The life tables in this report are current life tables for the United States based on age-specific death rates in 1997. Beginning with the 1997 tables, U.S. life tables have been constructed with a new methodology that is similar to that used in the decennial life tables. Life expectancy and other tables are shown for the first time for ages 85 to 100. The report contains life tables by age, race, and sex. In 1997, the overall expectation of life at birth was 76.5 years, an increase of 0.4 years compared with life expectancy in 1996. Life expectancy increased from 1996 to 1997 for each of the four race-sex groups for which life expectancy is reported. Life expectancy increased for black males by 1.1 year (from 66.1 to 67.2), for black females by 0.5 year (from 74.2 to 74.7), for white males by 0.4 year, and for white females by 0.2 year. Technical notes explain the ways the tables were computed. (Contains 12 tables, 3 figures, and 17 references.) (SLD)