This dataset simulates a set of key economic, social, and environmental indicators for 20 countries over the period from 2010 to 2019. The dataset is designed to reflect typical World Bank metrics, which are used for analysis, policy-making, and forecasting. It includes the following variables:

Country Name: The country for which the data is recorded. Year: The specific year of the observation (from 2010 to 2019). GDP (USD): Gross Domestic Product in billions of US dollars, indicating the economic output of a country. Population: The total population of the country in millions. Life Expectancy (in years): The average life expectancy at birth for the country’s population. Unemployment Rate (%): The percentage of the total labor force that is unemployed but actively seeking employment. CO2 Emissions (metric tons per capita): The per capita carbon dioxide emissions, reflecting environmental impact. Access to Electricity (% of population): The percentage of the population with access to electricity, representing infrastructure development. Country:

Description: Name of the country for which the data is recorded. Data Type: String Example: "United States", "India", "Brazil" Year:

Description: The year in which the data is observed. Data Type: Integer Range: 2010 to 2019 Example: 2012, 2015 GDP (USD):

Description: The Gross Domestic Product of the country in billions of US dollars, indicating the economic output. Data Type: Float (billions of USD) Example: 14200.56 (represents 14,200.56 billion USD) Population:

Description: The total population of the country in millions. Data Type: Float (millions of people) Example: 331.42 (represents 331.42 million people) Life Expectancy (in years):

Description: The average number of years a newborn is expected to live, assuming that current mortality rates remain constant throughout their life. Data Type: Float (years) Range: Typically between 50 and 85 years Example: 78.5 years Unemployment Rate (%):

Description: The percentage of the total labor force that is unemployed but actively seeking employment. Data Type: Float (percentage) Range: Typically between 2% and 25% Example: 6.25% CO2 Emissions (metric tons per capita):

Description: The amount of carbon dioxide emissions per person in the country, measured in metric tons. Data Type: Float (metric tons) Range: Typically between 0.5 and 20 metric tons per capita Example: 4.32 metric tons per capita Access to Electricity (%):

Description: The percentage of the population with access to electricity. Data Type: Float (percentage) Range: Typically between 50% and 100% Example: 95.7%

Graph and download economic data for Life Expectancy at Birth, Total for the World (SPDYNLE00INWLD) from 1960 to 2023 about life expectancy, life, birth, and World.

Graph and download economic data for Life Expectancy at Birth, Total for Italy (SPDYNLE00INITA) from 1960 to 2023 about life expectancy, life, birth, and Italy.

Introduction

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. It is a key metric for assessing population health.

Life expectancy has burgeoned since the advent of industrialization in the early 1900s and the world average has now more than doubled to 70 years. Yet, we still see inequality in life expectancy across and within countries. The study by Acemoglu and Johnson demonstrated the relationship between increased life expectancy and improvement in economic growth (GDP per capita), controlling for country-fixed effects [3]. In the table below, we have shown how life expectancy varies between high-income and low-income countries. However, further analysis is necessary to determine how the allocation of a country’s wealth through certain investments in healthcare, education, environmental management, and some socioeconomic factors have an overall effect in determining average life expectancy.

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The Sub-Saharan African region experiences the lowest life expectancy at birth compared to other regions over the past 3 decades. SSA countries have consistently ranked as the lowest-earning countries in terms of GDP per capita. Therefore, there is a huge scope for improvement in life expectancy in SSA countries and hence our research focuses on the 40 Sub-Saharan African (SSA) countries with the lowest GDP per capita

Research Questions

After reviewing the rich existing literature on Life Expectancy, we realized the lack of concrete research on understanding the impact of all-encompassing determinants that cover socio-economic and environmental factors for SSA countries using Panel Data techniques. Hence, we tried to address this inadequacy through our research. In this paper, we aim to have a better understanding of factors affecting life expectancy in the SSA region for an efficient policy-making process and better allocation of funds and resources in addressing the prevalence of low life expectancy in Sub-Saharan Africa. To achieve that we attempt to answer the following questions in this research:

1. What’s the Impact of Expenditure on Health and Education (% of GDP) on Life Expectancy?
2. How does the prevalence of undernourishment and communicable disease Affect Life Expectancy?
3. Do factors like corruption and unemployment rate impact life expectancy? If yes, quantify
4. Increase in CO2 emissions decrease life expectancy? Is it significant?

Data

Main sources of data - World Bank Open Data & Our World in Data

1. Country - 174 countries - list

2. Country Code - 3-letter code

3. Region - region of the world country is located in

4. IncomeGroup - country's income class

5. Year - 2000-2019 (both included)

6. Life expectancy - data

7. Prevalence of Undernourishment (% of the population) - Prevalence of undernourishment is the percentage of the population whose habitual food consumption is insufficient to provide the dietary energy levels that are required to maintain a normally active and healthy life

8. Carbon dioxide emissions (kiloton) - Carbon dioxide emissions are those stemming from the burning of fossil fuels and the manufacture of cement. They include carbon dioxide produced during the consumption of solid, liquid, and gas fuels and gas flaring

9. Health Expenditure (% of GDP) - Level of current health expenditure expressed as a percentage of GDP. Estimates of current health expenditures include healthcare goods and services consumed during each year. This indicator does not include capital health expenditures such as buildings, machinery, IT, and stocks of vaccines for emergencies or outbreaks

10. Education Expenditure (% of GDP) - General government expenditure on education (current, capital, and transfers) is expressed as a percentage of GDP. It includes expenditures funded by transfers from international sources to the government. General government usually refers to local, regional, and central governments.

11. Unemployment (% total labor force) - Unemployment refers to the % share of the labor force that is without work but available for and seeking employment

12. Corruption (CPIA rating) - Transparency, accountability, and corruption in the public sector assets the extent to which the executive can be held accountable for its use of funds and for the results of its actions by the electorate and by the legislature and judiciary, and the extent to which public employees within the executive are required to...

Life expectancy at birth, total (years) in Ethiopia was reported at 67.32 years in 2023, according to the World Bank collection of development indicators, compiled from officially recognized sources. Ethiopia - Life expectancy at birth, total (years) - actual values, historical data, forecasts and projections were sourced from the World Bank on October of 2025.

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.

Life expectancy at birth, total (years) in Peru was reported at 77.74 years in 2023, according to the World Bank collection of development indicators, compiled from officially recognized sources. Peru - Life expectancy at birth, total (years) - actual values, historical data, forecasts and projections were sourced from the World Bank on November of 2025.

Life expectancy at birth, total (years) in Algeria was reported at 76.26 years in 2023, according to the World Bank collection of development indicators, compiled from officially recognized sources. Algeria - Life expectancy at birth, total (years) - actual values, historical data, forecasts and projections were sourced from the World Bank on November 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 November of 2025.

The data is generated as part of a project to predict the life expectancy. The data is generated by the notebook that can be found in https://github.com/MarouaJaoua/DataStewardship1 .

Life expectancy at birth, total (years) in Turkey was reported at 77.16 years in 2023, according to the World Bank collection of development indicators, compiled from officially recognized sources. Turkey - Life expectancy at birth, total (years) - actual values, historical data, forecasts and projections were sourced from the World Bank on November of 2025.

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.

Afghanistan Life Expectancy at Birth: Female data was reported at 67.536 Year in 2023. This records an increase from the previous number of 67.236 Year for 2022. Afghanistan Life Expectancy at Birth: Female data is updated yearly, averaging 48.944 Year from Dec 1960 (Median) to 2023, with 64 observations. The data reached an all-time high of 67.536 Year in 2023 and a record low of 33.549 Year in 1960. Afghanistan 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 Afghanistan – Table AF.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; (2) Statistical databases and publications from national statistical offices; (3) Eurostat: Demographic Statistics.;Weighted average;

Graph and download economic data for Life Expectancy at Birth, Total for Indonesia (SPDYNLE00INIDN) from 1960 to 2023 about life expectancy, life, birth, and Indonesia.

Bolivia BO: Life Expectancy at Birth: Female data was reported at 71.145 Year in 2023. This records an increase from the previous number of 70.255 Year for 2022. Bolivia BO: Life Expectancy at Birth: Female data is updated yearly, averaging 59.311 Year from Dec 1960 (Median) to 2023, with 64 observations. The data reached an all-time high of 71.145 Year in 2023 and a record low of 45.562 Year in 1960. Bolivia BO: 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 Bolivia – Table BO.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; (2) Statistical databases and publications from national statistical offices; (3) Eurostat: Demographic Statistics.;Weighted average;

Life expectancy at birth, total (years) in Singapore was reported at 82.9 years in 2023, according to the World Bank collection of development indicators, compiled from officially recognized sources. Singapore - Life expectancy at birth, total (years) - actual values, historical data, forecasts and projections were sourced from the World Bank on November of 2025.

United States US: Life Expectancy at Birth: Total data was reported at 78.690 Year in 2016. This stayed constant from the previous number of 78.690 Year for 2015. United States US: Life Expectancy at Birth: Total data is updated yearly, averaging 74.766 Year from Dec 1960 (Median) to 2016, with 57 observations. The data reached an all-time high of 78.841 Year in 2014 and a record low of 69.771 Year in 1960. United States US: 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 United States – Table US.World Bank.WDI: 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;

Trinidad and Tobago TT: Life Expectancy at Birth: Total data was reported at 70.673 Year in 2016. This records an increase from the previous number of 70.556 Year for 2015. Trinidad and Tobago TT: Life Expectancy at Birth: Total data is updated yearly, averaging 67.817 Year from Dec 1960 (Median) to 2016, with 57 observations. The data reached an all-time high of 70.673 Year in 2016 and a record low of 62.625 Year in 1960. Trinidad and Tobago TT: 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 Trinidad and Tobago – Table TT.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;

The average for 2023 based on 49 countries was 68.91 years. The highest value was in Sri Lanka: 77.48 years and the lowest value was in Nigeria: 54.46 years. The indicator is available from 1960 to 2023. Below is a chart for all countries where data are available.

School life expectancy, primary and lower secondary, both sexes (years) in World was reported at 8.4309 years in 2019, according to the World Bank collection of development indicators, compiled from officially recognized sources. World - School life expectancy, primary and lower secondary, both sexes (years) - actual values, historical data, forecasts and projections were sourced from the World Bank on November of 2025.