Global life expactancy at birth has risen significantly since the mid-1900s, from roughly 46 years in 1950 to 73.5 years in 2025.
Post-COVID-19 projections
There was a drop of 1.7 years during the COVID-19 pandemic, between 2019 and 2021, however figures resumed upon their previous trajectory the following year due to the implementation of vaccination campaigns and the lower severity of later strains of the virus. By the end of the century it is believed that global life expectancy from birth will reach 82 years, although growth will slow in the coming decades as many of the more-populous Asian countries reach demographic maturity. However, there is still expected to be a wide gap between various regions at the end of the 2100s, with the Europe and North America expected to have life expectancies around 90 years, whereas Sub-Saharan Africa is predicted to be in the low-70s.
The Great Leap Forward
While a decrease of one year during the COVID-19 pandemic may appear insignificant, this is the largest decline in life expectancy since the "Great Leap Forward" in China in 1958, which caused global life expectancy to fall by almost four years between by 1960. The "Great Leap Forward" was a series of modernizing reforms, which sought to rapidly transition China's agrarian economy into an industrial economy, but mismanagement led to tens of millions of deaths through famine and disease.
Global life expectancy at birth from 1950 to 2023, with projections until 2100
(in years)
Profit from the additional features of your individual account
Currently, you are using a shared account. To use individual functions (e.g., mark statistics as favourites, set
statistic alerts) please log in with your personal account.
If you are an admin, please authenticate by logging in again.
Learn more about how Statista can support your business.
United Nations Department of Economic and Social Affairs (UN DESA). (July 11, 2024). Global life expectancy at birth from 1950 to 2023, with projections until 2100 (in years) [Graph]. In Statista. Retrieved February 14, 2025, from https://www.statista.com/statistics/805060/life-expectancy-at-birth-worldwide/?__sso_cookie_checker=failed
United Nations Department of Economic and Social Affairs (UN DESA). "Global life expectancy at birth from 1950 to 2023, with projections until 2100 (in years)." Chart. July 11, 2024. Statista. Accessed February 14, 2025. https://www.statista.com/statistics/805060/life-expectancy-at-birth-worldwide/?__sso_cookie_checker=failed
United Nations Department of Economic and Social Affairs (UN DESA). (2024). Global life expectancy at birth from 1950 to 2023, with projections until 2100 (in years). Statista. Statista Inc.. Accessed: February 14, 2025. https://www.statista.com/statistics/805060/life-expectancy-at-birth-worldwide/?__sso_cookie_checker=failed
United Nations Department of Economic and Social Affairs (UN DESA). "Global Life Expectancy at Birth from 1950 to 2023, with Projections until 2100 (in Years)." Statista, Statista Inc., 11 Jul 2024, https://www.statista.com/statistics/805060/life-expectancy-at-birth-worldwide/?__sso_cookie_checker=failed
United Nations Department of Economic and Social Affairs (UN DESA), Global life expectancy at birth from 1950 to 2023, with projections until 2100 (in years) Statista, https://www.statista.com/statistics/805060/life-expectancy-at-birth-worldwide/?__sso_cookie_checker=failed (last visited February 14, 2025)
Global life expectancy at birth from 1950 to 2023, with projections until 2100 (in years) [Graph], United Nations Department of Economic and Social Affairs (UN DESA), July 11, 2024. [Online]. Available: https://www.statista.com/statistics/805060/life-expectancy-at-birth-worldwide/?__sso_cookie_checker=failed