Sex gap in life expectancy in Iceland
Iceland: Sex gap in life expectancy was 3.52 years in 2023. ▼ Falling
Latest (2023)
3.52 years
Change on year
down 25.8%
World rank
204th
of 236 countries
All-time high
10.72 years
in 1906
All-time low
-2.6 years
in 1891
Years of data
186
1838–2023
Sex gap in life expectancy in Iceland, 1838–2023
Source: Human Mortality Database (2025); UN, World Population Prospects (2024) – with major processing by Our World in Data. Measured in years.
Analysis
The most recent figure for sex gap in life expectancy in Iceland is 3.52 years, measured in 2023.
Compared with earlier readings it is down 25.8% on the previous year and up 16.7% over ten years.
Over the whole period, sex gap in life expectancy in Iceland peaked at 10.72 years in 1906 and was at its lowest, -2.6 years, in 1891.
Iceland ranks 204th of 236 countries on this measure, in the bottom quarter.
The long-run direction has been consistently falling across the 186 years of available data.
Sex gap in life expectancy in Iceland, year by year
| Year | years | Change |
|---|---|---|
| 1838 | 3.68 years | — |
| 1839 | 2.98 years | -19.0% |
| 1840 | 1.42 years | -52.3% |
| 1841 | 3.34 years | +135.2% |
| 1842 | 9.5 years | +184.4% |
| 1843 | 5.42 years | -42.9% |
| 1844 | 4.2 years | -22.5% |
| 1845 | 4.61 years | +9.8% |
| 1846 | 0.97 years | -79.0% |
| 1847 | 5.99 years | +517.5% |
| 1848 | 6.06 years | +1.2% |
| 1849 | 5.66 years | -6.6% |
| 1850 | 3.09 years | -45.4% |
| 1851 | 5.25 years | +69.9% |
| 1852 | 3.28 years | -37.5% |
| 1853 | 7.21 years | +119.8% |
| 1854 | 7.82 years | +8.5% |
| 1855 | 5.82 years | -25.6% |
| 1856 | 8.18 years | +40.5% |
| 1857 | 6.82 years | -16.6% |
| 1858 | 3.64 years | -46.6% |
| 1859 | 4 years | +9.9% |
| 1860 | 3.25 years | -18.8% |
| 1861 | 4.27 years | +31.4% |
| 1862 | 2.88 years | -32.6% |
| 1863 | 7.39 years | +156.6% |
| 1864 | 7.52 years | +1.8% |
| 1865 | 5.89 years | -21.7% |
| 1866 | 3.25 years | -44.8% |
| 1867 | 9.93 years | +205.5% |
| 1868 | 7.76 years | -21.9% |
| 1869 | 4.05 years | -47.8% |
| 1870 | 8.12 years | +100.5% |
| 1871 | 5.98 years | -26.4% |
| 1872 | 1.55 years | -74.1% |
| 1873 | 3.83 years | +147.1% |
| 1874 | 4.59 years | +19.8% |
| 1875 | 7.13 years | +55.3% |
| 1876 | 5.77 years | -19.1% |
| 1877 | 7.41 years | +28.4% |
| 1878 | 6.32 years | -14.7% |
| 1879 | 9.71 years | +53.6% |
| 1880 | 4.84 years | -50.2% |
| 1881 | 3.04 years | -37.2% |
| 1882 | 2.07 years | -31.9% |
| 1883 | 4.37 years | +111.1% |
| 1884 | 6.46 years | +47.8% |
| 1885 | 6.46 years | +0.0% |
| 1886 | 4.44 years | -31.3% |
| 1887 | 7.56 years | +70.3% |
| 1888 | 8.27 years | +9.4% |
| 1889 | 3.91 years | -52.7% |
| 1890 | 4.6 years | +17.6% |
| 1891 | -2.6 years | -156.5% |
| 1892 | 5.68 years | -318.5% |
| 1893 | 8.9 years | +56.7% |
| 1894 | 8.5 years | -4.5% |
| 1895 | 4.19 years | -50.7% |
| 1896 | 5.56 years | +32.7% |
| 1897 | 4.73 years | -14.9% |
| 1898 | 6.97 years | +47.4% |
| 1899 | 7.29 years | +4.6% |
| 1900 | 5.88 years | -19.3% |
| 1901 | 6.87 years | +16.8% |
| 1902 | 2.9 years | -57.8% |
| 1903 | 2.39 years | -17.6% |
| 1904 | 4.7 years | +96.7% |
| 1905 | 6.72 years | +43.0% |
| 1906 | 10.72 years | +59.5% |
| 1907 | 5.24 years | -51.1% |
| 1908 | 6.14 years | +17.2% |
| 1909 | 1.36 years | -77.9% |
| 1910 | 4.02 years | +195.6% |
| 1911 | 5.35 years | +33.1% |
| 1912 | 6.72 years | +25.6% |
| 1913 | 4.68 years | -30.4% |
| 1914 | 7.13 years | +52.4% |
| 1915 | 5.79 years | -18.8% |
| 1916 | 7.99 years | +38.0% |
| 1917 | 5.1 years | -36.2% |
| 1918 | 3.32 years | -34.9% |
| 1919 | 4.04 years | +21.7% |
| 1920 | 3.76 years | -6.9% |
| 1921 | 7.54 years | +100.5% |
| 1922 | 7.78 years | +3.2% |
| 1923 | 6.05 years | -22.2% |
| 1924 | 7.17 years | +18.5% |
| 1925 | 3.02 years | -57.9% |
| 1926 | 4.41 years | +46.0% |
| 1927 | 4.15 years | -5.9% |
| 1928 | 1.12 years | -73.0% |
| 1929 | 1.32 years | +17.9% |
| 1930 | 4.66 years | +253.0% |
| 1931 | 2.54 years | -45.5% |
| 1932 | 4.14 years | +63.0% |
| 1933 | 5.61 years | +35.5% |
| 1934 | 2.78 years | -50.4% |
| 1935 | 4.26 years | +53.2% |
| 1936 | 7.24 years | +70.0% |
| 1937 | 3.71 years | -48.8% |
| 1938 | 6.26 years | +68.7% |
| 1939 | 4.1 years | -34.5% |
| 1940 | 5.89 years | +43.7% |
| 1941 | 7.53 years | +27.8% |
| 1942 | 3.71 years | -50.7% |
| 1943 | 2.89 years | -22.1% |
| 1944 | 4.5 years | +55.7% |
| 1945 | 3.42 years | -24.0% |
| 1946 | 6.31 years | +84.5% |
| 1947 | 3.98 years | -36.9% |
| 1948 | 0.95 years | -76.1% |
| 1949 | 3.6 years | +278.9% |
| 1950 | 4.94 years | +37.2% |
| 1951 | 3.64 years | -26.3% |
| 1952 | 4.79 years | +31.5% |
| 1953 | 4.09 years | -14.7% |
| 1954 | 4.5 years | +10.2% |
| 1955 | 5.15 years | +14.3% |
| 1956 | 2.78 years | -46.1% |
| 1957 | 3.4 years | +22.5% |
| 1958 | 5.07 years | +48.9% |
| 1959 | 5.84 years | +15.2% |
| 1960 | 3.31 years | -43.2% |
| 1961 | 5.41 years | +63.3% |
| 1962 | 4.74 years | -12.5% |
| 1963 | 5.81 years | +22.6% |
| 1964 | 5.41 years | -6.9% |
| 1965 | 5.04 years | -6.8% |
| 1966 | 6.08 years | +20.7% |
| 1967 | 5.39 years | -11.4% |
| 1968 | 4.86 years | -9.7% |
| 1969 | 5.21 years | +7.1% |
| 1970 | 6.56 years | +26.0% |
| 1971 | 5.7 years | -13.2% |
| 1972 | 4.78 years | -16.1% |
| 1973 | 5.93 years | +23.9% |
| 1974 | 6.83 years | +15.2% |
| 1975 | 6.49 years | -4.9% |
| 1976 | 6.1 years | -6.0% |
| 1977 | 6.09 years | -0.3% |
| 1978 | 5.64 years | -7.4% |
| 1979 | 5.3 years | -5.9% |
| 1980 | 6.67 years | +25.8% |
| 1981 | 6.14 years | -8.0% |
| 1982 | 4.89 years | -20.3% |
| 1983 | 7.07 years | +44.5% |
| 1984 | 5.42 years | -23.3% |
| 1985 | 5.33 years | -1.6% |
| 1986 | 5.37 years | +0.7% |
| 1987 | 4.67 years | -13.1% |
| 1988 | 5.32 years | +14.1% |
| 1989 | 3.98 years | -25.2% |
| 1990 | 5.2 years | +30.6% |
| 1991 | 6.21 years | +19.4% |
| 1992 | 3.97 years | -36.1% |
| 1993 | 3.75 years | -5.4% |
| 1994 | 4.12 years | +9.7% |
| 1995 | 3.97 years | -3.5% |
| 1996 | 4.61 years | +16.0% |
| 1997 | 5.28 years | +14.6% |
| 1998 | 3.79 years | -28.2% |
| 1999 | 3.92 years | +3.4% |
| 2000 | 3.61 years | -7.9% |
| 2001 | 4.63 years | +28.1% |
| 2002 | 3.9 years | -15.7% |
| 2003 | 3.08 years | -21.0% |
| 2004 | 4.01 years | +30.0% |
| 2005 | 3.77 years | -5.9% |
| 2006 | 3.42 years | -9.4% |
| 2007 | 3.51 years | +2.8% |
| 2008 | 3.24 years | -7.7% |
| 2009 | 3.99 years | +23.2% |
| 2010 | 4.13 years | +3.5% |
| 2011 | 3.49 years | -15.5% |
| 2012 | 2.63 years | -24.6% |
| 2013 | 3.02 years | +14.7% |
| 2014 | 3.05 years | +1.1% |
| 2015 | 2.55 years | -16.6% |
| 2016 | 3.52 years | +38.1% |
| 2017 | 3.21 years | -8.7% |
| 2018 | 3.17 years | -1.2% |
| 2019 | 3.15 years | -0.9% |
| 2020 | 3 years | -4.8% |
| 2021 | 2.83 years | -5.6% |
| 2022 | 4.75 years | +68.1% |
| 2023 | 3.52 years | -25.8% |
Averages by decade
| Decade | Average | Lowest | Highest | Years |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1830s | 3.33 years | 2.98 years | 3.68 years | 2 |
| 1840s | 4.72 years | 0.97 years | 9.5 years | 10 |
| 1850s | 5.51 years | 3.09 years | 8.18 years | 10 |
| 1860s | 5.62 years | 2.88 years | 9.93 years | 10 |
| 1870s | 6.04 years | 1.55 years | 9.71 years | 10 |
| 1880s | 5.14 years | 2.07 years | 8.27 years | 10 |
| 1890s | 5.38 years | -2.6 years | 8.9 years | 10 |
| 1900s | 5.29 years | 1.36 years | 10.72 years | 10 |
| 1910s | 5.41 years | 3.32 years | 7.99 years | 10 |
| 1920s | 4.63 years | 1.12 years | 7.78 years | 10 |
| 1930s | 4.53 years | 2.54 years | 7.24 years | 10 |
| 1940s | 4.28 years | 0.95 years | 7.53 years | 10 |
| 1950s | 4.42 years | 2.78 years | 5.84 years | 10 |
| 1960s | 5.13 years | 3.31 years | 6.08 years | 10 |
| 1970s | 5.94 years | 4.78 years | 6.83 years | 10 |
| 1980s | 5.49 years | 3.98 years | 7.07 years | 10 |
| 1990s | 4.48 years | 3.75 years | 6.21 years | 10 |
| 2000s | 3.72 years | 3.08 years | 4.63 years | 10 |
| 2010s | 3.19 years | 2.55 years | 4.13 years | 10 |
| 2020s | 3.52 years | 2.83 years | 4.75 years | 4 |
Countries ranked near Iceland
- 201 Equatorial Guinea 3.62 years compare
- 202 Northern Mariana Islands 3.61 years compare
- 203 Kiribati 3.59 years compare
- 205 Liechtenstein 3.48 years compare
- 206 Madagascar 3.44 years compare
- 207 Sierra Leone 3.44 years compare
More health data for Iceland
- Un projection of annual infant deaths, annual growth rate -100 % change on previous year (2085)
- Heat deaths vs projected death rates, annual growth rate -0.4982 % change on previous year (2090)
- Estimated changes in temperature-related death rates compared to projected death rates 1,358 deaths per 1,000 people (2090)
- Number of infants who die before age 1 0 deaths (2100)
- Population ages 75-79, female, annual growth rate 3.5 % change on previous year (2025)
- Population ages 75-79, female, per unit of GDP 0 units per US$ of GDP (2025)
- Population ages 75-79, female, per capita 0.0159 units per person (2025)
- Population ages 75-79, male, annual growth rate 5.55 % change on previous year (2025)
- Population ages 75-79, male, per unit of GDP 0 units per US$ of GDP (2025)
- Population ages 75-79, male, per capita 0.0156 units per person (2025)
Frequently asked questions
- What is sex gap in life expectancy in Iceland?
- Sex gap in life expectancy in Iceland was 3.52 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 Iceland?
- The highest recorded value was 10.72 years in 1906.
- What is the lowest sex gap in life expectancy recorded in Iceland?
- The lowest recorded value was -2.6 years in 1891.
- How does Iceland rank for sex gap in life expectancy?
- Iceland ranks 204th out of 236 countries with data for 2023.
- Is sex gap in life expectancy rising or falling in Iceland?
- Over the last ten years it is up 16.7%. The long-run trend across the full record is falling.
- Where does this Iceland 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.
Download this data
CSV · JSON — 186 observations, free to reuse under CC BY 4.0 (Our World in Data).
About this data
Difference in period life expectancy (females - males) at a given age.