Life expectancy at birth — all countries

Life expectancy at birth — Sub-Saharan Africa

Life expectancy at birth in Sub-Saharan Africa in 2024 — 62.8 years. Since 1960, the indicator has risen by 51.6%.

2024 62.8 years +0.32% vs 2023
World rank
Period maximum 62.8 years2024
Period minimum 41.4 years1960

Trend over time

1960–2024 · years

Life expectancy at birth — Sub-Saharan Africa, 1960–20244050607019601967197419811988199520022009201620231960: 41.4 years1962: 42.2 years1964: 42.9 years1966: 43.2 years1968: 44 years1970: 44.8 years1972: 45.2 years1974: 46 years1976: 47 years1978: 47.7 years1980: 48.5 years1982: 49.1 years1984: 48.5 years1986: 49.2 years1988: 49.9 years1990: 50 years1992: 49.9 years1994: 50.1 years1996: 50.4 years1998: 50.6 years2000: 51.6 years2002: 52.4 years2004: 53.3 years2006: 54.6 years2008: 55.9 years2010: 57.1 years2012: 58.2 years2014: 59 years2016: 59.8 years2018: 60.8 years2020: 61.2 years2022: 61.9 years2024: 62.8 years
Change over the period: +21.4 (+51.59%) Average annual rate: 0.65 %

Comparison, 2024

How the value compares with the world and the groups this territory belongs to: Sub-Saharan Africa

Sub-Saharan Africa 62.8 years
World 73.5 years
Life expectancy at birth — Sub-Saharan Africa, by year Sub-Saharan Africa All countries CSV XLSX
Year years Change Change, %
2024 62.8 +0.2 +0.32%
2023 62.6 +0.7 +1.21%
2022 61.9 +1.2 +1.9%
2021 60.7 −0.5 −0.76%
2020 61.2 +0 +0.06%
2019 61.1 +0.4 +0.6%
2018 60.8 +0.6 +1.01%
2017 60.2 +0.3 +0.58%
2016 59.8 +0.4 +0.7%
2015 59.4 +0.4 +0.7%
2014 59 +0.3 +0.46%
2013 58.7 +0.5 +0.84%
2012 58.2 +0.8 +1.31%
2011 57.5 +0.4 +0.64%
2010 57.1 +0.7 +1.31%
2009 56.4 +0.5 +0.86%
2008 55.9 +0.6 +1.13%
2007 55.3 +0.7 +1.23%
2006 54.6 +0.7 +1.29%
2005 53.9 +0.5 +1.03%
2004 53.3 +0.5 +0.98%
2003 52.8 +0.5 +0.9%
2002 52.4 +0.4 +0.71%
2001 52 +0.3 +0.66%
2000 51.6 +0.6 +1.25%
1999 51 +0.4 +0.87%
1998 50.6 −0.1 −0.11%
1997 50.6 +0.2 +0.34%
1996 50.4 −0 −0.09%
1995 50.5 +0.4 +0.75%
1994 50.1 −0.1 −0.12%
1993 50.2 +0.3 +0.56%
1992 49.9 −0 −0.06%
1991 49.9 −0.1 −0.21%
1990 50 −0.1 −0.23%
1989 50.1 +0.3 +0.57%
1988 49.9 −0 −0.04%
1987 49.9 +0.7 +1.37%
1986 49.2 +0.4 +0.83%
1985 48.8 +0.3 +0.61%
1984 48.5 +0.1 +0.27%
1983 48.4 −0.7 −1.47%
1982 49.1 +0.3 +0.58%
1981 48.8 +0.3 +0.57%
1980 48.5 +0.4 +0.81%
1979 48.2 +0.4 +0.93%
1978 47.7 +0.3 +0.6%
1977 47.4 +0.4 +0.9%
1976 47 +0.7 +1.46%
1975 46.3 +0.4 +0.77%
1974 46 +0.2 +0.52%
1973 45.7 +0.6 +1.23%
1972 45.2 +0.1 +0.2%
1971 45.1 +0.3 +0.72%
1970 44.8 +0.5 +1.04%
1969 44.3 +0.3 +0.63%
1968 44 +0.5 +1.12%
1967 43.5 +0.3 +0.74%
1966 43.2 +0.1 +0.25%
1965 43.1 +0.3 +0.62%
1964 42.9 +0.3 +0.79%
1963 42.5 +0.3 +0.66%
1962 42.2 +0.5 +1.22%
1961 41.7 +0.3 +0.72%
1960 41.4

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.