Algeria had the highest life expectancy at birth in Africa as of 2023. A newborn infant was expected to live over 77 years in the country. Cabo Verde, Tunisia, and Mauritius followed, with a life expectancy between 77 and 75 years. On the other hand, Chad registered the lowest average, at nearly 54 years. Overall, the life expectancy in Africa was almost 63 years in the same year.

For those born in 2023, the average life expectancy at birth across Africa was 61 years for men and 65 years for women. The average life expectancy globally was 70 years for men and 75 years for women in mid-2023.

Additional information on life expectancy in Africa

With the exception of North Africa where life expectancy is around the worldwide average for men and women, life expectancy across all African regions paints a bleak picture. Comparison of life expectancy by continent shows the gap in average life expectancy between Africa and other continent regions. Africa trails Latin America and the Caribbean, the continent with the second lowest average life expectancy, by 10 years for men and 12 years for women.

Life expectancy in Africa is the lowest globally Moreover, countries from across the African regions dominate the list of countries with the lowest life expectancy worldwide. Nigeria and Lesotho had the lowest life expectancy for those born in 2023 for men and women, respectively. However there is reason for hope despite the low life expectancy rates in many African countries. The Human Development index rating in Sub-Saharan Africa has increased dramatically from 0.43 to 0.55 between 2000 and 2021, demonstrating an improvement in quality of life and as a result greater access to vital services that allow people to live longer lives. One such improvement has been successful efforts to reduce the rate of aids infection and research into combating its effects. The number of new HIV infections across Africa has decreased from around 1.3 million in 2015 to 760,000 in 2022.

In 2023, the average life expectancy of the world was 70 years for men and 75 years for women. The lowest life expectancies were found in Africa, while Oceania and Europe had the highest.

What is life expectancy?

Life expectancy is defined as a statistical measure of how long a person may live, based on demographic factors such as gender, current age, and most importantly the year of their birth. The most commonly used measure of life expectancy is life expectancy at birth or at age zero. The calculation is based on the assumption that mortality rates at each age were to remain constant in the future.

Life expectancy has changed drastically over time, especially during the past 200 years. In the early 20th century, the average life expectancy at birth in the developed world stood at 31 years. It has grown to an average of 70 and 75 years for males and females respectively, and is expected to keep on growing with advances in medical treatment and living standard continuing.

Highest and lowest life expectancy worldwide

Life expectancy still varies greatly between different regions and countries of the world. The biggest impact on life expectancy is the quality of public health, medical care, and diet. As of 2021, the countries with the highest life expectancy were Japan, Liechtenstein, Switzerland, and South Korea, all at 84 years. Most of the countries with the lowest life expectancy are mostly African countries. The ranking was led by the Chad, Nigeria, and Lesotho with 53 years.

Life expectancy from birth in Africa was just over 36 years in 1950. As a wave of independence movements and decolonization swept the continent between the 1950s and early 1970s, life expectancy rose greatly in Africa; particularly due to improvements and control over medical services, better sanitation and the widespread promotion of vaccinations in the country resulted in a sharp decrease in child mortality; one of the most significant reasons for Africa’s low life expectancy rates. Life expectancy in the continent would continue to steadily increase for much of the second half of the 20th century, however, life expectancy would flatline at around 52 years in the latter half of the 1980s, as the HIV/AIDS epidemic quickly grew to become one of the leading causes of death in the continent. After hovering around the low-fifties in the 1980s to and 1990s, life expectancy would begin to rise again at the turn of the millennium, and is estimated to be over 64 years in 2020.

In 1870, the average life expectancy in South Africa was 33.5 years from birth. This life expectancy would remain largely unchanged until the late-1910s, where life expectancy would drop to as low as thirty years as a result of the 1918 Spanish Flu epidemic. In the 1930s, life expectancy in South Africa would begin to steadily rise, peaking at over 63 years in 1995, as industrialization and greater access to healthcare and vaccinations led to significantly reduced child mortality rates across the region. However, life expectancy experienced a sudden drop beginning after 1995, as the HIV/AIDS epidemic spread throughout the country, beginning in the early 1990s. As the epidemic spread through the country, life expectancy would fall by almost 10 years, bottoming out below 54 years in 2005. Life expectancy would begin to rise again beginning in the early 2010s however, as access to HIV counselling and treatments, such as antiretroviral therapy, became more widely available throughout the region. Life expectancy in the country is estimated to be almost 64 years from birth in 2020; a return to the pre-HIV figures of the early 1990s.

This scatter chart displays median age (year) against life expectancy at birth (year) and is filtered where the continent is Africa. The data is about countries.

This statistic shows average life expectancy at birth in Sub-Saharan Africa from 2012 to 2022. Sub-Saharan Africa includes almost all countries south of the Sahara desert. In 2022, the average life expectancy at birth in Sub-Saharan Africa was 60.74 years.

This scatter chart displays median age (year) against fertility rate (births per woman) and is filtered where the region is Middle Africa. The data is about countries per year.

In 2024, the median age in Africa was 19.2 years, meaning that half of the population was older and half was younger than that age. The median age on the continent increased compared to 2000 when it was around 17 years. Africa is the youngest continent in the world and presents the highest share of inhabitants aged 14 years and younger, that is, 40 percent of the total population. Niger, Uganda, and Angola were the countries with the youngest population in Africa as of 2023.

Throughout most of history, average life expectancy from birth was fairly consistent across the globe, at around 24 years. A major contributor to this was high rates of infant and child mortality; those who survived into adulthood could expect to live to their 50s or 60s, yet pandemics, food instability, and conflict did cause regular spikes in mortality across the entire population. Gradually, from the 16th to 19th centuries, there was some growth in more developed societies, due to improvements in agriculture, infrastructure, and medical knowledge. However, the most significant change came with the introduction of vaccination and other medical advances in the 1800s, which saw a sharp decline in child mortality and the onset of the demographic transition. This phenomenon began in more developed countries in the 1800s, before spreading to Latin America, Asia, and (later) Africa in the 1900s. As the majority of the world's population lives in countries considered to be "less developed", this figure is much closer to the global average. However, today, there is a considerable difference in life expectancies across these countries, ranging from 84.7 years in Japan to 53 years in the Central African Republic.

South Africa ZA: Life Expectancy at Birth: Female data was reported at 66.376 Year in 2016. This records an increase from the previous number of 65.584 Year for 2015. South Africa ZA: Life Expectancy at Birth: Female data is updated yearly, averaging 60.819 Year from Dec 1960 (Median) to 2016, with 57 observations. The data reached an all-time high of 66.376 Year in 2016 and a record low of 54.463 Year in 1960. South Africa ZA: Life Expectancy at Birth: Female data remains active status in CEIC and is reported by World Bank. The data is categorized under Global Database’s South Africa – Table ZA.World Bank: Health Statistics. 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.; ; (1) United Nations Population Division. World Population Prospects: 2017 Revision. (2) Census reports and other statistical publications from national statistical offices, (3) Eurostat: Demographic Statistics, (4) United Nations Statistical Division. Population and Vital Statistics Reprot (various years), (5) U.S. Census Bureau: International Database, and (6) Secretariat of the Pacific Community: Statistics and Demography Programme.; Weighted average;

This scatter chart displays death rate (per 1,000 people) against median age (year). The data is from the countries entity and is filtered where the continent is Africa.

For most of the world, throughout most of human history, the average life expectancy from birth was around 24. This figure fluctuated greatly depending on the time or region, and was higher than 24 in most individual years, but factors such as pandemics, famines, and conflicts caused regular spikes in mortality and reduced life expectancy. Child mortality The most significant difference between historical mortality rates and modern figures is that child and infant mortality was so high in pre-industrial times; before the introduction of vaccination, water treatment, and other medical knowledge or technologies, women would have around seven children throughout their lifetime, but around half of these would not make it to adulthood. Accurate, historical figures for infant mortality are difficult to ascertain, as it was so prevalent, it took place in the home, and was rarely recorded in censuses; however, figures from this source suggest that the rate was around 300 deaths per 1,000 live births in some years, meaning that almost one in three infants did not make it to their first birthday in certain periods. For those who survived to adolescence, they could expect to live into their forties or fifties on average. Modern figures It was not until the eradication of plague and improvements in housing and infrastructure in recent centuries where life expectancy began to rise in some parts of Europe, before industrialization and medical advances led to the onset of the demographic transition across the world. Today, global life expectancy from birth is roughly three times higher than in pre-industrial times, at almost 73 years. It is higher still in more demographically and economically developed countries; life expectancy is over 82 years in the three European countries shown, and over 84 in Japan. For the least developed countries, mostly found in Sub-Saharan Africa, life expectancy from birth can be as low as 53 years.

South Africa ZA: Labour Force With Basic Education: % of Total Working-age Population data was reported at 40.948 % in 2017. This records an increase from the previous number of 39.994 % for 2016. South Africa ZA: Labour Force With Basic Education: % of Total Working-age Population data is updated yearly, averaging 36.888 % from Dec 2000 (Median) to 2017, with 18 observations. The data reached an all-time high of 42.452 % in 2012 and a record low of 15.282 % in 2002. South Africa ZA: Labour Force With Basic Education: % of Total Working-age Population data remains active status in CEIC and is reported by World Bank. The data is categorized under Global Database’s South Africa – Table ZA.World Bank.WDI: Labour Force. The percentage of the working age population with a basic level of education who are in the labor force. Basic education comprises primary education or lower secondary education according to the International Standard Classification of Education 2011 (ISCED 2011).; ; International Labour Organization, ILOSTAT database. Data retrieved in September 2018.; Weighted average;

South Africa ZA: Mortality Rate: Under-5: per 1000 Live Births data was reported at 43.300 Ratio in 2016. This records a decrease from the previous number of 44.100 Ratio for 2015. South Africa ZA: Mortality Rate: Under-5: per 1000 Live Births data is updated yearly, averaging 66.000 Ratio from Dec 1974 (Median) to 2016, with 43 observations. The data reached an all-time high of 125.500 Ratio in 1974 and a record low of 43.300 Ratio in 2016. South Africa ZA: Mortality Rate: Under-5: per 1000 Live Births data remains active status in CEIC and is reported by World Bank. The data is categorized under Global Database’s South Africa – Table ZA.World Bank: Health Statistics. Under-five mortality rate is the probability per 1,000 that a newborn baby will die before reaching age five, if subject to age-specific mortality rates of the specified year.; ; Estimates Developed by the UN Inter-agency Group for Child Mortality Estimation (UNICEF, WHO, World Bank, UN DESA Population Division) at www.childmortality.org.; Weighted average; Given that data on the incidence and prevalence of diseases are frequently unavailable, mortality rates are often used to identify vulnerable populations. Moreover, they are among the indicators most frequently used to compare socioeconomic development across countries. Under-five mortality rates are higher for boys than for girls in countries in which parental gender preferences are insignificant. Under-five mortality captures the effect of gender discrimination better than infant mortality does, as malnutrition and medical interventions have more significant impacts to this age group. Where female under-five mortality is higher, girls are likely to have less access to resources than boys.

A global phenomenon, known as the demographic transition, has seen life expectancy from birth increase rapidly over the past two centuries. In pre-industrial societies, the average life expectancy was around 24 years, and it is believed that this was the case throughout most of history, and in all regions. The demographic transition then began in the industrial societies of Europe, North America, and the West Pacific around the turn of the 19th century, and life expectancy rose accordingly. Latin America was the next region to follow, before Africa and most Asian populations saw their life expectancy rise throughout the 20th century.

South Africa ZA: Population: as % of Total: Aged 15-64 data was reported at 65.671 % in 2017. This records an increase from the previous number of 65.613 % for 2016. South Africa ZA: Population: as % of Total: Aged 15-64 data is updated yearly, averaging 56.842 % from Dec 1960 (Median) to 2017, with 58 observations. The data reached an all-time high of 65.671 % in 2017 and a record low of 53.937 % in 1966. South Africa ZA: Population: as % of Total: Aged 15-64 data remains active status in CEIC and is reported by World Bank. The data is categorized under Global Database’s South Africa – Table ZA.World Bank.WDI: Population and Urbanization Statistics. Total population between the ages 15 to 64 as a percentage of the total population. Population is based on the de facto definition of population, which counts all residents regardless of legal status or citizenship.; ; World Bank staff estimates based on age/sex distributions of United Nations Population Division's World Population Prospects: 2017 Revision.; Weighted average;

South Africa ZA: Mortality Rate Attributed to Household and Ambient Air Pollution: Age-standardized: Female data was reported at 66.000 NA in 2016. South Africa ZA: Mortality Rate Attributed to Household and Ambient Air Pollution: Age-standardized: Female data is updated yearly, averaging 66.000 NA from Dec 2016 (Median) to 2016, with 1 observations. South Africa ZA: Mortality Rate Attributed to Household and Ambient Air Pollution: Age-standardized: Female data remains active status in CEIC and is reported by World Bank. The data is categorized under Global Database’s South Africa – Table ZA.World Bank.WDI: Health Statistics. Mortality rate attributed to household and ambient air pollution is the number of deaths attributable to the joint effects of household and ambient air pollution in a year per 100,000 population. The rates are age-standardized. Following diseases are taken into account: acute respiratory infections (estimated for all ages); cerebrovascular diseases in adults (estimated above 25 years); ischaemic heart diseases in adults (estimated above 25 years); chronic obstructive pulmonary disease in adults (estimated above 25 years); and lung cancer in adults (estimated above 25 years).; ; World Health Organization, Global Health Observatory Data Repository (http://apps.who.int/ghodata/).; Weighted average;

South Africa ZA: Age Dependency Ratio: % of Working-Age Population: Young data was reported at 44.137 % in 2017. This records a decrease from the previous number of 44.469 % for 2016. South Africa ZA: Age Dependency Ratio: % of Working-Age Population: Young data is updated yearly, averaging 69.827 % from Dec 1960 (Median) to 2017, with 58 observations. The data reached an all-time high of 78.491 % in 1966 and a record low of 44.137 % in 2017. South Africa ZA: Age Dependency Ratio: % of Working-Age Population: Young data remains active status in CEIC and is reported by World Bank. The data is categorized under Global Database’s South Africa – Table ZA.World Bank.WDI: Population and Urbanization Statistics. Age dependency ratio, young, is the ratio of younger dependents--people younger than 15--to the working-age population--those ages 15-64. Data are shown as the proportion of dependents per 100 working-age population.; ; World Bank staff estimates based on age distributions of United Nations Population Division's World Population Prospects: 2017 Revision.; Weighted average;

This dataset is about countries in Africa per year, featuring 4 columns: country, date, ISO 2 country code, and median age. The preview is ordered by date (descending).