The countries with the lowest life expectancy worldwide include the Nigeria, Chad, and Lesotho. As of 2023, people born in Nigeria could be expected to live only up to ** years. This is almost ** years shorter than the global life expectancy. Life expectancy The global life expectancy has gradually increased over the past couple decades, rising from **** years in 2011 to **** years in 2023. However, the years 2020 and 2021 saw a decrease in global life expectancy due to the COVID-19 pandemic. Furthermore, life expectancy can vary greatly depending on the country and region. For example, all the top 20 countries with the lowest life expectancy worldwide are in Africa. The countries with the highest life expectancy include Liechtenstein, Switzerland, and Japan. Causes of death The countries with the lowest life expectancy worldwide are all low-income or developing countries that lack health care access and treatment that more developed countries can provide. The leading causes of death in these countries therefore differ from those of middle-income and upper-income countries. The leading causes of death in low-income countries include diseases such as HIV/AIDS and malaria, as well as preterm birth complications, which do not cause substantial death in higher income countries.

Men born in Chad have the lowest life expectancy in the world as of 2024, reaching only 53 years. The lowest life expectancy for women in the world in 2024 was for girls born in Nigeria, with only 55 years. Except for Afghanistan, all the countries with the lowest life expectancy in the world are in Africa.

As of 2023, the countries with the highest life expectancy included Liechtenstein, Switzerland, and Japan. In Japan, a person could expect to live up to around ** years. In general, the life expectancy for females is higher than that of males, with lifestyle choices and genetics the two major determining factors of life expectancy. Life expectancy worldwide The overall life expectancy worldwide has increased since the development of modern medicine and technology. In 2011, the global life expectancy was **** years. By 2023, it had increased to **** years. However, the years 2020 and 2021 saw a decline in global life expectancy due to the COVID-19 pandemic. Furthermore, not every country has seen a substantial increase in life expectancy. In Nigeria, for example, the life expectancy is only ** years, almost ***years shorter than the global average. In addition to Nigeria, the countries with the shortest life expectancy include Chad, Lesotho, and the Central African Republic. Life expectancy in the U.S. In the United States, life expectancy at birth is currently ***** years. Life expectancy in the U.S. generally increases every year, however, over the past decade, life expectancy has seen some surprising decreases. The major contributing factors to this drop have been the ongoing opioid epidemic, which claimed around ****** lives in 2022 alone, and the COVID-19 pandemic.

Monaco had the highest life expectancy among both men and women worldwide as of 2024. That year, life expectancy for men and women was ** and ** years, respectively. The East Asian countries and regions, Hong Kong, Japan, South Korea, and Macao, followed. Many of the countries on the list are struggling with aging populations and a declining workforce as more people enter retirement age compared to people entering employment.

Graph and download economic data for Life Expectancy at Birth, Total for Least Developed Countries (SPDYNLE00INLDC) from 1960 to 2023 about life expectancy, life, and birth.

This statistic shows a ranking of 20 countries with the lowest life expectancy for people born in 2009. People who were born in Angola in 2009, at that moment had a life expectancy of 47.6 years.

The average for 2022 based on 47 countries was 77.29 years. The highest value was in Macao: 87.98 years and the lowest value was in Afghanistan: 66.21 years. The indicator is available from 1960 to 2022. Below is a chart for all countries where data are available.

The average for 2022 based on 24 countries was 71.35 years. The highest value was in Canada: 79.12 years and the lowest value was in Haiti: 60.89 years. The indicator is available from 1960 to 2022. Below is a chart for all countries where data are available.

As of 2023, the countries with the highest life expectancy included Switzerland, Japan, and Spain. As of that time, a new-born child in Switzerland could expect to live an average of **** years. Around the world, females consistently have a higher average life expectancy than males, with females in Europe expected to live an average of *** years longer than males on this continent. Increases in life expectancy The overall average life expectancy in OECD countries increased by **** years from 1970 to 2019. The countries that saw the largest increases included Turkey, India, and South Korea. The life expectancy at birth in Turkey increased an astonishing 24.4 years over this period. The countries with the lowest life expectancy worldwide as of 2022 were Chad, Lesotho, and Nigeria, where a newborn could be expected to live an average of ** years. Life expectancy in the U.S. The life expectancy in the United States was ***** years as of 2023. Shockingly, the life expectancy in the United States has decreased in recent years, while it continues to increase in other similarly developed countries. The COVID-19 pandemic and increasing rates of suicide and drug overdose deaths from the opioid epidemic have been cited as reasons for this decrease.

The average for 2022 based on 12 countries was 69.85 years. The highest value was in Chile: 77.16 years and the lowest value was in Bolivia: 62.27 years. The indicator is available from 1960 to 2022. Below is a chart for all countries where data are available.

United States - Life Expectancy at Birth, Total for Least Developed Countries was 66.51610 Number of Years in January of 2023, according to the United States Federal Reserve. Historically, United States - Life Expectancy at Birth, Total for Least Developed Countries reached a record high of 66.51610 in January of 2023 and a record low of 35.41296 in January of 1950. Trading Economics provides the current actual value, an historical data chart and related indicators for United States - Life Expectancy at Birth, Total for Least Developed Countries - last updated from the United States Federal Reserve on June of 2025.

In 2023, the average life expectancy for those born in more developed countries was 75 years for men and 82 years for women. On the other hand, the respective numbers for men and women born in the least developed countries were 63 and 67 years.

Improved health care has lead to higher life expectancy

Life expectancy is the measure of how long a person is expected to live. Life expectancy varies worldwide and involves many factors such as diet, gender, and environment. As medical care has improved over the years, life expectancy has increased worldwide. Introduction to health care such as vaccines has significantly improved the lives of millions of people worldwide. The average worldwide life expectancy at birth has steadily increased since 2007, but dropped during the COVID-19 pandemic in 2020 and 2021.

Life expectancy worldwide

More developed countries tend to have higher life expectancies, for a multitude of reasons. Health care infrastructure and quality of life tend to be higher in more developed countries, as is access to clean water and food. Africa was the continent that had the lowest life expectancy for both men and women in 2023, while Oceania had the highest for men and Europe and Oceania had the highest for women.

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.

Spain life expectancy for 2025 is 84.25, a 0.15% increase from 2024.

<ul style='margin-top:20px;'>

<li>Spain life expectancy for 2024 was <strong>84.12</strong>, a <strong>0.28% increase</strong> from 2023.</li>
<li>Spain life expectancy for 2023 was <strong>83.88</strong>, a <strong>0.9% increase</strong> from 2022.</li>
<li>Spain life expectancy for 2022 was <strong>83.13</strong>, a <strong>0.05% decline</strong> from 2021.</li>
</ul>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.

This statistic shows the top ten countries worldwide with longest average female life expectancy at birth in 2010 and 2030. South Korea had the longest average life expectancy for females in 2030 at 90.82 years.

The average for 2022 based on 7 countries was 81.52 years. The highest value was in Japan: 84 years and the lowest value was in the USA: 77.43 years. The indicator is available from 1960 to 2022. Below is a chart for all countries where data are available.

The average for 2022 based on 11 countries was 72.94 years. The highest value was in Singapore: 82.9 years and the lowest value was in Burma (Myanmar): 67.26 years. The indicator is available from 1960 to 2022. Below is a chart for all countries where data are available.

The average for 2022 based on 12 countries was 72.48 years. The highest value was in Australia: 83.2 years and the lowest value was in Tuvalu: 64.85 years. The indicator is available from 1960 to 2022. Below is a chart for all countries where data are available.

This statistic shows the countries and territories with the lowest projected life expectancy between 2050 and 2055. Between 2050 and 2055, the Central African Republic is projected to have a life expectancy of 62.13 years.

Monaco is the country with the highest median age in the world. The population has a median age of around 57 years, which is around six years more than in Japan and Saint Pierre and Miquelon – the other countries that make up the top three. Southern European countries make up a large part of the top 20, with Italy, Slovenia, Greece, San Marino, Andorra, and Croatia all making the list. Low infant mortality means higher life expectancy Monaco and Japan also have the lowest infant mortality rates in the world, which contributes to the calculation of a higher life expectancy because fewer people are dying in the first years of life. Indeed, many of the nations with a high median age also feature on the list of countries with the highest average life expectancy, such as San Marino, Japan, Italy, and Lichtenstein. Demographics of islands and small countries Many smaller countries and island nations have populations with a high median age, such as Guernsey and the Isle of Man, which are both island territories within the British Isles. An explanation for this could be that younger people leave to seek work or education opportunities, while others choose to relocate there for retirement.