This statistic shows the average life expectancy in Europe for those born in 2024, by gender and region. The average life expectancy in Western Europe was 79 years for males and 84 years for females in 2024. Additional information on European life expectancy The difference in life expectancy seen between men and women across all European regions is in line with the global trends of women outliving men, on average. The average life expectancy at birth worldwide by income group shows that the gender life expectancy gap is not only a consistent trend across countries, but also income groups. Moreover, the higher life expectancy for those in high income groups may help to explain the lower average life expectancy for those born in Eastern Europe where average incomes are generally lower than other European regions. Although income and length of life are not directly correlated, higher income individuals are generally able to afford access to superior nutrition and healthcare as well as having leisure time for exercise. That said, current trends in the increases in life expectancy worldwide by country between 1970 and 2017 suggest economic growth will lead to larger increases in life expectancy. Those increases are less likely to occur to such a degree in the more developed regions of Europe where Italy, Spain, France, Switzerland, Iceland and Austria all rank in the top 20 countries with the highest life expectancy.

In 2024, Albania was the EU candidate country with the highest life expectancy at birth, at 80 years. On the contrary, Moldova was the candidate country with the lowest life expectancy, with a person only expected to live until the age of **.

Mean number of years that a newborn child can expect to live if subjected throughout his life to the current mortality conditions (probabilities of dying at each age).

Life expectancy at birth, male (years) in European Union was reported at 78.81 years in 2023, according to the World Bank collection of development indicators, compiled from officially recognized sources. European Union - Life expectancy at birth, male (years) - actual values, historical data, forecasts and projections were sourced from the World Bank on July of 2025.

Life expectancy at birth, total (years) in European Union was reported at 81.41 years in 2023, according to the World Bank collection of development indicators, compiled from officially recognized sources. European Union - Life expectancy at birth, total (years) - actual values, historical data, forecasts and projections were sourced from the World Bank on June of 2025.

Graph and download economic data for Life Expectancy at Birth, Total: All Income Levels for Europe and Central Asia (SPDYNLE00INECS) from 1960 to 2023 about Central Asia, life expectancy, life, birth, Europe, and income.

The average for 2022 based on 27 countries was 82.82 years. The highest value was in Spain: 85.9 years and the lowest value was in Bulgaria: 78.1 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 27 countries was 77.18 years. The highest value was in Sweden: 81.5 years and the lowest value was in Latvia: 69.8 years. The indicator is available from 1960 to 2022. Below is a chart for all countries where data are available.

In 2024, life expectancy at birth in Europe was 79 years, compared with the low of 62.8 in 1950 and 1951. During this time period, life expectancy increased fastest between the 1950s and mid 1960s, with the rate of improvement slowing since then.

Life expectancy at birth, female (years) in European Union was reported at 84.16 years in 2023, according to the World Bank collection of development indicators, compiled from officially recognized sources. European Union - Life expectancy at birth, female (years) - actual values, historical data, forecasts and projections were sourced from the World Bank on June of 2025.

Graph and download economic data for Life Expectancy at Birth, Total for the European Union (SPDYNLE00INEUU) from 1960 to 2023 about life expectancy, life, EU, birth, and Europe.

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The average for 2022 based on 44 countries was 76.33 years. The highest value was in Liechtenstein: 83.1 years and the lowest value was in Ukraine: 63.53 years. The indicator is available from 1960 to 2022. Below is a chart for all countries where data are available.

Life expectancy by age, sex and educational attainment level

Dataset replaced by: http://data.europa.eu/euodp/data/dataset/CqVGoZOuX5iYMx8mHY0yw

The indicator Healthy Life Years (HLY) at birth measures the number of years that a person at birth is still expected to live in a healthy condition. HLY is a health expectancy indicator which combines information on mortality and morbidity. The data required are the age-specific prevalence (proportions) of the population in healthy and unhealthy conditions and age-specific mortality information. A healthy condition is defined by the absence of limitations in functioning/disability. The indicator is calculated separately for males and females. The indicator is also called disability-free life expectancy (DFLE). Life expectancy at birth is defined as the mean number of years still to be lived by a person at birth -, if subjected throughout the rest of his or her life to the current mortality conditions.

This European Census dataset covers data on population, fertility, as well as life expectancy in the recent years or projected to 2050. It arranges Europe into 11 types of regions according to different ways of classification.

In 2020, France had the highest life expectancy at age 65 among European countries, at 21.2 years, followed by Iceland at 21.1 and Norway at 21. Bulgaria had the lowest life expectancy at 65, of 15.2 years, with Romania and Georgia both having 15.7 years.

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.

This European Census dataset covers data on population, fertility, migration, birth and death rates as well as life expectancy in the recent years or projected to 2050.

Life expectancy by age and sex