Life expectancy at birth — all countries

Life expectancy at birth — Southern Africa

Life expectancy at birth in Southern Africa in 2024 — 66.2 years. Since 1960, the indicator has risen by 26.7%.

2024 66.2 years +0.27% vs 2023
World rank
Period maximum 66.2 years2024
Period minimum 52.2 years1960

Trend over time

1960–2024 · years

Life expectancy at birth — Southern Africa, 1960–2024505560657019601967197419811988199520022009201620231960: 52.2 years1962: 53.2 years1964: 53.8 years1966: 54.4 years1968: 54.9 years1970: 55.4 years1972: 56.2 years1974: 56.9 years1976: 57.8 years1978: 58.9 years1980: 59.8 years1982: 60.8 years1984: 61.6 years1986: 62.2 years1988: 62.6 years1990: 62.6 years1992: 62.4 years1994: 61.5 years1996: 60.4 years1998: 59 years2000: 57.4 years2002: 54.8 years2004: 53.3 years2006: 53.7 years2008: 55.4 years2010: 58.2 years2012: 60.9 years2014: 62.4 years2016: 64 years2018: 65.1 years2020: 64.8 years2022: 65.2 years2024: 66.2 years
Change over the period: +14 (+26.74%) Average annual rate: 0.37 %

Comparison, 2024

How the value compares with the world and the groups this territory belongs to: Southern Africa

Southern Africa 66.2 years
World 73.5 years
Life expectancy at birth — Southern Africa, by year Southern Africa All countries CSV XLSX
Year years Change Change, %
2024 66.2 +0.2 +0.27%
2023 66 +0.8 +1.2%
2022 65.2 +3.5 +5.68%
2021 61.7 −3.1 −4.76%
2020 64.8 −0.8 −1.18%
2019 65.6 +0.4 +0.63%
2018 65.1 +0.4 +0.59%
2017 64.8 +0.7 +1.11%
2016 64 +0.7 +1.16%
2015 63.3 +0.9 +1.43%
2014 62.4 +0.8 +1.35%
2013 61.6 +0.7 +1.15%
2012 60.9 +1.1 +1.9%
2011 59.8 +1.6 +2.74%
2010 58.2 +1.4 +2.49%
2009 56.8 +1.3 +2.43%
2008 55.4 +1 +1.84%
2007 54.4 +0.8 +1.41%
2006 53.7 +0.3 +0.6%
2005 53.3 −0 −0.02%
2004 53.3 −0.3 −0.48%
2003 53.6 −1.2 −2.2%
2002 54.8 −1.4 −2.56%
2001 56.2 −1.2 −2.05%
2000 57.4 −0.8 −1.46%
1999 58.3 −0.8 −1.29%
1998 59 −0.7 −1.18%
1997 59.7 −0.6 −1.01%
1996 60.4 −0.6 −0.97%
1995 60.9 −0.5 −0.89%
1994 61.5 −0.6 −0.98%
1993 62.1 −0.3 −0.47%
1992 62.4 −0.2 −0.33%
1991 62.6 −0 −0.06%
1990 62.6 −0.1 −0.16%
1989 62.7 +0.1 +0.2%
1988 62.6 +0.2 +0.24%
1987 62.5 +0.3 +0.41%
1986 62.2 +0.2 +0.34%
1985 62 +0.4 +0.57%
1984 61.6 +0.5 +0.76%
1983 61.2 +0.4 +0.7%
1982 60.8 +0.5 +0.83%
1981 60.3 +0.5 +0.83%
1980 59.8 +0.4 +0.68%
1979 59.4 +0.5 +0.84%
1978 58.9 +0.5 +0.9%
1977 58.3 +0.5 +0.86%
1976 57.8 +0.4 +0.75%
1975 57.4 +0.5 +0.87%
1974 56.9 +0.4 +0.71%
1973 56.5 +0.4 +0.65%
1972 56.2 +0.4 +0.67%
1971 55.8 +0.4 +0.64%
1970 55.4 +0.3 +0.49%
1969 55.2 +0.3 +0.5%
1968 54.9 +0.3 +0.48%
1967 54.6 +0.2 +0.45%
1966 54.4 +0.3 +0.56%
1965 54.1 +0.2 +0.43%
1964 53.8 +0.3 +0.62%
1963 53.5 +0.3 +0.62%
1962 53.2 +0.5 +0.93%
1961 52.7 +0.5 +0.93%
1960 52.2

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.