Life in Ethiopia: Every Number That Shapes It (1800–2100)
Updated July 2026 · methodology
A child born in Ethiopia in the 2020s can expect to live 66.6 years on an average income of 2,300 international dollars. (UN WPP / World Bank, compiled by MYRIAD)
The statistics of a nation are not just dry tallies; they are the markers of human survival. In Ethiopia, the transition from the 1950s to the 2020s reveals a profound shift in the quality of daily life. While child mortality has dropped from 252.85 to 49.2 per 1,000 births, life expectancy has climbed from 37.63 to 66.6 years. These figures represent a fundamental change in the risks faced by families and the endurance of individuals as they navigate a landscape of evolving opportunities and changing social structures.
The historical trajectory of Ethiopia is etched into these datasets. Over seven decades, the average income per person rose from 1,139 to 2,300 intl-$, while the percentage of the population living in cities increased from 7.84 to 21.7 %. Infrastructure has expanded significantly, with electricity at home moving from 3.11 to 51 % and internet access growing from 0 to 17 %. Meanwhile, the average years of schooling for citizens has shifted from 0.8 to 2.7 years, reflecting a gradual accumulation of human capital across the decades.
If you were born in Ethiopia in the 2020s, you enter a society undergoing complex modernization. Alongside a decline in extreme poverty from 64.54 to 27 %, the average male height has reached 167 cm, up from 165 cm in the 1950s. While the number of children per woman has decreased from 6.21 to 4.15, the homicide rate has moved from 9.94 to 8 per 100,000. These data points collectively define the reality of your current environment and the path carved by those who came before. Use our interactive tool to see your parallel life in Ethiopia.
🇪🇹 Every dimension below links to the full three-century series for Ethiopia — and to the same series for every other country, so you can see exactly where the birth lottery placed its people.
The numbers today vs 1950
| Dimension | 1950s | 2020s | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Life Expectancy at Birth | 37.63 | 66.6 years | history → |
| Income per Person (GDP per capita, PPP) | 1,139 | 2,300 intl-$ | history → |
| Child Mortality (under 5) | 252.85 | 49.2 per 1,000 births | history → |
| Years of Schooling | 0.8 | 2.7 years | history → |
| Children per Woman | 6.21 | 4.15 births | history → |
| Living in Cities | 7.84 | 21.7 % | history → |
| Internet Access | 0 | 17 % | history → |
| Electricity at Home | 3.11 | 51 % | history → |
| Homicide Rate | 9.94 | 8 per 100,000 | history → |
| Annual Working Hours | 2,233 | 2,100 hours/year | history → |
| Average Male Height | 165 | 167 cm | history → |
| Extreme Poverty | 64.54 | 27 % | history → |
See your parallel life in Ethiopia →
Questions people ask
What is life expectancy in Ethiopia?
66.6 years in the 2020s (UN WPP / World Bank data compiled by MYRIAD).
Is Ethiopia a good place to be born, statistically?
MYRIAD ranks every country by a composite of longevity, income, child survival, education and safety for each birth decade — enter your details on the homepage to see where Ethiopia lands for your cohort.