Until World War II the average life expectancy in Latvia were comparable to, or even slightly better than, the average figures for Europe. Even at the end of the 1950s, male life expectancy in the Baltic states remained higher than in Eastern and Southern Europe on the whole. For females it was higher than average level in Europe. However, during the following decades, this position was lost. Only from 1990 till 1995 life expectancy decreased by four years for males and for females. More than 80% of the total life expectancy decrease was due to mortality increase in working ages. Diseases of circulatory system contributed in that decrease by almost 50 per cent, but accidents, poisonings and injuries - by 36 per cent for males and 29 per cent for females. Currently, the average life expectancy at birth in Latvia is one of the lowest in Europe. However, the average life expectancy increased in the last years.