LISBON, May 31 (Xinhua) -- The Portuguese have increased their average life expectancy by 14.2 months over the last decade, according to the country's National Institute of Statistics (INE).

Between 2012 and 2022, there was an increase of 1.38 years for men, and 0.92 years for women, the INE data showed.

While in women this increase resulted mainly from a reduction in the mortality rate at 60 years and above, in men the increase came mainly from a reduction in mortality rates under the age of 60, INE reported.

During the period of the COVID-19 pandemic in the three years 2020 to 2022, the life expectancy of a Portuguese at birth was estimated at 80.96 years -- 78.05 years for men and 83.52 years for women. This represented an increase of 0.01 years from the previous three-year period.