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.

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.

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

Taiwan, Japan, South Korea, United States, United Kingdom, Germany, France, Norway, Sweden, Netherlands, Switzerland, Austria, Italy, and Spain, historical and estimated life expectancy at age zero for males and females.

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.

This dataset provides detailed information on life expectancy at birth for various countries from 1960 to 2023. It is designed to help researchers, analysts, and policymakers understand trends and factors influencing life expectancy worldwide. The data is sourced from the World Bank and includes yearly records for both male and female populations, offering a comprehensive view of longevity trends across different regions and income levels.

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.

Graph and download economic data for Life Expectancy at Birth, Total for Low Income Countries (SPDYNLE00INLIC) from 1960 to 2023 about life expectancy, life, birth, and income.

In 2024, Armenia had the highest life expectancy among the Commonwealth of Independent States (CIS) countries. As of that year, a newborn child in Armenia was expected to live an average of over 75 years. To compare, in Kazakhstan, life expectancy at birth was below 70 years.

Japan had the highest life expectancy at birth of the G7 countries between 2000 and 2025, reaching **. On the other hand, life expectancy in the United States was ***** years, the only one of the seven where it was below 80. Life expectancy dropped in all G7 countries following the COVID-19 pandemic.

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.

Graph and download economic data for Life Expectancy at Birth, Total for Developing Countries in Europe and Central Asia (SPDYNLE00INECA) from 1960 to 2023 about Central Asia, life expectancy, life, birth, and Europe.

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.

Life Expectancy of the World Population

The dataset from Worldometer provides a ranked list of countries based on life expectancy at birth, which represents the average number of years a newborn is expected to live under current mortality rates. It includes global, regional, and country-specific life expectancy figures, with separate data for males and females. The dataset highlights disparities in longevity across nations, with countries like Hong Kong, Japan, and South Korea having the highest life expectancies. This data serves as a key indicator of public health, quality of life, and healthcare effectiveness, offering valuable insights for policymakers, researchers, and global health organizations.

Data Analysis & Machine Learning Approaches for Life Expectancy Data

Data Analysis Approaches Life expectancy data can be analyzed using descriptive statistics (mean, variance, distribution) and correlation analysis to identify relationships with factors like GDP, healthcare, and education. Time series analysis helps track longevity trends over time, while clustering techniques (e.g., K-Means) group countries with similar patterns. Additionally, geospatial analysis can visualize regional disparities in life expectancy.

Machine Learning Models For prediction, linear and multiple regression models estimate life expectancy based on socioeconomic indicators, while polynomial regression captures non-linear trends. Decision trees and Random Forests classify countries into high- and low-life expectancy groups. Deep learning techniques like neural networks (ANNs) can model complex relationships, while LSTMs are useful for time-series forecasting.

For pattern detection, K-Means clustering groups countries based on life expectancy trends, and DBSCAN identifies anomalies. Principal Component Analysis (PCA) helps in feature selection, improving model efficiency. These methods provide insights into longevity trends, helping policymakers and researchers improve public health strategies.

Life expectancy at birth. Data based on the latest United Nations Population Division estimates.

Source: https://www.worldometers.info/demographics/life-expectancy/#countries-ranked-by-life-expectancy

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

Globally, average life expectancy from birth has risen from 67.6 years in 2000 to 72.75 years in 2020. Of the BRICS countries, life expectancy in Brazil and China has been above the global average during this time, while India's and South Africa's have consistently been below, and Russia's was below until 2017. Life expectancy from birth has risen in all five BRICS countries over these two decades, although there was a drop of almost three years in South Africa between 2000 and 2005, due to the prevalence of HIV/AIDS, and a slight drop of almost half a year in Russia from 2000 to 2003, due to the prevalence of unhealthy lifestyles and alcohol/substance abuse.

This horizontal bar chart displays life expectancy at birth (year) by country full name using the aggregation average, weighted by population in Micronesia. The data is about countries.

Jordan JO: Life Expectancy at Birth: Total data was reported at 74.329 Year in 2016. This records an increase from the previous number of 74.182 Year for 2015. Jordan JO: Life Expectancy at Birth: Total data is updated yearly, averaging 69.311 Year from Dec 1960 (Median) to 2016, with 57 observations. The data reached an all-time high of 74.329 Year in 2016 and a record low of 52.651 Year in 1960. Jordan JO: Life Expectancy at Birth: Total data remains active status in CEIC and is reported by World Bank. The data is categorized under Global Database’s Jordan – Table JO.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, or derived from male and female life expectancy at birth from sources such as: (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;

Sweden SE: Life Expectancy at Birth: Total data was reported at 82.205 Year in 2016. This stayed constant from the previous number of 82.205 Year for 2015. Sweden SE: Life Expectancy at Birth: Total data is updated yearly, averaging 77.092 Year from Dec 1960 (Median) to 2016, with 57 observations. The data reached an all-time high of 82.254 Year in 2014 and a record low of 73.006 Year in 1960. Sweden SE: Life Expectancy at Birth: Total data remains active status in CEIC and is reported by World Bank. The data is categorized under Global Database’s Sweden – Table SE.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, or derived from male and female life expectancy at birth from sources such as: (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;

Colombia CO: Life Expectancy at Birth: Total data was reported at 77.725 Year in 2023. This records an increase from the previous number of 76.508 Year for 2022. Colombia CO: Life Expectancy at Birth: Total data is updated yearly, averaging 68.768 Year from Dec 1960 (Median) to 2023, with 64 observations. The data reached an all-time high of 77.725 Year in 2023 and a record low of 56.609 Year in 1960. Colombia CO: Life Expectancy at Birth: Total data remains active status in CEIC and is reported by World Bank. The data is categorized under Global Database’s Colombia – Table CO.World Bank.WDI: Social: 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: 2024 Revision; or derived from male and female life expectancy at birth from sources such as: (2) Statistical databases and publications from national statistical offices; (3) Eurostat: Demographic Statistics.;Weighted average;