Papua New Guinea vs South Africa: Life expectancy, source comparison

Papua New Guinea
66.13 years
in 2023
South Africa
66.14 years
in 2023
Papua New Guinea rank
202nd
South Africa rank
201st

Life expectancy, source comparison over time

  • Papua New Guinea
  • South Africa
0204060195019862023

How they compare

South Africa currently reports 66.14 years against 66.13 years in Papua New Guinea, a difference of 0.01 years.

The two have swapped places 4 times across 74 shared years of data; in 1950 it was South Africa ahead.

Papua New Guinea ranks 202nd and South Africa ranks 201st of 236 countries.

Across the 8 decades both report, Papua New Guinea averaged higher in 3 and South Africa in 5.

Head to head by decade

Decade Papua New Guinea South Africa Difference Ahead
1950s 41.83 years 47.6 years 5.77 years South Africa
1960s 48.61 years 54.21 years 5.6 years South Africa
1970s 54.63 years 57.44 years 2.81 years South Africa
1980s 58.61 years 61.78 years 3.17 years South Africa
1990s 60.64 years 61.58 years 0.9393 years South Africa
2000s 61.98 years 55.58 years 6.4 years Papua New Guinea
2010s 64.27 years 63.28 years 0.9925 years Papua New Guinea
2020s 65.21 years 64.69 years 0.522 years Papua New Guinea

Averages of every year both report within each decade.

Frequently asked questions

Which has higher life expectancy, source comparison, Papua New Guinea or South Africa?
South Africa, at 66.14 years against 66.13 years in Papua New Guinea as of 2023.
What is the difference in life expectancy, source comparison between Papua New Guinea and South Africa?
0.01 years, with South Africa ahead.
How many years of comparable data are there for Papua New Guinea and South Africa?
74 years are reported by both, from 1950 to 2023.
How do Papua New Guinea and South Africa rank globally for life expectancy, source comparison?
Papua New Guinea ranks 202nd and South Africa ranks 201st of 236 countries.
Where does this data come from?
UN, World Population Prospects (2024) – processed by Our World in Data, published as Life expectancy, source comparison. Statizoid refreshes it automatically from the source and publishes the full history for both places.

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Papua New Guinea vs South Africa: Life expectancy, source comparison. Statizoid, drawing on UN, World Population Prospects (2024) – processed by Our World in Data. Retrieved 01 September 2026, from https://health.statizoid.com/compare/life-expectancy-at-birth-source-comparison/papua-new-guinea/south-africa/

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About this data

Indicator
Life expectancy, source comparison
Unit
years
Source
UN, World Population Prospects (2024) – processed by Our World in Data
Licence
CC BY 4.0 (Our World in Data)
Coverage
236 places, 17,464 data points, 1950–2023
Last refreshed

Period life expectancy at birth.