Sex gap in life expectancy in Afghanistan
Afghanistan: Sex gap in life expectancy was 3.07 years in 2023. ◆ Volatile
Latest (2023)
3.07 years
Change on year
down 6.9%
World rank
219th
of 236 countries
All-time high
8.71 years
in 1985
All-time low
1.29 years
in 1950
Years of data
74
1950–2023
Sex gap in life expectancy in Afghanistan, 1950–2023
Source: Human Mortality Database (2025); UN, World Population Prospects (2024) – with major processing by Our World in Data. Measured in years.
Analysis
Afghanistan recorded 3.07 years for sex gap in life expectancy in 2023.
The figure is down 6.9% on the previous year and down 6.4% over ten years.
Over the whole period, sex gap in life expectancy in Afghanistan peaked at 8.71 years in 1985 and was at its lowest, 1.29 years, in 1950.
Afghanistan ranks 219th of 236 countries on this measure, in the bottom quarter.
The series is highly variable year to year, so single readings are best treated with caution.
Sex gap in life expectancy in Afghanistan, year by year
| Year | years | Change |
|---|---|---|
| 1950 | 1.29 years | — |
| 1951 | 1.3 years | +1.2% |
| 1952 | 1.32 years | +1.2% |
| 1953 | 1.34 years | +1.7% |
| 1954 | 1.32 years | -1.9% |
| 1955 | 1.41 years | +7.3% |
| 1956 | 1.42 years | +0.8% |
| 1957 | 1.41 years | -0.8% |
| 1958 | 1.4 years | -1.0% |
| 1959 | 1.41 years | +0.7% |
| 1960 | 1.41 years | +0.3% |
| 1961 | 1.42 years | +0.3% |
| 1962 | 1.4 years | -0.9% |
| 1963 | 1.4 years | -0.1% |
| 1964 | 1.42 years | +1.6% |
| 1965 | 1.46 years | +2.6% |
| 1966 | 1.5 years | +2.8% |
| 1967 | 1.53 years | +1.6% |
| 1968 | 1.46 years | -4.6% |
| 1969 | 1.47 years | +1.0% |
| 1970 | 1.51 years | +2.8% |
| 1971 | 1.55 years | +2.5% |
| 1972 | 1.57 years | +1.5% |
| 1973 | 1.57 years | -0.5% |
| 1974 | 1.56 years | -0.5% |
| 1975 | 1.55 years | -0.4% |
| 1976 | 1.55 years | -0.4% |
| 1977 | 1.52 years | -1.8% |
| 1978 | 2.62 years | +73.0% |
| 1979 | 3.79 years | +44.5% |
| 1980 | 3.95 years | +4.2% |
| 1981 | 4.26 years | +7.9% |
| 1982 | 6.27 years | +47.0% |
| 1983 | 6.49 years | +3.6% |
| 1984 | 8.6 years | +32.4% |
| 1985 | 8.71 years | +1.3% |
| 1986 | 6.8 years | -21.9% |
| 1987 | 7 years | +2.9% |
| 1988 | 5.22 years | -25.5% |
| 1989 | 4.91 years | -5.9% |
| 1990 | 4.99 years | +1.7% |
| 1991 | 5.32 years | +6.6% |
| 1992 | 5.84 years | +9.8% |
| 1993 | 2.54 years | -56.5% |
| 1994 | 4.25 years | +67.4% |
| 1995 | 3.16 years | -25.7% |
| 1996 | 3.17 years | +0.2% |
| 1997 | 3 years | -5.4% |
| 1998 | 3.76 years | +25.4% |
| 1999 | 2.86 years | -23.7% |
| 2000 | 3.09 years | +8.0% |
| 2001 | 3.15 years | +1.8% |
| 2002 | 2.46 years | -22.0% |
| 2003 | 2.62 years | +6.8% |
| 2004 | 2.55 years | -2.7% |
| 2005 | 2.71 years | +6.0% |
| 2006 | 3.15 years | +16.3% |
| 2007 | 3.68 years | +16.9% |
| 2008 | 3.44 years | -6.5% |
| 2009 | 3.11 years | -9.7% |
| 2010 | 3.19 years | +2.4% |
| 2011 | 3.23 years | +1.3% |
| 2012 | 3.25 years | +0.6% |
| 2013 | 3.28 years | +1.1% |
| 2014 | 3.51 years | +7.1% |
| 2015 | 3.81 years | +8.6% |
| 2016 | 3.98 years | +4.3% |
| 2017 | 6.22 years | +56.3% |
| 2018 | 6.77 years | +8.8% |
| 2019 | 6.23 years | -7.9% |
| 2020 | 6.2 years | -0.5% |
| 2021 | 7.03 years | +13.3% |
| 2022 | 3.29 years | -53.1% |
| 2023 | 3.07 years | -6.9% |
Averages by decade
| Decade | Average | Lowest | Highest | Years |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1950s | 1.36 years | 1.29 years | 1.42 years | 10 |
| 1960s | 1.45 years | 1.4 years | 1.53 years | 10 |
| 1970s | 1.88 years | 1.51 years | 3.79 years | 10 |
| 1980s | 6.22 years | 3.95 years | 8.71 years | 10 |
| 1990s | 3.89 years | 2.54 years | 5.84 years | 10 |
| 2000s | 3 years | 2.46 years | 3.68 years | 10 |
| 2010s | 4.35 years | 3.19 years | 6.77 years | 10 |
| 2020s | 4.9 years | 3.07 years | 7.03 years | 4 |
Countries ranked near Afghanistan
More health data for Afghanistan
- Un projection of annual infant deaths, annual growth rate -1.45 % change on previous year (2100)
- Heat deaths vs projected death rates, annual growth rate 1.03 % change on previous year (2090)
- Estimated changes in temperature-related death rates compared to projected death rates 812.4 deaths per 1,000 people (2090)
- Number of infants who die before age 1 14,735 deaths (2100)
- Population ages 60-64, female, annual growth rate 4 % change on previous year (2025)
- Population ages 60-64, female, per unit of GDP 0 units per US$ of GDP (2024)
- Population ages 60-64, female, per capita 0.0081 units per person (2025)
- Population ages 60-64, male, annual growth rate 4.78 % change on previous year (2025)
- Population ages 60-64, male, per unit of GDP 0 units per US$ of GDP (2024)
- Population ages 60-64, male, per capita 0.0067 units per person (2025)
Frequently asked questions
- What is sex gap in life expectancy in Afghanistan?
- Sex gap in life expectancy in Afghanistan was 3.07 years in 2023, according to Human Mortality Database (2025); UN, World Population Prospects (2024) – with major processing by Our World in Data.
- What is the highest sex gap in life expectancy recorded in Afghanistan?
- The highest recorded value was 8.71 years in 1985.
- What is the lowest sex gap in life expectancy recorded in Afghanistan?
- The lowest recorded value was 1.29 years in 1950.
- How does Afghanistan rank for sex gap in life expectancy?
- Afghanistan ranks 219th out of 236 countries with data for 2023.
- Is sex gap in life expectancy rising or falling in Afghanistan?
- Over the last ten years it is down 6.4%. The long-run trend across the full record is volatile.
- Where does this Afghanistan data come from?
- The figures come from Human Mortality Database (2025); UN, World Population Prospects (2024) – with major processing by Our World in Data, published as part of Sex gap in life expectancy. Statizoid updates them automatically from the source API.
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About this data
Difference in period life expectancy (females - males) at a given age.