Sex gap in life expectancy in Western Sahara
Western Sahara: Sex gap in life expectancy was 3.86 years in 2023. ◆ Volatile
Latest (2023)
3.86 years
Change on year
up 2.7%
World rank
187th
of 236 countries
All-time high
18.61 years
in 1979
All-time low
3.05 years
in 1966
Years of data
74
1950–2023
Sex gap in life expectancy in Western Sahara, 1950–2023
Source: Human Mortality Database (2025); UN, World Population Prospects (2024) – with major processing by Our World in Data. Measured in years.
Analysis
Western Sahara recorded 3.86 years for sex gap in life expectancy in 2023.
Compared with earlier readings it is up 2.7% on the previous year and up 11.1% over ten years.
Over the whole period, sex gap in life expectancy in Western Sahara peaked at 18.61 years in 1979 and was at its lowest, 3.05 years, in 1966.
That places Western Sahara 187th out of 236 countries with data for 2023, putting it 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 Western Sahara, year by year
| Year | years | Change |
|---|---|---|
| 1950 | 3.1 years | — |
| 1951 | 3.1 years | +0.1% |
| 1952 | 3.1 years | +0.1% |
| 1953 | 3.11 years | +0.1% |
| 1954 | 3.14 years | +1.1% |
| 1955 | 3.16 years | +0.7% |
| 1956 | 3.17 years | +0.3% |
| 1957 | 3.18 years | +0.2% |
| 1958 | 3.18 years | +0.0% |
| 1959 | 3.18 years | -0.1% |
| 1960 | 3.17 years | -0.1% |
| 1961 | 3.17 years | -0.2% |
| 1962 | 3.13 years | -1.1% |
| 1963 | 3.1 years | -1.0% |
| 1964 | 3.08 years | -0.8% |
| 1965 | 3.06 years | -0.7% |
| 1966 | 3.05 years | -0.4% |
| 1967 | 3.08 years | +1.1% |
| 1968 | 3.1 years | +0.6% |
| 1969 | 3.11 years | +0.2% |
| 1970 | 3.11 years | +0.1% |
| 1971 | 3.11 years | -0.0% |
| 1972 | 3.14 years | +1.1% |
| 1973 | 3.18 years | +1.1% |
| 1974 | 3.18 years | +0.1% |
| 1975 | 15.89 years | +399.7% |
| 1976 | 16.63 years | +4.6% |
| 1977 | 15.53 years | -6.6% |
| 1978 | 14.27 years | -8.1% |
| 1979 | 18.61 years | +30.3% |
| 1980 | 17.78 years | -4.4% |
| 1981 | 13.18 years | -25.9% |
| 1982 | 13.1 years | -0.6% |
| 1983 | 13.11 years | +0.1% |
| 1984 | 13.16 years | +0.4% |
| 1985 | 13.31 years | +1.1% |
| 1986 | 13.38 years | +0.5% |
| 1987 | 13.98 years | +4.5% |
| 1988 | 10.38 years | -25.7% |
| 1989 | 12.29 years | +18.4% |
| 1990 | 3.28 years | -73.3% |
| 1991 | 3.25 years | -0.9% |
| 1992 | 3.3 years | +1.4% |
| 1993 | 3.34 years | +1.4% |
| 1994 | 3.33 years | -0.5% |
| 1995 | 3.32 years | -0.3% |
| 1996 | 3.31 years | -0.1% |
| 1997 | 3.37 years | +1.8% |
| 1998 | 3.44 years | +1.9% |
| 1999 | 3.43 years | -0.1% |
| 2000 | 3.43 years | -0.2% |
| 2001 | 3.43 years | -0.1% |
| 2002 | 3.52 years | +2.7% |
| 2003 | 3.57 years | +1.5% |
| 2004 | 3.52 years | -1.4% |
| 2005 | 3.46 years | -1.6% |
| 2006 | 3.41 years | -1.6% |
| 2007 | 3.48 years | +2.3% |
| 2008 | 3.55 years | +2.0% |
| 2009 | 3.48 years | -2.1% |
| 2010 | 3.41 years | -1.9% |
| 2011 | 3.36 years | -1.5% |
| 2012 | 3.34 years | -0.8% |
| 2013 | 3.47 years | +4.1% |
| 2014 | 3.6 years | +3.6% |
| 2015 | 3.66 years | +1.8% |
| 2016 | 3.64 years | -0.5% |
| 2017 | 3.62 years | -0.7% |
| 2018 | 3.58 years | -1.0% |
| 2019 | 3.55 years | -1.0% |
| 2020 | 3.54 years | -0.2% |
| 2021 | 3.65 years | +3.2% |
| 2022 | 3.76 years | +2.9% |
| 2023 | 3.86 years | +2.7% |
Averages by decade
| Decade | Average | Lowest | Highest | Years |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1950s | 3.14 years | 3.1 years | 3.18 years | 10 |
| 1960s | 3.1 years | 3.05 years | 3.17 years | 10 |
| 1970s | 9.67 years | 3.11 years | 18.61 years | 10 |
| 1980s | 13.37 years | 10.38 years | 17.78 years | 10 |
| 1990s | 3.34 years | 3.25 years | 3.44 years | 10 |
| 2000s | 3.48 years | 3.41 years | 3.57 years | 10 |
| 2010s | 3.52 years | 3.34 years | 3.66 years | 10 |
| 2020s | 3.7 years | 3.54 years | 3.86 years | 4 |
Countries ranked near Western Sahara
- 184 Mauritania 3.98 years compare
- 185 Tokelau 3.97 years compare
- 186 Senegal 3.96 years compare
- 188 United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern Ireland 3.85 years compare
- 189 Chile 3.84 years compare
- 190 Iran, Islamic Republic of 3.84 years compare
More health data for Western Sahara
- Un projection of annual infant deaths, annual growth rate -2.86 % change on previous year (2100)
- Number of infants who die before age 1 34 deaths (2100)
- Heat deaths vs projected death rates, annual growth rate 0.1818 % change on previous year (2090)
- Estimated changes in temperature-related death rates compared to projected death rates 1,102 deaths per 1,000 people (2090)
- Deaths in armed conflicts based on where they occurred 0 deaths (2026)
- Deaths in armed conflicts by region 0 deaths (2026)
- Deaths in intrastate conflicts based on where they occurred 0 deaths (2025)
- Deaths in non-state conflicts based on where they occurred 0 deaths (2025)
- Deaths in armed conflicts 0 deaths (2025)
- Civilian and combatant deaths in armed conflicts 0 deaths (2025)
Frequently asked questions
- What is sex gap in life expectancy in Western Sahara?
- Sex gap in life expectancy in Western Sahara was 3.86 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 Western Sahara?
- The highest recorded value was 18.61 years in 1979.
- What is the lowest sex gap in life expectancy recorded in Western Sahara?
- The lowest recorded value was 3.05 years in 1966.
- How does Western Sahara rank for sex gap in life expectancy?
- Western Sahara ranks 187th out of 236 countries with data for 2023.
- Is sex gap in life expectancy rising or falling in Western Sahara?
- Over the last ten years it is up 11.1%. The long-run trend across the full record is volatile.
- Where does this Western Sahara 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.