Difference in female and male life expectancy at birth in China
China: Difference in female and male life expectancy at birth was 5.73 in 2023. ▲ Rising
Difference in female and male life expectancy at birth in China, 1950–2023
Source: Our World in Data.
Analysis
The most recent figure for difference in female and male life expectancy at birth in China is 5.73, measured in 2023.
The figure is up 1.1% on the previous year and up 7.2% over ten years.
Over the whole period, difference in female and male life expectancy at birth in China peaked at 5.82 in 2017 and was at its lowest, 2.69, in 1960.
China ranks 81st of 236 countries on this measure, in the middle of the range.
The long-run direction has been consistently rising across the 74 years of available data.
Difference in female and male life expectancy at birth in China, year by year
| Year | Value | Change |
|---|---|---|
| 1950 | 3.55 | — |
| 1951 | 3.46 | -2.5% |
| 1952 | 3.51 | +1.5% |
| 1953 | 3.3 | -6.0% |
| 1954 | 3.42 | +3.8% |
| 1955 | 3.76 | +9.8% |
| 1956 | 3.74 | -0.5% |
| 1957 | 3.82 | +2.2% |
| 1958 | 3.96 | +3.6% |
| 1959 | 3.38 | -14.6% |
| 1960 | 2.69 | -20.4% |
| 1961 | 3.28 | +21.7% |
| 1962 | 4.24 | +29.6% |
| 1963 | 4.21 | -0.9% |
| 1964 | 4.2 | -0.2% |
| 1965 | 4.27 | +1.7% |
| 1966 | 4.13 | -3.2% |
| 1967 | 4.08 | -1.4% |
| 1968 | 3.96 | -2.7% |
| 1969 | 3.91 | -1.3% |
| 1970 | 3.84 | -1.9% |
| 1971 | 3.7 | -3.5% |
| 1972 | 3.74 | +1.0% |
| 1973 | 3.93 | +5.1% |
| 1974 | 4.15 | +5.6% |
| 1975 | 4.26 | +2.5% |
| 1976 | 4.05 | -4.8% |
| 1977 | 4.36 | +7.5% |
| 1978 | 4.39 | +0.8% |
| 1979 | 4.42 | +0.6% |
| 1980 | 4.46 | +0.8% |
| 1981 | 4.52 | +1.4% |
| 1982 | 4.56 | +0.9% |
| 1983 | 4.6 | +0.8% |
| 1984 | 4.63 | +0.7% |
| 1985 | 4.69 | +1.1% |
| 1986 | 4.75 | +1.4% |
| 1987 | 4.85 | +2.0% |
| 1988 | 4.9 | +1.0% |
| 1989 | 4.86 | -0.8% |
| 1990 | 4.7 | -3.2% |
| 1991 | 4.76 | +1.3% |
| 1992 | 4.72 | -0.8% |
| 1993 | 4.9 | +3.8% |
| 1994 | 5 | +2.0% |
| 1995 | 5.15 | +3.0% |
| 1996 | 5.16 | +0.1% |
| 1997 | 5.16 | -0.1% |
| 1998 | 5.12 | -0.7% |
| 1999 | 5.02 | -1.9% |
| 2000 | 5.05 | +0.5% |
| 2001 | 5.05 | +0.1% |
| 2002 | 5.07 | +0.4% |
| 2003 | 5.09 | +0.4% |
| 2004 | 5.1 | +0.2% |
| 2005 | 5.17 | +1.5% |
| 2006 | 5.2 | +0.4% |
| 2007 | 5.11 | -1.7% |
| 2008 | 5.14 | +0.5% |
| 2009 | 5.23 | +1.8% |
| 2010 | 5.14 | -1.8% |
| 2011 | 5.32 | +3.5% |
| 2012 | 5.36 | +0.8% |
| 2013 | 5.34 | -0.3% |
| 2014 | 5.39 | +0.9% |
| 2015 | 5.42 | +0.5% |
| 2016 | 5.48 | +1.1% |
| 2017 | 5.82 | +6.3% |
| 2018 | 5.54 | -4.9% |
| 2019 | 5.44 | -1.7% |
| 2020 | 5.75 | +5.7% |
| 2021 | 5.43 | -5.7% |
| 2022 | 5.67 | +4.4% |
| 2023 | 5.73 | +1.1% |
China compared with similar countries
- China's 5.73 is below the median for upper middle income countries, which is 5.83, 98% of the median. (58 countries reporting)
- China's 5.73 is above the median for East Asia & Pacific, which is 5, 1.1× the median. (37 countries reporting)
Biggest year-on-year movements
Years where Difference in female and male life expectancy at birth in China changed far more than this series normally does. A large move can be a real event or a change in how the figure was measured — the source note below says who published it.
| Year | Change | From | To |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1962 | +29.6% | 3.28 | 4.24 |
Averages by decade
| Decade | Average | Lowest | Highest | Years |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1950s | 3.59 | 3.3 | 3.96 | 10 |
| 1960s | 3.9 | 2.69 | 4.27 | 10 |
| 1970s | 4.08 | 3.7 | 4.42 | 10 |
| 1980s | 4.68 | 4.46 | 4.9 | 10 |
| 1990s | 4.97 | 4.7 | 5.16 | 10 |
| 2000s | 5.12 | 5.05 | 5.23 | 10 |
| 2010s | 5.42 | 5.14 | 5.82 | 10 |
| 2020s | 5.64 | 5.43 | 5.75 | 4 |
Countries ranked near China
More health data for China
- Un projection of annual infant deaths, annual growth rate -1.15 % change on previous year (2100)
- Heat deaths vs projected death rates, annual growth rate -0.0985 % change on previous year (2090)
- Un projection of annual infant deaths 4,642 (2100)
- Neonatal tetanus - number of reported cases, gaps filled 10 (2025)
- Population ages 00-04, female, annual growth rate -8.22 % change on previous year (2025)
- Population ages 00-04, female, per unit of GDP 0 units per US$ of GDP (2025)
- Population ages 00-04, female, per capita 0.0159 units per person (2025)
- Population ages 00-04, male, annual growth rate -8.73 % change on previous year (2025)
- Population ages 00-04, male, per unit of GDP 0 units per US$ of GDP (2025)
- Population ages 00-04, male, per capita 0.0176 units per person (2025)
Frequently asked questions
- What is difference in female and male life expectancy at birth in China?
- Difference in female and male life expectancy at birth in China was 5.73 in 2023, according to Our World in Data.
- What is the highest difference in female and male life expectancy at birth recorded in China?
- The highest recorded value was 5.82 in 2017.
- What is the lowest difference in female and male life expectancy at birth recorded in China?
- The lowest recorded value was 2.69 in 1960.
- How does China rank for difference in female and male life expectancy at birth?
- China ranks 81st out of 236 countries with data for 2023.
- Is difference in female and male life expectancy at birth rising or falling in China?
- Over the last ten years it is up 7.2%. The long-run trend across the full record is rising.
- Where does this China data come from?
- The figures come from Our World in Data, published as part of Difference in female and male life expectancy at birth. Statizoid updates them automatically from the source API.
Download this data
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