Life in Ethiopia: Every Number That Shapes It (1800–2100)
Updated September 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. A child born in Ethiopia in the 2020s can expect to live 66.6 years on an average income of 2,300 international dollars. These figures represent a fundamental change in the risks faced by families, moving from a reality where child mortality was 252.85 per 1,000 births to a present of 49.2 per 1,000 births. This shift defines the endurance of individuals navigating a landscape of evolving social structures.
The historical trajectory of Ethiopia is etched into these datasets. Between the 1950s and 2020s, life expectancy climbed from 37.63 to 66.6 years. Living conditions transformed as electricity at home moved from 3.11 to 51 % and the population living in cities increased from 7.84 to 21.7 %. Human capital grew as average years of schooling shifted from 0.8 to 2.7 years, while internet access grew from 0 to 17 %, marking a profound transition in the quality of daily life.
Entering a society undergoing complex modernization, a person today sees extreme poverty decline from 64.54 to 27 %. Physical indicators reflect this change, with average male height reaching 167 cm, up from 165 cm. While the number of children per woman decreased from 6.21 to 4.15 and the homicide rate moved from 9.94 to 8 per 100,000, these points define 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.