Life expectancy at birth 2024

Life expectancy at birth measures the average years a newborn is expected to live, reflecting a country's health standards and quality of life. This vital statistic highlights disparities in healthcare and living conditions across nations, making it essential for global health assessments.

236 data points•Updated 11/4/2025•World•United Nations Population Division•

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Complete Data Rankings

Rank
1	Monaco	88.626 years
2	China, Hong Kong SAR	88.262 years
3	Japan	87.879 years
4	South Korea	87.283 years
5	San Marino	87.215 years
6	Saint Barthélemy	86.92 years
7	French Polynesia	86.625 years
8	Réunion	86.449 years
9	Spain	86.436 years
10	Singapore	86.358 years
11	Andorra	86.24 years
12	France	86.203 years
13	Gibraltar	86.192 years
14	Switzerland	85.947 years
15	Italy	85.873 years
16	Bermuda	85.872 years
17	Australia	85.845 years
18	Martinique	85.73 years
19	Guadeloupe	85.652 years
20	Guernsey	85.636 years
21	Liechtenstein	85.397 years
22	Malta	85.386 years
23	Puerto Rico	85.376 years
24	China, Macao SAR	85.352 years
25	Portugal	85.252 years
26	Sweden	85.224 years
27	Norway	84.966 years
28	Canada	84.913 years
29	Finland	84.789 years
30	Israel	84.712 years
31	Ireland	84.605 years
32	Slovenia	84.467 years
33	Iceland	84.465 years
34	Greece	84.456 years
35	Belgium	84.448 years
36	Austria	84.446 years
37	United Arab Emirates	84.319 years
38	Denmark	83.976 years
39	Saint Martin (French part)	83.963 years
40	Luxembourg	83.941 years
41	New Zealand	83.886 years
42	Germany	83.878 years
43	Netherlands	83.854 years
44	Cyprus	83.8 years
45	Taiwan	83.749 years
46	Costa Rica	83.575 years
47	Qatar	83.479 years
48	United Kingdom	83.325 years
49	Chile	83.228 years
50	Isle of Man	83.202 years
51	Estonia	83.169 years
52	Cayman Islands	83.004 years
53	Maldives	83 years
54	Anguilla	82.785 years
55	Czech Republic	82.747 years
56	Panama	82.708 years
57	Faroe Islands	82.677 years
58	Poland	82.487 years
59	Bahrain	82.127 years
60	Oman	82.046 years
61	Uruguay	82.043 years
62	Kuwait	81.999 years
63	United States	81.982 years
64	Jersey	81.863 years
65	Croatia	81.823 years
66	Slovakia	81.709 years
67	Saint Pierre and Miquelon	81.638 years
68	Albania	81.593 years
69	Guam	81.589 years
70	United States Virgin Islands	81.476 years
71	New Caledonia	81.409 years
72	Falkland Islands (Malvinas)	81.338 years
73	Saudi Arabia	81.33 years
74	Bosnia and Herzegovina	81.068 years
75	Thailand	80.978 years
76	China	80.966 years
77	Curaçao	80.962 years
78	Northern Mariana Islands	80.867 years
79	Lithuania	80.798 years
80	Sri Lanka	80.746 years
81	Saint Helena	80.738 years
82	Cuba	80.682 years
83	Colombia	80.613 years
84	Latvia	80.602 years
85	Turks and Caicos Islands	80.449 years
86	Montenegro	80.447 years
87	Antigua and Barbuda	80.446 years
88	Turkey	80.342 years
89	Jordan	80.335 years
90	Hungary	80.327 years
91	Bonaire, Sint Eustatius and Saba	80.309 years
92	Ecuador	80.305 years
93	Peru	80.3 years
94	Kosovo	80.281 years
95	British Virgin Islands	80.186 years
96	Serbia	80.183 years
97	French Guiana	80.147 years
98	Argentina	80.02 years
99	Lebanon	79.857 years
100	Iran	79.81 years
101	Wallis and Futuna Islands	79.729 years
102	North Macedonia	79.705 years
103	Romania	79.684 years
104	Sint Maarten (Dutch part)	79.656 years
105	Armenia	79.595 years
106	Malaysia	79.521 years
107	Ukraine	79.393 years
108	Vietnam	79.382 years
109	Cabo Verde	79.367 years
110	Bulgaria	79.356 years
111	Tunisia	79.332 years
112	Georgia	79.233 years
113	Belarus	79.223 years
114	Cook Islands	79.192 years
115	Russia	79.186 years
116	Brazil	79.145 years
117	Tokelau	79.033 years
118	Montserrat	78.953 years
119	Aruba	78.918 years
120	Barbados	78.763 years
121	Kazakhstan	78.515 years
122	Mayotte	78.506 years
123	Grenada	78.504 years
124	Mauritius	78.339 years
125	Bahamas	78.327 years
126	Mexico	77.999 years
127	Algeria	77.912 years
128	Morocco	77.777 years
129	Brunei Darussalam	77.733 years
130	Nicaragua	77.577 years
131	Azerbaijan	77.285 years
132	Dominican Republic	77.105 years
133	Paraguay	77.09 years
134	Suriname	76.979 years
135	Trinidad and Tobago	76.825 years
136	Bangladesh	76.667 years
137	Seychelles	76.663 years
138	Belize	76.663 years
139	Mongolia	76.657 years
140	Venezuela	76.655 years
141	Tonga	76.543 years
142	El Salvador	76.488 years
143	Saint Lucia	76.45 years
144	Saint Kitts and Nevis	76.156 years
145	American Samoa	75.994 years
146	North Korea	75.88 years
147	Republic of Moldova	75.672 years
148	Honduras	75.67 years
149	Uzbekistan	75.547 years
150	Kyrgyzstan	75.403 years
151	Bhutan	75.27 years
152	Guatemala	75.043 years
153	Syrian Arab Republic	74.916 years
154	Dominica	74.718 years
155	Saint Vincent and the Grenadines	74.476 years
156	State of Palestine	74.252 years
157	Iraq	74.184 years
158	Jamaica	74.146 years
159	Tajikistan	74.141 years
160	Vanuatu	74.113 years
161	Guyana	74.091 years
162	Egypt	74.009 years
163	Sao Tome and Principe	73.909 years
164	India	73.856 years
165	Samoa	73.822 years
166	Western Sahara	73.771 years
167	Indonesia	73.434 years
168	Cambodia	73.357 years
169	Turkmenistan	73.006 years
170	Philippines	72.962 years
171	Niue	72.866 years
172	Libya	72.679 years
173	Greenland	72.601 years
174	Solomon Islands	72.176 years
175	Nepal	72.138 years
176	Palau	71.943 years
177	Botswana	71.851 years
178	Yemen	71.55 years
179	Laos	71.53 years
180	Namibia	71.477 years
181	Uganda	71.365 years
182	Bolivia	71.324 years
183	Micronesia (Fed. States of)	71.277 years
184	Gabon	71.243 years
185	Ethiopia	71.021 years
186	Senegal	71.012 years
187	Eritrea	70.944 years
188	Tuvalu	70.86 years
189	Malawi	70.773 years
190	Mauritania	70.729 years
191	Myanmar	70.378 years
192	Pakistan	70.322 years
193	Rwanda	70.138 years
194	Tanzania	70 years
195	Sudan	69.825 years
196	South Africa	69.792 years
197	Timor-Leste	69.672 years
198	Fiji	69.541 years
199	Marshall Islands	69.476 years
200	Papua New Guinea	69.211 years
201	Comoros	69.199 years
202	Zambia	68.874 years
203	Djibouti	68.741 years
204	Haiti	68.487 years
205	Kiribati	68.324 years
206	Ghana	68.16 years
207	Afghanistan	67.812 years
208	Gambia	67.752 years
209	Congo	67.715 years
210	Angola	67.344 years
211	Eswatini	67.106 years
212	Mozambique	66.743 years
213	Guinea-Bissau	66.546 years
214	Cameroon	66.225 years
215	Kenya	66.122 years
216	Equatorial Guinea	65.885 years
217	Burundi	65.881 years
218	Madagascar	65.601 years
219	Zimbabwe	65.313 years
220	Côte d'Ivoire	64.311 years
221	Congo, Democratic Republic of the	64.23 years
222	Nauru	64.187 years
223	Sierra Leone	63.695 years
224	Liberia	63.629 years
225	Burkina Faso	63.432 years
226	Togo	63.151 years
227	Benin	62.416 years
228	Niger	62.405 years
229	Mali	62.15 years
230	Guinea	62.085 years
231	Somalia	61.551 years
232	South Sudan	60.749 years
233	Lesotho	60.438 years
234	Central African Republic	59.562 years
235	Chad	57.193 years
236	Nigeria	54.939 years

↑Top 10 Countries

Analysis: These countries represent the highest values in this dataset, showcasing significant scale and impact on global statistics.

↓Bottom 10 Countries

Context: These countries or territories have the lowest values, often due to geographic size, administrative status, or specific characteristics.

Analysis & Context

Life expectancy at birth in 2024 stands as a crucial indicator of global health and societal development. This statistic reflects the average number of years a newborn is expected to live, based on prevailing mortality rates at their time of birth. Its importance lies not only in highlighting the health standards across nations but also in revealing significant disparities in healthcare access, quality of life, and socio-economic conditions. As we delve into the data for 2024, various trends and patterns emerge that provide insight into the state of global health.

Global Leaders and Laggards

In 2024, Monaco leads the world with a remarkable life expectancy at birth of 88.63 years, closely followed by China, Hong Kong SAR at 88.26 years. Japan and South Korea also showcase impressive figures, reflecting their robust healthcare systems and high standards of living. These countries underscore the success of comprehensive health policies, advanced medical technologies, and effective public health strategies. Conversely, the nations with the lowest life expectancies, such as Papua New Guinea and the Marshall Islands, highlight ongoing challenges. Papua New Guinea, with a life expectancy of 69.21 years, points to substantial healthcare and infrastructural deficits that many developing nations face.

Regional Disparities and Influences

The 2024 data also reveals pronounced regional disparities in life expectancy. European and East Asian countries dominate the upper echelons, while nations in the Oceania and Sub-Saharan Africa regions struggle with lower life expectancies. Factors contributing to these discrepancies include economic development, governmental stability, and cultural practices. For instance, the high life expectancy in Japan and South Korea, both exceeding 87 years, can be attributed to their healthcare systems, healthy diets, and social norms that emphasize community and physical activity. In contrast, countries with lower figures often grapple with economic hardships, political instability, and limited access to quality healthcare.

Impact of Global Events

Recent global events have left their mark on life expectancy figures. The COVID-19 pandemic, although waning, has had lingering effects on healthcare systems worldwide. Countries like Ukraine, which saw a decrease of 0.81 years, have faced additional challenges due to regional conflicts and economic turbulences. Meanwhile, nations such as the State of Palestine and Libya, experiencing significant gains of 2.75 and 2.26 years respectively, may reflect recovery efforts and improvements in healthcare infrastructure post-crisis. These shifts underscore the profound impact that both positive and negative global events can have on a nation’s life expectancy.

Demographic Implications and Future Outlook

The trends in life expectancy at birth hold significant demographic implications. Countries with higher life expectancies often face the challenges of an aging population, necessitating policies that address elderly care and sustainable healthcare financing. In contrast, nations with lower life expectancies might focus on improving maternal and child health services and tackling infectious diseases. Countries like South Korea and Japan are already adapting to these demographic shifts, implementing policies to support active aging and workforce participation among older adults. As life expectancy continues to rise globally, understanding and planning for these demographic changes remain crucial.

Policy Recommendations for Improvement

To bridge the gap in life expectancy between nations, policy interventions are essential. Countries can draw lessons from high-performing nations by investing in healthcare infrastructure, promoting healthy lifestyles, and ensuring equitable access to medical services. Encouraging international collaboration in healthcare research and adopting technology-driven solutions can also contribute to improved outcomes. For countries with lower life expectancies, targeted interventions aimed at reducing child mortality, combating infectious diseases, and improving nutrition can yield substantial benefits. As nations strive to enhance their citizens’ lifespan, these strategic directions offer a pathway toward achieving more equitable global health outcomes in 2024 and beyond.

Insights by country

Singapore

In 2024, Singapore boasts a remarkable life expectancy at birth of 86.3575 years, ranking it 10th out of 236 countries. This impressive statistic reflects the nation's commitment to health and well-being, supported by an efficient healthcare system, advanced medical technology, and a focus on preventive care.

Several factors contribute to Singapore's high life expectancy, including a robust public health infrastructure, a high standard of living, and a strong emphasis on education and health literacy among its population. Additionally, Singapore has consistently implemented policies aimed at promoting healthy lifestyles and reducing the prevalence of chronic diseases.

Furthermore, Singapore's low infant mortality rate and high rates of immunization and maternal health services play crucial roles in enhancing overall life expectancy. These factors, combined with a stable political environment and economic prosperity, underscore Singapore's position as a global leader in health outcomes.

Cabo Verde

Cabo Verde ranks 109th out of 236 countries in terms of life expectancy at birth for the year 2024, with an impressive average of 79.3671 years. This statistic reflects significant improvements in the country's healthcare system, increased availability of medical services, and advancements in public health policies.

The high life expectancy can be attributed to several factors, including a relatively stable political environment, effective disease control measures, and a focus on maternal and child health. Additionally, the country's economic development, driven by tourism and remittances, has contributed to better living conditions and access to education.

Interestingly, Cabo Verde's life expectancy is comparable to that of many developed nations, illustrating the success of its health initiatives. The country has also made strides in reducing infant and maternal mortality rates, further supporting its positive health outcomes.

Somalia

In 2024, Somalia ranks 231st out of 236 countries in terms of life expectancy at birth, with an average of 61.55 years. This statistic reflects the ongoing challenges faced by the nation, including protracted conflict, political instability, and limited access to healthcare services.

The low life expectancy can be attributed to several factors, including high rates of maternal and child mortality, infectious diseases, malnutrition, and the impacts of climate change that exacerbate food insecurity. Additionally, the healthcare infrastructure in Somalia is severely underdeveloped, which hinders effective medical care and public health initiatives.

Despite these challenges, Somalia has made some progress in recent years, with efforts to improve healthcare access and combat diseases such as tuberculosis and malaria. However, the country still faces significant hurdles that contribute to its low life expectancy, illustrating the complex interplay of health, socio-economic conditions, and governance.

Turkmenistan

In 2024, Turkmenistan ranks 169th out of 236 countries in terms of life expectancy at birth, which stands at 73.0063 years. This figure reflects the overall health and longevity of its population, influenced by various social, economic, and healthcare factors.

The relatively moderate life expectancy can be attributed to several determinants, including access to healthcare services, economic conditions, and lifestyle factors. While Turkmenistan has made strides in improving healthcare infrastructure, challenges such as limited access to advanced medical technology and a reliance on state-controlled healthcare can hinder overall health outcomes.

Additionally, the country faces issues related to environmental factors, such as air and water quality, which can impact public health. Notably, Turkmenistan's life expectancy is higher than the global average in some regions, yet it remains lower than in many neighboring countries, indicating room for improvement in health policies and socioeconomic conditions.

Guinea

In 2024, Guinea ranks 230 out of 236 countries in terms of life expectancy at birth, with an estimated value of 62.0852 years. This low ranking reflects significant challenges in the country's healthcare system, economic stability, and overall living conditions.

Several factors contribute to this relatively short life expectancy, including limited access to healthcare services, high infant and maternal mortality rates, and the prevalence of infectious diseases. Additionally, Guinea has faced political instability and economic hardships that hinder the development of essential health infrastructure.

As a point of context, the average global life expectancy was approximately 73.4 years in 2021, highlighting the considerable gap between Guinea and many other nations. The country’s health challenges are further exacerbated by issues such as malnutrition and inadequate sanitation, which hinder the population's overall health and longevity.

Bahrain

Bahrain ranks 59th out of 236 countries in terms of life expectancy at birth for the year 2024, with an impressive figure of 82.1273 years. This high life expectancy reflects the country's advancements in healthcare, economic stability, and overall quality of life.

The factors contributing to this notable statistic include Bahrain's well-established healthcare system, which provides access to modern medical facilities and services. Additionally, the country benefits from a relatively high standard of living, effective public health policies, and a focus on preventive care. These elements play a critical role in reducing mortality rates and enhancing the longevity of its population.

Furthermore, Bahrain's life expectancy is comparable to that of other developed nations, highlighting its success in improving the health outcomes of its citizens. Interesting to note, the life expectancy in Bahrain has increased steadily over the past few decades, indicative of the ongoing efforts to address health challenges and invest in public health initiatives.

Iran

In 2024, Iran ranks 100th out of 236 countries in terms of life expectancy at birth, which stands at 79.8099 years. This figure reflects significant improvements in public health, medical advancements, and socio-economic conditions over the past few decades.

The increase in life expectancy can be attributed to several factors, including enhanced access to healthcare services, successful vaccination programs, and greater awareness of health and nutrition. Additionally, improvements in living standards and public health policies have played a crucial role in prolonging life.

Interestingly, Iran's life expectancy is higher than the global average, which is around 73 years, showcasing the nation's progress in healthcare despite ongoing economic challenges and sanctions. This statistic positions Iran within the context of a rapidly changing demographic landscape in the Middle East.

Laos

In 2024, Laos ranks 179th out of 236 countries in terms of life expectancy at birth, with an average of 71.5299 years. This figure reflects the ongoing improvements in healthcare and living standards within the country, although it still lags behind many of its Southeast Asian neighbors.

The relatively low life expectancy in Laos can be attributed to several factors, including limited access to healthcare services, high rates of infectious diseases, and malnutrition. Additionally, economic challenges and a predominantly rural population contribute to disparities in health outcomes across different regions.

Despite these challenges, Laos has made progress in recent years, with initiatives aimed at improving maternal and child health, increasing vaccination coverage, and addressing health system weaknesses. Interestingly, life expectancy in Laos has seen a gradual increase over the past decades, indicating a positive trend towards better health and longevity for its citizens.

South Sudan

As of 2024, South Sudan ranks 232 out of 236 countries in life expectancy at birth, with an estimated average of 60.7485 years. This low life expectancy reflects the ongoing challenges the country faces, including prolonged conflict, inadequate healthcare infrastructure, and high maternal and infant mortality rates.

The factors contributing to this statistic include the effects of civil war, which has led to widespread displacement and food insecurity, as well as limited access to essential health services. Additionally, diseases such as malaria and HIV/AIDS, combined with malnutrition, significantly impact the overall health and longevity of the population.

In comparison, the global average life expectancy is approximately 73 years, underscoring the disparities faced by South Sudan. Efforts to improve healthcare and reduce violence are critical for enhancing the life expectancy in the region.

Botswana

Botswana ranks 177th out of 236 countries in terms of life expectancy at birth for the year 2024. The average life expectancy stands at 71.8508 years, reflecting a steady improvement in health outcomes over the past decades.

This statistic can be attributed to several factors, including advancements in healthcare infrastructure, improved access to medical services, and successful public health initiatives aimed at combating diseases such as HIV/AIDS, which previously significantly impacted life expectancy. Additionally, economic growth and a relatively stable political environment have contributed to better living conditions and access to education.

Interestingly, Botswana's life expectancy has shown resilience despite challenges, and it remains higher than many neighboring countries. The government continues to invest in health programs and interventions, which are crucial for sustaining and improving these outcomes in the future.

Data Source

United Nations Population Division

The Population Division of the Department of Economic and Social Affairs conducts demographic research, supports intergovernmental processes at the United Nations in the area of population and development, and assists countries in developing their capacity to produce and analyse population data and information. The Division brings population issues to the attention of the international community by highlighting the central role of demographic trends in all aspects of sustainable development. The Division publishes datasets on the world’s population and analyzes global demographic trends.

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Historical Data by Year

Explore Life expectancy at birth data across different years. Compare trends and see how statistics have changed over time.

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