Difference in female and male life expectancy at birth in New Zealand
New Zealand: Difference in female and male life expectancy at birth was 3.36 in 2023. ▼ Falling
Latest (2023)
3.36
Change on year
up 7.7%
World rank
211th
of 236 countries
All-time high
6.7
in 1977
All-time low
3.12
in 2022
Years of data
76
1948–2023
Difference in female and male life expectancy at birth in New Zealand, 1948–2023
Source: Our World in Data.
Analysis
New Zealand recorded 3.36 for difference in female and male life expectancy at birth in 2023.
That represents a change of up 7.7% on the previous year and down 7.8% over ten years.
Over the whole period, difference in female and male life expectancy at birth in New Zealand peaked at 6.7 in 1977 and was at its lowest, 3.12, in 2022.
That places New Zealand 211th out of 236 countries with data for 2023, putting it in the bottom quarter.
The long-run direction has been consistently falling across the 76 years of available data.
Difference in female and male life expectancy at birth in New Zealand, year by year
| Year | Value | Change |
|---|---|---|
| 1948 | 3.86 | — |
| 1949 | 3.47 | -10.1% |
| 1950 | 3.83 | +10.4% |
| 1951 | 4.46 | +16.3% |
| 1952 | 4.1 | -7.9% |
| 1953 | 4.78 | +16.4% |
| 1954 | 4.85 | +1.5% |
| 1955 | 4.86 | +0.2% |
| 1956 | 4.9 | +0.9% |
| 1957 | 5.31 | +8.3% |
| 1958 | 5.04 | -5.1% |
| 1959 | 5.06 | +0.4% |
| 1960 | 5.28 | +4.4% |
| 1961 | 5.3 | +0.4% |
| 1962 | 5.63 | +6.2% |
| 1963 | 5.71 | +1.4% |
| 1964 | 5.82 | +2.0% |
| 1965 | 5.98 | +2.7% |
| 1966 | 6.25 | +4.5% |
| 1967 | 6.26 | +0.2% |
| 1968 | 6.17 | -1.5% |
| 1969 | 6.33 | +2.6% |
| 1970 | 6.34 | +0.1% |
| 1971 | 6.33 | -0.1% |
| 1972 | 5.72 | -9.6% |
| 1973 | 6.7 | +17.0% |
| 1974 | 6.21 | -7.2% |
| 1975 | 6.52 | +5.0% |
| 1976 | 6.37 | -2.4% |
| 1977 | 6.7 | +5.2% |
| 1978 | 6.68 | -0.3% |
| 1979 | 6.67 | -0.0% |
| 1980 | 5.76 | -13.7% |
| 1981 | 6.4 | +11.1% |
| 1982 | 6.21 | -3.0% |
| 1983 | 6.12 | -1.4% |
| 1984 | 6.51 | +6.4% |
| 1985 | 5.87 | -9.8% |
| 1986 | 6.39 | +8.9% |
| 1987 | 5.84 | -8.7% |
| 1988 | 6.18 | +5.8% |
| 1989 | 6.17 | -0.2% |
| 1990 | 5.87 | -4.9% |
| 1991 | 5.58 | -4.8% |
| 1992 | 6.18 | +10.7% |
| 1993 | 5.42 | -12.3% |
| 1994 | 5.51 | +1.6% |
| 1995 | 5.4 | -2.0% |
| 1996 | 5.12 | -5.2% |
| 1997 | 5.45 | +6.4% |
| 1998 | 5.32 | -2.2% |
| 1999 | 4.99 | -6.3% |
| 2000 | 5.17 | +3.5% |
| 2001 | 4.74 | -8.3% |
| 2002 | 4.51 | -4.8% |
| 2003 | 4.49 | -0.4% |
| 2004 | 4.13 | -8.1% |
| 2005 | 4.27 | +3.3% |
| 2006 | 4.1 | -3.9% |
| 2007 | 4.17 | +1.8% |
| 2008 | 4.05 | -3.0% |
| 2009 | 3.95 | -2.4% |
| 2010 | 3.83 | -3.0% |
| 2011 | 3.56 | -7.2% |
| 2012 | 3.77 | +5.9% |
| 2013 | 3.64 | -3.4% |
| 2014 | 3.62 | -0.6% |
| 2015 | 3.31 | -8.6% |
| 2016 | 3.53 | +6.7% |
| 2017 | 3.4 | -3.7% |
| 2018 | 3.47 | +2.1% |
| 2019 | 3.64 | +5.0% |
| 2020 | 3.63 | -0.4% |
| 2021 | 3.46 | -4.4% |
| 2022 | 3.12 | -10.1% |
| 2023 | 3.36 | +7.7% |
New Zealand compared with similar countries
- New Zealand's 3.36 is below the median for high income countries, which is 4.98, 67% of the median. (85 countries reporting)
- New Zealand's 3.36 is below the median for East Asia & Pacific, which is 5, 67% of the median. (37 countries reporting)
Averages by decade
| Decade | Average | Lowest | Highest | Years |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1940s | 3.67 | 3.47 | 3.86 | 2 |
| 1950s | 4.72 | 3.83 | 5.31 | 10 |
| 1960s | 5.87 | 5.28 | 6.33 | 10 |
| 1970s | 6.42 | 5.72 | 6.7 | 10 |
| 1980s | 6.14 | 5.76 | 6.51 | 10 |
| 1990s | 5.48 | 4.99 | 6.18 | 10 |
| 2000s | 4.36 | 3.95 | 5.17 | 10 |
| 2010s | 3.58 | 3.31 | 3.83 | 10 |
| 2020s | 3.39 | 3.12 | 3.63 | 4 |
Countries ranked near New Zealand
- 208 Oman 3.39 compare
- 209 East Timor 3.37 compare
- 210 Gambia 3.36 compare
- 212 Bangladesh 3.34 compare
- 213 Congo 3.34 compare
- 214 Luxembourg 3.27 compare
More health data for New Zealand
- Un projection of annual infant deaths, annual growth rate -2.94 % change on previous year (2100)
- Heat deaths vs projected death rates, annual growth rate -0.4815 % change on previous year (2090)
- Un projection of annual infant deaths 33 (2100)
- Neonatal tetanus - number of reported cases, gaps filled 0 (2025)
- Population ages 00-04, female, annual growth rate -0.1187 % 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 0.0277 units per person (2025)
- Population ages 00-04, male, annual growth rate 0.018 % 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 0.0291 units per person (2025)
Frequently asked questions
- What is difference in female and male life expectancy at birth in New Zealand?
- Difference in female and male life expectancy at birth in New Zealand was 3.36 in 2023, according to Our World in Data.
- What is the highest difference in female and male life expectancy at birth recorded in New Zealand?
- The highest recorded value was 6.7 in 1977.
- What is the lowest difference in female and male life expectancy at birth recorded in New Zealand?
- The lowest recorded value was 3.12 in 2022.
- How does New Zealand rank for difference in female and male life expectancy at birth?
- New Zealand ranks 211th out of 236 countries with data for 2023.
- Is difference in female and male life expectancy at birth rising or falling in New Zealand?
- Over the last ten years it is down 7.8%. The long-run trend across the full record is falling.
- Where does this New Zealand 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.
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