South Africa vs Yemen: Life expectancy

South Africa
65.25 years
in 2020
Yemen
64.65 years
in 2020
South Africa rank
126th
Yemen rank
128th

Life expectancy over time

  • South Africa
  • Yemen
0204060187019452020

How they compare

South Africa currently reports 65.25 years against 64.65 years in Yemen, a difference of 0.6 years.

The two have swapped places 2 times across 24 shared years of data; in 1870 it was South Africa ahead.

South Africa ranks 126th and Yemen ranks 128th of 162 countries.

Across the 15 decades both report, South Africa averaged higher in 13 and Yemen in 2.

Head to head by decade

Decade South Africa Yemen Difference Ahead
1870s 30 years 25 years 5 years South Africa
1880s 31.3 years 25 years 6.3 years South Africa
1890s 33.7 years 25 years 8.7 years South Africa
1900s 35 years 25 years 10 years South Africa
1910s 36.19 years 26 years 10.19 years South Africa
1920s 37.25 years 26 years 11.25 years South Africa
1930s 39.05 years 26 years 13.05 years South Africa
1950s 46.5 years 33.38 years 13.12 years South Africa
1960s 50.15 years 37.44 years 12.71 years South Africa
1970s 54.13 years 43.19 years 10.94 years South Africa
1980s 58.15 years 48.94 years 9.22 years South Africa
1990s 62.82 years 59.58 years 3.24 years South Africa
2000s 56.23 years 64.07 years 7.84 years Yemen
2010s 61.42 years 66.58 years 5.15 years Yemen
2020s 65.25 years 64.65 years 0.6021 years South Africa

Averages of every year both report within each decade.

Frequently asked questions

Which has higher life expectancy, South Africa or Yemen?
South Africa, at 65.25 years against 64.65 years in Yemen as of 2020.
What is the difference in life expectancy between South Africa and Yemen?
0.6 years, with South Africa ahead.
How many years of comparable data are there for South Africa and Yemen?
24 years are reported by both, from 1870 to 2020.
How do South Africa and Yemen rank globally for life expectancy?
South Africa ranks 126th and Yemen ranks 128th of 162 countries.
Where does this data come from?
Leandro Prados de la Escosura (2021) – with minor processing by Our World in Data, published as Life expectancy. Statizoid refreshes it automatically from the source and publishes the full history for both places.

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South Africa vs Yemen: Life expectancy. Statizoid, drawing on Leandro Prados de la Escosura (2021) – with minor processing by Our World in Data. Retrieved 15 September 2026, from https://health.statizoid.com/compare/life-expectancy-prados-de-la-escosura/south-africa/yemen-rep/

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About this data

Indicator
Life expectancy
Unit
years
Source
Leandro Prados de la Escosura (2021) – with minor processing by Our World in Data
Licence
CC BY 4.0 (Our World in Data)
Coverage
163 places, 3,421 data points, 1870–2020
Last refreshed

Average number of years a newborn would live if age-specific mortality rates in the current year were to stay the same throughout its life.