Sub-Saharan Africa vs United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern Ireland: Life expectancy at birth, total

Sub-Saharan Africa
62.8 years
in 2024
United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern Ireland
81.39 years
in 2024
Sub-Saharan Africa rank
42nd
United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern Ireland rank
42nd

Life expectancy at birth, total over time

  • Sub-Saharan Africa
  • United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern Ireland
020406080196019922024

How they compare

United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern Ireland currently reports 81.39 years against 62.8 years in Sub-Saharan Africa, a difference of 18.59 years.

That makes United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern Ireland's figure about 1.3 times Sub-Saharan Africa's.

Across all 65 years both countries report, United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern Ireland has been ahead every year.

Sub-Saharan Africa ranks 42nd and United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern Ireland ranks 42nd of 47 groups.

United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern Ireland has averaged higher in every one of the 7 decades both report.

Head to head by decade

Decade Sub-Saharan Africa United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern Ireland Difference Ahead
1960s 42.9 years 71.42 years 28.52 years United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern Ireland
1970s 46.34 years 72.64 years 26.3 years United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern Ireland
1980s 49.13 years 74.68 years 25.56 years United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern Ireland
1990s 50.33 years 76.74 years 26.41 years United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern Ireland
2000s 53.82 years 78.85 years 25.03 years United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern Ireland
2010s 59.18 years 81.06 years 21.88 years United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern Ireland
2020s 61.83 years 80.92 years 19.1 years United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern Ireland

Averages of every year both report within each decade.

Frequently asked questions

Which has higher life expectancy at birth, total, Sub-Saharan Africa or United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern Ireland?
United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern Ireland, at 81.39 years against 62.8 years in Sub-Saharan Africa as of 2024.
What is the difference in life expectancy at birth, total between Sub-Saharan Africa and United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern Ireland?
18.59 years, with United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern Ireland ahead.
How many years of comparable data are there for Sub-Saharan Africa and United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern Ireland?
65 years are reported by both, from 1960 to 2024.
How do Sub-Saharan Africa and United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern Ireland rank globally for life expectancy at birth, total?
Sub-Saharan Africa ranks 42nd and United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern Ireland ranks 42nd of 47 groups.
Where does this data come from?
World Population Prospects, United Nations (UN), published as Life expectancy at birth, total (years). Statizoid refreshes it automatically from the source and publishes the full history for both places.

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Sub-Saharan Africa vs United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern Ireland: Life expectancy at birth, total. Statizoid, drawing on World Population Prospects, United Nations (UN). Retrieved 10 September 2026, from https://health.statizoid.com/compare/life-expectancy-at-birth-total-years/sub-saharan-africa/united-kingdom/

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About this data

Indicator
Life expectancy at birth, total (years)
Unit
years
Source
World Population Prospects, United Nations (UN)
Licence
CC BY 4.0 (World Bank Open Data)
Coverage
266 places, 17,256 data points, 1960–2024
Last refreshed

Life expectancy at birth indicates the number of years a newborn infant would live if prevailing patterns of mortality at the time of its birth were to stay the same throughout its life.