Japan continued to top the list in life expectancy in 2004 at an average age of 82, the World Health Organization said in an annual report released Friday.

In a comparison with the WHO's 192 member states in 2004, the year of the latest survey, Monaco and San Marino were tied with Japan at 82 years, while Zimbabwe came last at 36 years, according to the World Health Report 2006.

By gender, Japanese women live the longest at 86 years, while men in Japan, Iceland and San Marino shared the top spot at 79 years.

Life expectancy at birth topped 80 years in 16 countries, an increase of three from 2003.