Life Expectancy at Birth by Country — Every Decade Since 1800
Updated August 2026 · ⬇ download this dataset (CSV) · methodology
As of the 2020s, life expectancy at birth ranges from 84.6 years in Japan to 54.7 years in Nigeria across 157 countries. (Source: UN WPP / World Bank / Gapminder)
How many years a newborn could expect to live, given the mortality of the time and place. The table and chart below track every country MYRIAD covers, decade by decade — and every row links to what that number meant for a real life born there.
As of the 2020s, life expectancy at birth ranges from 84.6 years in Japan to 54.7 years in Nigeria across 157 countries. The ranking features 1 🇯🇵 Japan 84.6, 2 🇸🇬 Singapore 83.9, 3 🇰🇷 South Korea 83.4, 4 🇦🇺 Australia 83.2, 5 🇳🇴 Norway 83.2, 6 🇨🇭 Switzerland 83.2, 7 🇮🇱 Israel 82.7, 8 🇸🇪 Sweden 82.4, 9 🇮🇪 Ireland 82.3, 10 🇪🇸 Spain 82.3, with 🇪🇨 Ecuador (median) at 75, and the bottom of the ranking including 🇸🇱 Sierra Leone 62, 🇸🇴 Somalia 62, 🇸🇸 South Sudan 62, 🇸🇩 Sudan 62, 🇹🇿 Tanzania 62, 🇹🇬 Togo 62, 🇺🇬 Uganda 62, 🇿🇲 Zambia 62, 🇿🇼 Zimbabwe 62, and 🇳🇬 Nigeria 54.7.
Keep exploring Life Expectancy at Birth in Brazil, Life Expectancy at Birth in China, Life Expectancy at Birth in Germany, Life Expectancy at Birth in India, Life Expectancy at Birth in Japan, Life Expectancy at Birth in Nigeria, Life Expectancy at Birth in United Kingdom, and Life Expectancy at Birth in United States.
Where do YOU rank among everyone ever born? →
How many years a newborn could expect to live, given the mortality of the time and place. The table and chart below track every country MYRIAD covers, decade by decade — and every row links to what that number meant for a real life born there.
Ranking — the 2020s
| # | Country | years (2020s) |
|---|---|---|
| 1 | 🇯🇵 Japan | 84.6 |
| 2 | 🇸🇬 Singapore | 83.9 |
| 3 | 🇰🇷 South Korea | 83.4 |
| 4 | 🇦🇺 Australia | 83.2 |
| 5 | 🇳🇴 Norway | 83.2 |
| 6 | 🇨🇭 Switzerland | 83.2 |
| 7 | 🇮🇱 Israel | 82.7 |
| 8 | 🇸🇪 Sweden | 82.4 |
| 9 | 🇮🇪 Ireland | 82.3 |
| 10 | 🇪🇸 Spain | 82.3 |
| … | 🇪🇨 Ecuador (median) | 75 |
| bottom of the ranking | ||
| · | 🇸🇱 Sierra Leone | 62 |
| · | 🇸🇴 Somalia | 62 |
| · | 🇸🇸 South Sudan | 62 |
| · | 🇸🇩 Sudan | 62 |
| · | 🇹🇿 Tanzania | 62 |
| · | 🇹🇬 Togo | 62 |
| · | 🇺🇬 Uganda | 62 |
| · | 🇿🇲 Zambia | 62 |
| · | 🇿🇼 Zimbabwe | 62 |
| · | 🇳🇬 Nigeria | 54.7 |
Keep exploring
- Life Expectancy at Birth in Brazil
- Life Expectancy at Birth in China
- Life Expectancy at Birth in Germany
- Life Expectancy at Birth in India
- Life Expectancy at Birth in Japan
- Life Expectancy at Birth in Nigeria
- Life Expectancy at Birth in United Kingdom
- Life Expectancy at Birth in United States
- Where do YOU rank among everyone ever born? →
Questions people ask
Which country has the best Life Expectancy at Birth today?
Japan leads with 84.6 years in the 2020s, according to UN WPP / World Bank / Gapminder data compiled by MYRIAD.
How has Life Expectancy at Birth changed since 1800?
The interactive chart on this page tracks the full 1800–2020 trajectory for every country, based on historical estimates and modern observations described in our methodology.
Where does this data come from?
Primary source: UN WPP / World Bank / Gapminder. Historical estimates and confidence levels are documented on the MYRIAD methodology page.