Difference in female and male life expectancy at birth in Switzerland
Switzerland: Difference in female and male life expectancy at birth was 3.82 in 2023. ▲ Rising
Latest (2023)
3.82
Change on year
down 12.6%
World rank
192nd
of 236 countries
All-time high
6.99
in 1991
All-time low
2.04
in 1883
Years of data
148
1876–2023
Difference in female and male life expectancy at birth in Switzerland, 1876–2023
Source: Our World in Data.
Analysis
Switzerland recorded 3.82 for difference in female and male life expectancy at birth in 2023.
The figure is down 12.6% on the previous year and down 9.3% over ten years.
Over the whole period, difference in female and male life expectancy at birth in Switzerland peaked at 6.99 in 1991 and was at its lowest, 2.04, in 1883.
Switzerland ranks 192nd of 236 countries on this measure, in the bottom quarter.
The long-run direction has been consistently rising across the 148 years of available data.
Difference in female and male life expectancy at birth in Switzerland, year by year
| Year | Value | Change |
|---|---|---|
| 1876 | 3.4 | — |
| 1877 | 3 | -11.8% |
| 1878 | 2.58 | -14.0% |
| 1879 | 3.12 | +20.9% |
| 1880 | 3.05 | -2.2% |
| 1881 | 2.58 | -15.4% |
| 1882 | 2.74 | +6.2% |
| 1883 | 2.04 | -25.5% |
| 1884 | 2.49 | +22.1% |
| 1885 | 2.44 | -2.0% |
| 1886 | 2.34 | -4.1% |
| 1887 | 2.58 | +10.3% |
| 1888 | 2.66 | +3.1% |
| 1889 | 2.18 | -18.0% |
| 1890 | 2.71 | +24.3% |
| 1891 | 2.79 | +3.0% |
| 1892 | 2.79 | +0.0% |
| 1893 | 2.54 | -9.0% |
| 1894 | 2.41 | -5.1% |
| 1895 | 2.93 | +21.6% |
| 1896 | 3.08 | +5.1% |
| 1897 | 2.83 | -8.1% |
| 1898 | 3.19 | +12.7% |
| 1899 | 3.49 | +9.4% |
| 1900 | 2.68 | -23.2% |
| 1901 | 3.26 | +21.6% |
| 1902 | 2.67 | -18.1% |
| 1903 | 2.49 | -6.7% |
| 1904 | 2.44 | -2.0% |
| 1905 | 2.86 | +17.2% |
| 1906 | 2.91 | +1.7% |
| 1907 | 3.08 | +5.8% |
| 1908 | 3.19 | +3.6% |
| 1909 | 2.99 | -6.3% |
| 1910 | 3.39 | +13.4% |
| 1911 | 3.24 | -4.4% |
| 1912 | 3.36 | +3.7% |
| 1913 | 3.45 | +2.7% |
| 1914 | 3.3 | -4.3% |
| 1915 | 3.17 | -3.9% |
| 1916 | 3.15 | -0.6% |
| 1917 | 3.31 | +5.1% |
| 1918 | 5.18 | +56.5% |
| 1919 | 2.17 | -58.1% |
| 1920 | 2.55 | +17.5% |
| 1921 | 3.34 | +31.0% |
| 1922 | 2.4 | -28.1% |
| 1923 | 3.52 | +46.7% |
| 1924 | 3.14 | -10.8% |
| 1925 | 3.01 | -4.1% |
| 1926 | 3.13 | +4.0% |
| 1927 | 3.01 | -3.8% |
| 1928 | 3.54 | +17.6% |
| 1929 | 3.84 | +8.5% |
| 1930 | 4.18 | +8.9% |
| 1931 | 3.62 | -13.4% |
| 1932 | 3.68 | +1.7% |
| 1933 | 3.74 | +1.6% |
| 1934 | 4.17 | +11.5% |
| 1935 | 3.74 | -10.3% |
| 1936 | 4.25 | +13.6% |
| 1937 | 3.92 | -7.8% |
| 1938 | 3.67 | -6.4% |
| 1939 | 4.19 | +14.2% |
| 1940 | 4.32 | +3.1% |
| 1941 | 4.23 | -2.1% |
| 1942 | 4.34 | +2.6% |
| 1943 | 4.45 | +2.5% |
| 1944 | 4.45 | +0.0% |
| 1945 | 4.07 | -8.5% |
| 1946 | 3.53 | -13.3% |
| 1947 | 4.27 | +21.0% |
| 1948 | 4.29 | +0.5% |
| 1949 | 4.27 | -0.5% |
| 1950 | 4.44 | +4.0% |
| 1951 | 4.63 | +4.3% |
| 1952 | 4.61 | -0.4% |
| 1953 | 4.84 | +4.9% |
| 1954 | 4.72 | -2.4% |
| 1955 | 4.65 | -1.5% |
| 1956 | 4.97 | +7.1% |
| 1957 | 5.33 | +7.1% |
| 1958 | 5.39 | +1.2% |
| 1959 | 5.38 | -0.2% |
| 1960 | 5.46 | +1.5% |
| 1961 | 5.74 | +5.1% |
| 1962 | 5.65 | -1.6% |
| 1963 | 5.94 | +5.1% |
| 1964 | 5.92 | -0.4% |
| 1965 | 5.6 | -5.5% |
| 1966 | 5.69 | +1.7% |
| 1967 | 6.03 | +5.9% |
| 1968 | 5.73 | -5.0% |
| 1969 | 5.93 | +3.6% |
| 1970 | 6.14 | +3.5% |
| 1971 | 6.09 | -0.8% |
| 1972 | 6.21 | +2.0% |
| 1973 | 6.07 | -2.2% |
| 1974 | 6.39 | +5.3% |
| 1975 | 6.51 | +1.8% |
| 1976 | 6.54 | +0.4% |
| 1977 | 6.72 | +2.7% |
| 1978 | 6.77 | +0.7% |
| 1979 | 6.48 | -4.3% |
| 1980 | 6.63 | +2.3% |
| 1981 | 6.71 | +1.2% |
| 1982 | 6.65 | -0.9% |
| 1983 | 6.87 | +3.2% |
| 1984 | 6.69 | -2.6% |
| 1985 | 6.68 | -0.2% |
| 1986 | 6.64 | -0.5% |
| 1987 | 6.76 | +1.7% |
| 1988 | 6.83 | +1.1% |
| 1989 | 6.87 | +0.5% |
| 1990 | 6.76 | -1.7% |
| 1991 | 6.99 | +3.4% |
| 1992 | 6.88 | -1.6% |
| 1993 | 6.51 | -5.3% |
| 1994 | 6.56 | +0.7% |
| 1995 | 6.39 | -2.6% |
| 1996 | 6.05 | -5.4% |
| 1997 | 5.78 | -4.3% |
| 1998 | 6.15 | +6.3% |
| 1999 | 5.7 | -7.4% |
| 2000 | 5.64 | -1.0% |
| 2001 | 5.6 | -0.6% |
| 2002 | 5.22 | -6.9% |
| 2003 | 5.09 | -2.4% |
| 2004 | 5.04 | -1.1% |
| 2005 | 5.12 | +1.6% |
| 2006 | 4.81 | -6.0% |
| 2007 | 4.7 | -2.3% |
| 2008 | 4.61 | -2.1% |
| 2009 | 4.55 | -1.1% |
| 2010 | 4.34 | -4.8% |
| 2011 | 4.39 | +1.3% |
| 2012 | 4.16 | -5.3% |
| 2013 | 4.22 | +1.4% |
| 2014 | 4.18 | -0.8% |
| 2015 | 4.19 | +0.1% |
| 2016 | 3.69 | -11.8% |
| 2017 | 3.99 | +8.0% |
| 2018 | 3.73 | -6.5% |
| 2019 | 3.66 | -1.7% |
| 2020 | 4.08 | +11.3% |
| 2021 | 3.99 | -2.3% |
| 2022 | 4.38 | +9.8% |
| 2023 | 3.82 | -12.6% |
Switzerland compared with similar countries
- Switzerland's 3.82 is below the median for high income countries, which is 4.98, 77% of the median. (85 countries reporting)
- Switzerland's 3.82 is below the median for Europe & Central Asia, which is 5.4, 71% of the median. (56 countries reporting)
Biggest year-on-year movements
Years where Difference in female and male life expectancy at birth in Switzerland 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 |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1919 | -58.1% | 5.18 | 2.17 |
| 1918 | +56.5% | 3.31 | 5.18 |
| 1923 | +46.7% | 2.4 | 3.52 |
Averages by decade
| Decade | Average | Lowest | Highest | Years |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1870s | 3.02 | 2.58 | 3.4 | 4 |
| 1880s | 2.51 | 2.04 | 3.05 | 10 |
| 1890s | 2.88 | 2.41 | 3.49 | 10 |
| 1900s | 2.86 | 2.44 | 3.26 | 10 |
| 1910s | 3.37 | 2.17 | 5.18 | 10 |
| 1920s | 3.15 | 2.4 | 3.84 | 10 |
| 1930s | 3.92 | 3.62 | 4.25 | 10 |
| 1940s | 4.22 | 3.53 | 4.45 | 10 |
| 1950s | 4.9 | 4.44 | 5.39 | 10 |
| 1960s | 5.77 | 5.46 | 6.03 | 10 |
| 1970s | 6.39 | 6.07 | 6.77 | 10 |
| 1980s | 6.73 | 6.63 | 6.87 | 10 |
| 1990s | 6.38 | 5.7 | 6.99 | 10 |
| 2000s | 5.04 | 4.55 | 5.64 | 10 |
| 2010s | 4.05 | 3.66 | 4.39 | 10 |
| 2020s | 4.07 | 3.82 | 4.38 | 4 |
Countries ranked near Switzerland
More health data for Switzerland
- Un projection of annual infant deaths, annual growth rate -2.13 % change on previous year (2100)
- Heat deaths vs projected death rates, annual growth rate -1.27 % change on previous year (2090)
- Un projection of annual infant deaths 46 (2100)
- Neonatal tetanus - number of reported cases, gaps filled 1 (2023)
- Population ages 00-04, female, annual growth rate 0.0481 % 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 0.0233 units per person (2025)
- Population ages 00-04, male, annual growth rate -0.0927 % 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 0.0245 units per person (2025)
Frequently asked questions
- What is difference in female and male life expectancy at birth in Switzerland?
- Difference in female and male life expectancy at birth in Switzerland was 3.82 in 2023, according to Our World in Data.
- What is the highest difference in female and male life expectancy at birth recorded in Switzerland?
- The highest recorded value was 6.99 in 1991.
- What is the lowest difference in female and male life expectancy at birth recorded in Switzerland?
- The lowest recorded value was 2.04 in 1883.
- How does Switzerland rank for difference in female and male life expectancy at birth?
- Switzerland ranks 192nd out of 236 countries with data for 2023.
- Is difference in female and male life expectancy at birth rising or falling in Switzerland?
- Over the last ten years it is down 9.3%. The long-run trend across the full record is rising.
- Where does this Switzerland 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
CSV · JSON — 148 observations, free to reuse under CC BY 4.0 (Our World in Data).