Life expectancy at birth

215 countries, 2024. Unit: years.

First in the ranking
86.5 years
Monaco
Median country
74.7 years
half above, half below
World
73.5 years
World Bank aggregate
Range
54.6 to 86.5
Nigeria - Monaco

How to read it

Across 215 countries worldwide, the highest value is in Monaco (86.5 years) and the lowest in Nigeria (54.6 years).

The median country is at 74.7 years: half are above, half below.

For the world as a whole, the value rose from 66.2 years in 1995 to 73.5 years in 2024.

Life expectancy at birth indicates the number of years a newborn infant would live if prevailing patterns of mortality at the time of its birth were to stay the same throughout its life.

Compare selected countries · on the world map

Source: World Population Prospects, United Nations (UN), uri: UN Population Division; Statistical databases and publications from national statistical offices… · via World Bank WDI (SP.DYN.LE00.IN) · licence

Life expectancy over time

years

Add to chart:

Ranking of countries

2024
In chart Continent Share of the highest value
1Monaco86.5Europe
2San Marino85.8Europe
3Hong Kong85.4Asia
4Kuwait84.6Asia
5Switzerland84.4Europe
6Liechtenstein84.2Europe
7French Polynesia84.2Oceania
8Andorra84.2Europe
9Sweden84.1Europe
10Japan84.0Asia
11Italy84.0Europe
12Spain83.9Europe
13South Korea83.6Asia
14Singapore83.3Asia
15Macao83.3Asia
16Israel83.2Asia
17Luxembourg83.2Europe
18Norway83.2Europe
19Faroe Islands83.1Europe
20United Arab Emirates83.1Asia
21Australia83.1Oceania
22Ireland83.0Europe
23France83.0Europe
24Malta83.0Europe
25Iceland82.8Europe
26Qatar82.5Asia
27Bermuda82.5North America
28Portugal82.4Europe
29Finland82.3Europe
30Belgium82.3Europe
31Slovenia82.3Europe
32Denmark82.3Europe
33Canada82.1North America
34New Zealand82.0Oceania
35Austria82.0Europe
36Netherlands82.0Europe
37Puerto Rico81.9North America
38Greece81.8Europe
39Cyprus81.8Asia
40Bahrain81.4Asia
41United Kingdom81.4Europe
42Chile81.4South America
43Maldives81.3Asia
44Isle of Man81.1Europe
45Costa Rica81.0North America
46Germany80.8Europe
47United States Virgin Islands80.8North America
48Cayman Islands80.5North America
49Saint-Martin80.4North America
50Oman80.2Asia
51Czechia80.0Europe
52Albania79.8Europe
53Panama79.8North America
54Estonia79.3Europe
55Saudi Arabia79.0Asia
56Northern Mariana Islands78.9Oceania
57Croatia78.9Europe
58New Caledonia78.9Oceania
59United States78.9North America
60Poland78.4Europe
61Slovakia78.4Europe
62Armenia78.3Asia
63Uruguay78.3South America
64Cuba78.3North America
65Kosovo78.2Europe
66Turks and Caicos Islands78.2North America
67Bosnia and Herzegovina78.0Europe
68China78.0Asia
69Jordan78.0Asia
70Lebanon77.9Asia
71Peru77.9South America
72Colombia77.9South America
73Montenegro77.9Europe
74Iran77.9Asia
75Antigua and Barbuda77.8North America
76Sri Lanka77.7Asia
77Ecuador77.6South America
78Argentina77.5South America
79British Virgin Islands77.4North America
80Guam77.4Oceania
81Türkiye77.4Asia
82Lithuania77.2Europe
83Curaçao77.0North America
84Malaysia76.8Asia
85Hungary76.7Europe
86Tunisia76.7Africa
87North Macedonia76.6Europe
88Thailand76.6Asia
89Sint Maarten76.5North America
90Aruba76.5North America
91Algeria76.5Africa
92Romania76.5Europe
93Latvia76.4Europe
94Barbados76.3North America
95Seychelles76.3Africa
96Cabo Verde76.2Africa
97Brazil76.0South America
98Serbia76.0Europe
99Bulgaria75.8Europe
100Brunei75.5Asia
101Morocco75.5Africa
102Grenada75.4North America
103Mexico75.3North America
104Nicaragua75.1North America
105Bangladesh74.9Asia
106Vietnam74.7Asia
107Bahamas74.7North America
108Ukraine74.7Europe
109Georgia74.7Asia
110Azerbaijan74.6Asia
111Kazakhstan74.5Asia
112Belarus74.4Europe
113Paraguay74.0South America
114Dominican Republic73.9North America
115Mauritius73.8Africa
116Suriname73.8South America
117North Korea73.7Asia
118Belize73.7North America
119Trinidad and Tobago73.6North America
120Russia73.4Europe
121Bhutan73.3Asia
122Tonga73.1Oceania
123Honduras73.0North America
124American Samoa73.0Oceania
125Saint Lucia72.8North America
126Guatemala72.7North America
127Venezuela72.7South America
128Syria72.6Asia
129Uzbekistan72.5Asia
130Iraq72.4Asia
131Kyrgyzstan72.4Asia
132Mongolia72.4Asia
133El Salvador72.3North America
134Saint Kitts and Nevis72.3North America
135India72.2Asia
136Tajikistan71.9Asia
137Samoa71.8Oceania
138Egypt71.8Africa
139Vanuatu71.7Oceania
140Jamaica71.6North America
141Saint Vincent and the Grenadines71.4North America
142Moldova71.3Europe
143Dominica71.3North America
144Indonesia71.3Asia
145Libya71.1Africa
146Cambodia70.8Asia
147Solomon Islands70.7Oceania
148Nepal70.6Asia
149Guyana70.3South America
150Greenland70.3North America
151Turkmenistan70.2Asia
152Philippines69.9Asia
153São Tomé and Principe69.9Africa
154Yemen69.4Asia
155Palau69.4Oceania
156Botswana69.3Africa
157Laos69.2Asia
158Palestine69.2Asia
159Senegal68.9Africa
160Eritrea68.9Africa
161Bolivia68.7South America
162Mauritania68.7Africa
163Gabon68.5Africa
164Uganda68.5Africa
165Rwanda68.0Africa
166Timor-Leste67.9Asia
167Pakistan67.8Asia
168Ethiopia67.6Africa
169Malawi67.6Africa
170Namibia67.5Africa
171Fiji67.5Oceania
172Federated States of Micronesia67.4Oceania
173Tuvalu67.3Oceania
174Tanzania67.2Africa
175Myanmar67.1Asia
176Marshall Islands67.1Oceania
177Comoros67.0Africa
178Kiribati66.6Oceania
179Zambia66.5Africa
180Sudan66.5Africa
181South Africa66.3Africa
182Afghanistan66.3Asia
183Papua New Guinea66.3Oceania
184Djibouti66.2Africa
185The Gambia66.1Africa
186Republic of the Congo66.0Africa
187Ghana65.7Africa
188Haiti65.1North America
189Angola64.8Africa
190Eswatini64.3Africa
191Guinea-Bissau64.3Africa
192Cameroon64.0Africa
193Equatorial Guinea63.9Africa
194Madagascar63.8Africa
195Kenya63.8Africa
196Burundi63.8Africa
197Mozambique63.8Africa
198Zimbabwe63.1Africa
199Togo62.9Africa
200Liberia62.3Africa
201Nauru62.3Oceania
202Côte d'Ivoire62.1Africa
203Democratic Republic of the Congo62.1Africa
204Sierra Leone62.0Africa
205Niger61.4Africa
206Burkina Faso61.3Africa
207Benin61.0Africa
208Guinea60.9Africa
209Mali60.7Africa
210Somalia59.0Africa
211Lesotho57.8Africa
212South Sudan57.7Africa
213Central African Republic57.7Africa
214Chad55.2Africa
215Nigeria54.6Africa
World Bank, WDI · SP.DYN.LE00.IN · 2024 · CC BY 4.0 Source and licence

Biggest changes, 2014-2024

% change · 215 countries

Largest increase

  1. Central African Republic 40.3 → 57.7 +43%
  2. South Sudan 45.6 → 57.7 +27%
  3. Eswatini 53.5 → 64.3 +20%
  4. Sierra Leone 54.3 → 62.0 +14%
  5. Namibia 59.3 → 67.5 +14%

Largest decrease

  1. Palestine 72.8 → 69.2 −5%
  2. Jamaica 72.4 → 71.6 −1%
  3. Mauritius 74.2 → 73.8 −1%
  4. Germany 81.1 → 80.8 0%
  5. Andorra 84.5 → 84.2 0%

Continents over time

median country of each continent

Life expectancy - continent medians

years

Africa Asia Europe North America South America Oceania

40 50 60 70 80 90 1960 Africa: 42.67 Asia: 51.81 Europe: 69.19 North America: 62.48 South America: 56.91 Oceania: 55.15 1961 Africa: 43.19 Asia: 52.51 Europe: 69.71 North America: 62.89 South America: 57.3 Oceania: 55.74 1962 Africa: 43.73 Asia: 53.48 Europe: 69.45 North America: 62.93 South America: 57.92 Oceania: 56.32 1963 Africa: 43.81 Asia: 54.08 Europe: 69.77 North America: 63.07 South America: 58.42 Oceania: 56.86 1964 Africa: 44.23 Asia: 54.87 Europe: 70.45 North America: 63.94 South America: 58.86 Oceania: 56.66 1965 Africa: 44.59 Asia: 55.69 Europe: 70.32 North America: 64.23 South America: 59.19 Oceania: 57.89 1966 Africa: 44.89 Asia: 56.57 Europe: 70.45 North America: 64.39 South America: 59.52 Oceania: 58.23 1967 Africa: 45.38 Asia: 57.16 Europe: 70.58 North America: 64.66 South America: 59.84 Oceania: 58.62 1968 Africa: 45.82 Asia: 57.45 Europe: 70.41 North America: 65.23 South America: 60.13 Oceania: 58.83 1969 Africa: 46.2 Asia: 57.75 Europe: 70.1 North America: 65.74 South America: 60.43 Oceania: 59.31 1970 Africa: 46.64 Asia: 58.02 Europe: 70.37 North America: 66.19 South America: 60.71 Oceania: 60.06 1971 Africa: 46.86 Asia: 58.32 Europe: 70.64 North America: 66.6 South America: 61.04 Oceania: 60.79 1972 Africa: 46.81 Asia: 58.65 Europe: 70.87 North America: 66.17 South America: 61.33 Oceania: 61.36 1973 Africa: 47.02 Asia: 59.5 Europe: 71.17 North America: 67.14 South America: 61.65 Oceania: 60.96 1974 Africa: 47.51 Asia: 59.34 Europe: 71.16 North America: 67.5 South America: 61.97 Oceania: 61.32 1975 Africa: 47.96 Asia: 60.9 Europe: 71.19 North America: 67.84 South America: 62.26 Oceania: 61.69 1976 Africa: 48.75 Asia: 60.87 Europe: 71.64 North America: 67.91 South America: 62.54 Oceania: 62.1 1977 Africa: 49.44 Asia: 61.43 Europe: 71.64 North America: 68.17 South America: 62.9 Oceania: 62.69 1978 Africa: 50.17 Asia: 61.61 Europe: 71.56 North America: 68.61 South America: 63.24 Oceania: 63.07 1979 Africa: 50.33 Asia: 62.07 Europe: 71.74 North America: 68.99 South America: 63.58 Oceania: 63.13 1980 Africa: 50.77 Asia: 62.44 Europe: 72.13 North America: 69.04 South America: 63.94 Oceania: 63.67 1981 Africa: 51.22 Asia: 63 Europe: 71.94 North America: 69.24 South America: 64.31 Oceania: 64.08 1982 Africa: 51.59 Asia: 63.47 Europe: 72.26 North America: 69.47 South America: 64.67 Oceania: 64.46 1983 Africa: 51.36 Asia: 64.22 Europe: 72.56 North America: 70 South America: 64.98 Oceania: 64.77 1984 Africa: 51.92 Asia: 64.81 Europe: 72.55 North America: 70.3 South America: 65.41 Oceania: 65.05 1985 Africa: 52.09 Asia: 65.34 Europe: 72.97 North America: 70.3 South America: 65.49 Oceania: 65.29 1986 Africa: 52.61 Asia: 65.87 Europe: 73.47 North America: 70.38 South America: 66.15 Oceania: 64.72 1987 Africa: 52.65 Asia: 66.38 Europe: 73.69 North America: 70.62 South America: 66.52 Oceania: 65.68 1988 Africa: 52.64 Asia: 66.03 Europe: 73.92 North America: 70.78 South America: 66.87 Oceania: 65.87 1989 Africa: 52.7 Asia: 67.37 Europe: 74.19 North America: 70.66 South America: 67.37 Oceania: 66.05 1990 Africa: 52.91 Asia: 67.82 Europe: 74.37 North America: 70.81 South America: 67.89 Oceania: 66.68 1991 Africa: 53.03 Asia: 68.25 Europe: 74.52 North America: 71 South America: 68.22 Oceania: 67.11 1992 Africa: 53.5 Asia: 68.29 Europe: 74.75 North America: 71.21 South America: 68.36 Oceania: 67.43 1993 Africa: 53.8 Asia: 68.37 Europe: 74.81 North America: 71.44 South America: 68.66 Oceania: 67.72 1994 Africa: 53.75 Asia: 69 Europe: 75.14 North America: 71.6 South America: 68.96 Oceania: 67.98 1995 Africa: 54 Asia: 69.01 Europe: 75.26 North America: 71.72 South America: 69.29 Oceania: 68.1 1996 Africa: 53.56 Asia: 69.42 Europe: 75.43 North America: 71.89 South America: 69.63 Oceania: 68.18 1997 Africa: 52.74 Asia: 69.54 Europe: 75.68 North America: 72.07 South America: 69.96 Oceania: 68.31 1998 Africa: 52.29 Asia: 69.79 Europe: 75.93 North America: 72.3 South America: 70.22 Oceania: 68.37 1999 Africa: 52.45 Asia: 70.18 Europe: 76.02 North America: 72.53 South America: 70.34 Oceania: 67.92 2000 Africa: 53.1 Asia: 70.58 Europe: 76.43 North America: 72.95 South America: 70.47 Oceania: 68.59 2001 Africa: 53.35 Asia: 70.96 Europe: 76.8 North America: 73.04 South America: 70.67 Oceania: 68.72 2002 Africa: 53.99 Asia: 71.43 Europe: 76.98 North America: 73.14 South America: 71.18 Oceania: 68.84 2003 Africa: 53.92 Asia: 71.74 Europe: 77.18 North America: 73.3 South America: 71.67 Oceania: 68.93 2004 Africa: 54.94 Asia: 71.57 Europe: 77.58 North America: 73.33 South America: 72.1 Oceania: 68.99 2005 Africa: 55.35 Asia: 72.62 Europe: 77.96 North America: 73.66 South America: 72.53 Oceania: 69.17 2006 Africa: 56.14 Asia: 72.82 Europe: 78.26 North America: 73.84 South America: 72.65 Oceania: 69.13 2007 Africa: 56.8 Asia: 72.93 Europe: 78.51 North America: 73.97 South America: 73.05 Oceania: 69.14 2008 Africa: 57.7 Asia: 72.81 Europe: 78.83 North America: 74.05 South America: 72.93 Oceania: 69.3 2009 Africa: 58.28 Asia: 72.69 Europe: 79.14 North America: 74.23 South America: 73.12 Oceania: 69.42 2010 Africa: 59.01 Asia: 73.42 Europe: 79.52 North America: 74.51 South America: 73.44 Oceania: 69.57 2011 Africa: 59.6 Asia: 73.64 Europe: 80.2 North America: 74.72 South America: 73.69 Oceania: 69.73 2012 Africa: 60.13 Asia: 73.74 Europe: 80.25 North America: 74.9 South America: 74.16 Oceania: 69.9 2013 Africa: 61.02 Asia: 73.98 Europe: 80.41 North America: 75.05 South America: 74.6 Oceania: 69.99 2014 Africa: 61.82 Asia: 73.5 Europe: 81.08 North America: 75.15 South America: 75.04 Oceania: 70.04 2015 Africa: 62.3 Asia: 74.27 Europe: 80.74 North America: 75.22 South America: 75.42 Oceania: 70.16 2016 Africa: 62.84 Asia: 74.43 Europe: 81.06 North America: 75.28 South America: 75.52 Oceania: 70.4 2017 Africa: 63.08 Asia: 74.48 Europe: 81.07 North America: 75.22 South America: 75.67 Oceania: 70.5 2018 Africa: 63.16 Asia: 74.55 Europe: 81.1 North America: 75.33 South America: 75.83 Oceania: 70.63 2019 Africa: 63.33 Asia: 74.63 Europe: 81.41 North America: 75.33 South America: 76.04 Oceania: 70.27 2020 Africa: 63.72 Asia: 73.83 Europe: 80.56 North America: 75.01 South America: 73.28 Oceania: 70.39 2021 Africa: 62.48 Asia: 73.54 Europe: 80.66 North America: 73.43 South America: 72.15 Oceania: 69.95 2022 Africa: 64.55 Asia: 74.38 Europe: 80.98 North America: 75.41 South America: 75.34 Oceania: 71.3 2023 Africa: 65.64 Asia: 74.63 Europe: 81.41 North America: 75.69 South America: 76.62 Oceania: 71.48 2024 Africa: 65.85 Asia: 74.83 Europe: 81.61 North America: 75.85 South America: 76.78 Oceania: 71.65 1960 1980 1990 2000 2024

By continent

median country
Africa 65.8 years
Asia 74.8 years
Europe 81.6 years
North America 75.8 years
South America 76.8 years
Oceania 71.7 years

Tick a country in the table to add it to the chart above, up to six at a time. The ranking uses the latest year for which at least half of the countries have a value; countries without a value that year are not listed.