The life expectancy for a baby born in the U.S. in 2009 is 78 years and two months, a new record. The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention reported the figure and said about 2.4 million people died in the U.S that year, 36,000 fewer than the year before. The infant mortality rate hit a record low of 6.42 deaths per 1,000 live births, a drop of nearly 3 percent from 2008. According to the CIA, which also tracks this stuff, the U.S. ranks 50th in the world. No. 1 is Monaco, where people can expect to live to be 89 years and eight months. Last is Angola, at 38 years, eight months.
