Life expectancy at birth — all countries

Life expectancy at birth — European Union

Life expectancy at birth in the European Union in 2024 — 81.6 years. Since 1960, the indicator has risen by 18.1%.

2024 81.6 years +0.17% vs 2023
World rank
Period maximum 81.6 years2024
Period minimum 69.1 years1960

Trend over time

1960–2024 · years

Life expectancy at birth — European Union, 1960–2024657075808519601967197419811988199520022009201620231960: 69.1 years1962: 69.3 years1964: 70.2 years1966: 70.6 years1968: 70.6 years1970: 70.8 years1972: 71.3 years1974: 71.8 years1976: 72.1 years1978: 72.5 years1980: 72.8 years1982: 73.4 years1984: 73.7 years1986: 74.1 years1988: 74.5 years1990: 74.7 years1992: 75.1 years1994: 75.5 years1996: 75.9 years1998: 76.5 years2000: 77.1 years2002: 77.5 years2004: 78.1 years2006: 78.7 years2008: 79.1 years2010: 79.6 years2012: 80.2 years2014: 80.9 years2016: 81 years2018: 81 years2020: 80.4 years2022: 80.7 years2024: 81.6 years
Change over the period: +12.5 (+18.09%) Average annual rate: 0.26 %

Comparison, 2024

How the value compares with the world and the groups this territory belongs to: European Union

European Union 81.6 years
World 73.5 years
Life expectancy at birth — European Union, by year European Union All countries CSV XLSX
Year years Change Change, %
2024 81.6 +0.1 +0.17%
2023 81.4 +0.7 +0.88%
2022 80.7 +0.4 +0.51%
2021 80.3 −0.1 −0.17%
2020 80.4 −0.9 −1.08%
2019 81.3 +0.3 +0.36%
2018 81 +0.1 +0.12%
2017 80.9 −0 −0.03%
2016 81 +0.4 +0.47%
2015 80.6 −0.3 −0.38%
2014 80.9 +0.4 +0.5%
2013 80.5 +0.3 +0.38%
2012 80.2 +0 +0.03%
2011 80.1 +0.5 +0.64%
2010 79.6 +0.3 +0.34%
2009 79.4 +0.2 +0.29%
2008 79.1 +0.2 +0.28%
2007 78.9 +0.2 +0.3%
2006 78.7 +0.4 +0.51%
2005 78.3 +0.2 +0.2%
2004 78.1 +0.5 +0.68%
2003 77.6 +0.1 +0.08%
2002 77.5 +0.1 +0.14%
2001 77.4 +0.3 +0.45%
2000 77.1 +0.3 +0.43%
1999 76.7 +0.2 +0.31%
1998 76.5 +0.3 +0.35%
1997 76.2 +0.3 +0.42%
1996 75.9 +0.3 +0.33%
1995 75.7 +0.1 +0.19%
1994 75.5 +0.3 +0.36%
1993 75.3 +0.1 +0.17%
1992 75.1 +0.3 +0.42%
1991 74.8 +0.1 +0.15%
1990 74.7 +0 +0.06%
1989 74.7 +0.1 +0.17%
1988 74.5 +0.2 +0.28%
1987 74.3 +0.2 +0.33%
1986 74.1 +0.3 +0.35%
1985 73.8 +0.1 +0.1%
1984 73.7 +0.3 +0.4%
1983 73.5 +0 +0.06%
1982 73.4 +0.3 +0.38%
1981 73.1 +0.3 +0.46%
1980 72.8 +0 +0.03%
1979 72.8 +0.3 +0.39%
1978 72.5 +0.1 +0.13%
1977 72.4 +0.3 +0.45%
1976 72.1 +0.3 +0.38%
1975 71.8 +0 +0.03%
1974 71.8 +0.3 +0.44%
1973 71.5 +0.1 +0.17%
1972 71.3 +0.4 +0.54%
1971 71 +0.1 +0.2%
1970 70.8 +0.4 +0.57%
1969 70.4 −0.2 −0.25%
1968 70.6 +0 +0%
1967 70.6 +0 +0.01%
1966 70.6 +0.3 +0.45%
1965 70.3 +0.1 +0.16%
1964 70.2 +0.5 +0.74%
1963 69.6 +0.4 +0.52%
1962 69.3 −0.1 −0.21%
1961 69.4 +0.4 +0.54%
1960 69.1

About the indicator

Life expectancy at birth is the average number of years a newborn would live if age-specific mortality rates stayed the same as in the year of calculation. It is not a forecast for any individual but a summary measure of the current mortality regime: the indicator falls sharply in years of epidemics and wars and recovers just as fast.

Important: The indicator is highly sensitive to infant mortality: a decline there adds more years than an improvement in the health of the elderly.

Source: World Population Prospects (UN), license CC BY 3.0 IGO.