\_Jim](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Boyo_Jim)\ **Post date:** [January 11, 2011, 3:14am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/which-countrys-life-expectacy-crashed-in-1940-1941/566722/31 "2011-01-11T03:14:06Z")
[Cambodia life expectancy](http://www.gapminder.org/world/#$majorMode=chart$is;shi=t;ly=2003;lb=f;il=t;fs=11;al=0;stl=t;st=t;nsl=t;se=t$wst;tts=C$ts;sp=5.59290322580644;ti=1981$zpv;v=1$inc_x;mmid=XCOORDS;iid=ti;by=ind$inc_y;mmid=YCOORDS;iid=phAwcNAVuyj2tPLxKvvnNPA;by=ind$inc_s;uniValue=8.21;iid=phAwcNAVuyj0XOoBL_n5tAQ;by=ind$inc_c;uniValue=255;gid=CATID0;by=grp$map_x;scale=lin;dataMin=1957;dataMax=1989$map_y;scale=lin;dataMin=30;dataMax=47$map_s;sma=49;smi=2.65$cd;bd=0$inds=i35_t001923,,,,) during the 70’s bottomed out at about 33 [The Irish Potato Famine](http://www.gapminder.org/world/#$majorMode=chart$is;shi=t;ly=2003;lb=f;il=t;fs=11;al=0;stl=t;st=t;nsl=t;se=t$wst;tts=C$ts;sp=5.59290322580644;ti=1852$zpv;v=1$inc_x;mmid=XCOORDS;iid=ti;by=ind$inc_y;mmid=YCOORDS;iid=phAwcNAVuyj2tPLxKvvnNPA;by=ind$inc_s;uniValue=8.21;iid=phAwcNAVuyj0XOoBL_n5tAQ;by=ind$inc_c;uniValue=255;gid=CATID0;by=grp$map_x;scale=lin;dataMin=1841;dataMax=1862$map_y;scale=log;dataMin=19;dataMax=39$map_s;sma=49;smi=2.65$cd;bd=0$inds=i105_t001836,,,,), 1840s [Rwandan genocide](http://www.gapminder.org/world/#$majorMode=chart$is;shi=t;ly=2003;lb=f;il=t;fs=11;al=0;stl=t;st=t;nsl=t;se=t$wst;tts=C$ts;sp=5.59290322580644;ti=2005$zpv;v=1$inc_x;mmid=XCOORDS;iid=ti;by=ind$inc_y;mmid=YCOORDS;iid=phAwcNAVuyj2tPLxKvvnNPA;by=ind$inc_s;uniValue=8.21;iid=phAwcNAVuyj0XOoBL_n5tAQ;by=ind$inc_c;uniValue=255;gid=CATID0;by=grp$map_x;scale=lin;dataMin=1977;dataMax=2012$map_y;scale=lin;dataMin=18;dataMax=53$map_s;sma=49;smi=2.65$cd;bd=0$inds=i185_t001923,,,,), 1993 [Great Chinese Famine](http://www.gapminder.org/world/#$majorMode=chart$is;shi=t;ly=2003;lb=f;il=t;fs=11;al=0;stl=t;st=t;nsl=t;se=t$wst;tts=C$ts;sp=5.59290322580644;ti=1969$zpv;v=1$inc_x;mmid=XCOORDS;iid=ti;by=ind$inc_y;mmid=YCOORDS;iid=phAwcNAVuyj2tPLxKvvnNPA;by=ind$inc_s;uniValue=8.21;iid=phAwcNAVuyj0XOoBL_n5tAQ;by=ind$inc_c;uniValue=255;gid=CATID0;by=grp$map_x;scale=lin;dataMin=1924;dataMax=1992$map_y;scale=lin;dataMin=25;dataMax=68$map_s;sma=49;smi=2.65$cd;bd=0$inds=i44_t001945,,,,) - 1958-1961 ---
**Author:** ![BigT](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/bigt/32/12044_2.png) [@BigT](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/BigT)\ **Post date:** [January 11, 2011, 3:36am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/which-countrys-life-expectacy-crashed-in-1940-1941/566722/32 "2011-01-11T03:36:31Z")
> [@even\_sven](#): > > I’d suspect that a one-time sharp drop to zero represents a lack of available data. Which, in my opinion, is poor graph design. No data should indicate as such, and extrapolate from most recent trend. I know this chart is computerized, but it ought to be able to handle that. ---
**Author:** ![Boyo\_Jim](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/b/87869e/32.png) [@Boyo\_Jim](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Boyo_Jim)\ **Post date:** [January 11, 2011, 4:06am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/which-countrys-life-expectacy-crashed-in-1940-1941/566722/33 "2011-01-11T04:06:03Z")
Though I haven’t looked at every year for every country, there are no instances where the life expectancy drops to zero. If there are data gaps it is being handled some other way. Possibly some of the dots representing countries just disappear off the chart in years when there is no data, though I haven’t noticed any such instances. Every sharp drop that I’ve looked at has a corresponding historical event that can explain the drop. I think the data is pretty solid. ---
**Author:** ![Manduck](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/manduck/32/256_2.png) [@Manduck](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Manduck)\ **Post date:** [January 11, 2011, 4:30am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/which-countrys-life-expectacy-crashed-in-1940-1941/566722/34 "2011-01-11T04:30:02Z")
> [@flodnak](#): > > My guess: crop failures or vulcanism… or crop failures _due to_ vulcanism. But Vulcans are supposed to live long and prosper! I think it must have been klingonism. [Previous page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/which-countrys-life-expectacy-crashed-in-1940-1941/566722.md?page=1)