In Asia, the highest levels of life expectancy were found in East Asia, reaching 76 years for men and 82 years for women. The lowest levels were found in South Asia.

What is life expectancy

Life expectancy is, in the statistical sense, the number of years to be lived. It is the most common measure to describe population health. The life expectancy is an average and a person may die several years before or several years after their expected survival.

Economic circumstances also affect life expectancy. Life expectancy in the wealthiest countries is higher than in the poorest areas. With a life expectancy of 84 years, Japan, Liechtenstein, Switzerland, and South Korea lead the ranking of the 20 countries with the highest life expectancy as of 2021. The countries with the lowest life expectancy in 2021 were Chad, Nigeria, and Lesotho.

Gender and life expectancy

The gender differences in life expectancy are significant. Women tend to live several years longer than men. The average life expectancy worldwide of those born in 2023 shows that women had an average life expectancy of 75 years at birth, while men were expected to live 70 years.

Singapore had the highest life expectancy at birth of all the Southeast Asian countries in 2023, with its citizens expected to live to an average of **** years. Falling behind by almost 20 years was Myanmar, with a life expectancy of **** years old at birth as of 2023. Interestingly, Singapore made the top ten of countries with the highest average life expectancy worldwide. Increasing life expectancyLife expectancy throughout the Southeast Asian region has been rising throughout recent years, likely due to improved healthcare systems. Improvements brought about by increasing healthcare expenditures. The East Asian region also joined Southeast Asia in displaying higher life expectancies at birth, with Hong Kong and Macao all exhibiting life expectancies at birth of over 85 years old. Improved healthcare Thailand, the Philippines and Singapore are just some of the Southeast Asian governments which have released successful universal healthcare plans. As the region faces an aging population, there has been more demand for effective healthcare. Healthcare has been improving not just in the Southeast Asian region but throughout the whole Asia Pacific region, with many countries exhibiting near perfect child immunization rates, offering its citizens better healthcare from birth. With these improvements made, it does not seem surprising that life expectancy at birth has increased.

The average for 2023 based on 47 countries was 75.46 years. The highest value was in Hong Kong: 85.25 years and the lowest value was in Palestine: 65.17 years. The indicator is available from 1960 to 2023. Below is a chart for all countries where data are available.

Graph and download economic data for Life Expectancy at Birth, Total for Developing Countries in East Asia and Pacific (SPDYNLE00INEAP) from 1960 to 2023 about East Asia, Pacific, life expectancy, life, and birth.

The average for 2022 based on 11 countries was 75.66 years. The highest value was in Singapore: 85.2 years and the lowest value was in India: 69.38 years. The indicator is available from 1960 to 2022. Below is a chart for all countries where data are available.

According to UN world population prospects from 2024, the average life expectancy at birth was projected to stand at around **** years in Hong Kong in 2023, followed by just over **** years in Macao. Life expectancy at birth was forecasted to be approximately **** years in Mongolia as of 2023.

Historical dataset showing East Asia & Pacific life expectancy by year from 1960 to 2023.

In 2025, the average life expectancy at birth for men in Singapore was **** years. Comparatively, the male life expectancy at birth was **** years in Myanmar. That year, the life expectancy for women in Southeast Asia was also highest in Singapore.

In 2024, the average life expectancy at birth for women in Hong Kong amounted to **** years. Comparatively, the average female life expectancy at birth in North Korea was approximately **** years in 2024.

Life Expectancy at Birth, Total for Developing Countries in East Asia and Pacific was 75.88068 Number of Years in January of 2023, according to the United States Federal Reserve. Historically, Life Expectancy at Birth, Total for Developing Countries in East Asia and Pacific reached a record high of 75.93254 in January of 2022 and a record low of 43.30605 in January of 1950. Trading Economics provides the current actual value, an historical data chart and related indicators for Life Expectancy at Birth, Total for Developing Countries in East Asia and Pacific - last updated from the United States Federal Reserve on November of 2025.

Context

Life expectancy at birth is a key metric reflecting the average number of years a person can expect to live from birth, considering current mortality rates. Across the globe, life expectancy varies widely due to factors such as healthcare access, socio-economic conditions, and lifestyle choices. Developed nations often boast higher life expectancies, typically ranging from 75 to 85 years, owing to advanced healthcare systems and improved living standards. In contrast, developing nations often face shorter life expectancies, frequently falling below 70 years, largely due to inadequate healthcare infrastructure and prevailing socio-economic challenges. These disparities underscore the critical importance of global efforts to enhance healthcare access and address socio-economic inequalities.

Content

This dataset comprises historical information encompassing various indicators concerning Life Expectancy at Birth on a global scale. The dataset prominently features: ISO3, Country, Continent, Hemisphere, Human Development Groups, UNDP Developing Regions, HDI Rank (2021), and Life Expectancy at Birth from 1990 to 2021.

Dataset Glossary (Column-wise)

• ISO3 - ISO3 for the Country/Territory
• Country - Name of the Country/Territory
• Continent - Name of the Continent
• Hemisphere - Name of the Hemisphere
• Human Development Groups - Human Development Groups
• UNDP Developing Regions - UNDP Developing Regions
• HDI Rank (2021) - Human Development Index Rank for 2021
• Life Expectancy at Birth from 1990 - 2021 - Life Expectancy at Birth from year 1990 to 2021 (32 Columns.)

Data Dictionary

• UNDP Developing Regions:
  • SSA - Sub-Saharan Africa
  • LAC - Latin America and the Caribbean
  • EAP - East Asia and the Pacific
  • AS - Arab States
  • ECA - Europe and Central Asia
  • SA - South Asia

Structure of the Dataset

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Acknowledgement

This Dataset is created from Human Development Reports. This Dataset falls under the Creative Commons Attribution 3.0 IGO License. You can check the Terms of Use of this Data. If you want to learn more, visit the Website.

Cover Photo by: Image by Freepik

Thumbnail by: Image by Quality of life icons created by Paul J. - Flaticon

Life Expectancy at Birth, Total: All Income Levels for East Asia and Pacific was 76.65948 Number of Years in January of 2023, according to the United States Federal Reserve. Historically, Life Expectancy at Birth, Total: All Income Levels for East Asia and Pacific reached a record high of 76.67678 in January of 2022 and a record low of 45.17521 in January of 1950. Trading Economics provides the current actual value, an historical data chart and related indicators for Life Expectancy at Birth, Total: All Income Levels for East Asia and Pacific - last updated from the United States Federal Reserve on November of 2025.

This dataset is about countries in Eastern Asia. It has 5 rows. It features 3 columns: life expectancy at birth, and population.

This statistic shows the life expectancy at birth in the ASEAN countries in Asia from 2013 to 2023. The ASEAN (Association of Southeast Asian Nations) countries are Brunei, Cambodia, Indonesia, Laos, Malaysia, Myanmar, Philippines, Singapore, Thailand and Vietnam. In 2023, the average life expectancy at birth in Cambodia was ***** years.

In 2025, the average life expectancy at birth for women in Singapore was **** years. Comparatively, the female life expectancy at birth was 69.9 years in Timor-Leste. That year, the life expectancy for men in Southeast Asia was also highest in Singapore.

This scatter chart displays birth rate (per 1,000 people) against life expectancy at birth (year) in Eastern Asia. The data is about countries.

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.

La moyenne pour 2023 était de 73.22 years. La valeur la plus élevée était au Singapour: 82.9 years et la valeur la plus basse était au Myanmar: 66.89 years. Vous trouverez ci-dessous un graphique pour tous les pays où les données sont disponibles.

This dataset is about countries in Eastern Asia. It has 5 rows. It features 3 columns: inflation, and life expectancy at birth.

In 2024, the average life expectancy in the world was 71 years for men and 76 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 standards 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 2022, the countries with the highest life expectancy were Japan, Liechtenstein, Switzerland, and Australia, all at 84–83 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 53–54 years.