[Increasing life expectancy--what are the promises of demography?].

The prospects for a longer life are improving, for life expectancy is growing continuously. In Germany new-born boys are looking forward to 74.4 years, girls even to 80.6 years of life. But Germany is only mid-range internationally. As there is a linear trend for 160 years, it seems realistic that life expectancy in top countries will be 100 years in 2060. If we look more thoroughly we find that there are important differences in Germany. Whereas the southern parts are in the pole position, the former East Germany is at the bottom of the league. This separation is apparently caused by the different political systems in postwar Germany. There are even more differences if smaller regions are examined. The reasons for these differences are due to many influences, including personal features, conditions of life, lifestyle and, of course, medical treatment. As these factors are partly determined by individual behavior, people are partly responsible for their life and therefore also for the further development of life expectancy.