Difference in male and female life expectancy in Belgium
Belgium: Difference in male and female life expectancy was 4.41 in 2023. ◆ Volatile
Latest (2023)
4.41
Change on year
down 9.4%
World rank
134th
of 236 countries
All-time high
8.16
in 1940
All-time low
-1.11
in 1844
Years of data
178
1841–2023
Difference in male and female life expectancy in Belgium, 1841–2023
Source: Our World in Data.
Analysis
The most recent figure for difference in male and female life expectancy in Belgium is 4.41, measured in 2023.
The figure is down 9.4% on the previous year and down 10.1% over ten years.
Over the whole period, difference in male and female life expectancy in Belgium peaked at 8.16 in 1940 and was at its lowest, -1.11, in 1844.
Belgium ranks 134th of 236 countries on this measure, in the middle of the range.
The series is highly variable year to year, so single readings are best treated with caution.
Difference in male and female life expectancy in Belgium, year by year
| Year | Value | Change |
|---|---|---|
| 1841 | -0.61 | — |
| 1842 | -0.61 | -0.0% |
| 1843 | -1.09 | +78.7% |
| 1844 | -1.11 | +1.8% |
| 1845 | -0.82 | -26.1% |
| 1846 | 0.49 | -159.8% |
| 1847 | 1.52 | +210.2% |
| 1848 | -0.44 | -128.9% |
| 1849 | -0.49 | +11.4% |
| 1850 | -0.91 | +85.7% |
| 1851 | -0.98 | +7.7% |
| 1852 | -0.81 | -17.3% |
| 1853 | -0.67 | -17.3% |
| 1854 | -0.39 | -41.8% |
| 1855 | -0.28 | -28.2% |
| 1856 | -0.3 | +7.1% |
| 1857 | -0.67 | +123.3% |
| 1858 | -0.55 | -17.9% |
| 1859 | 0.04 | -107.3% |
| 1860 | 0.03 | -25.0% |
| 1861 | 0.24 | +700.0% |
| 1862 | -0.01 | -104.2% |
| 1863 | -0.12 | +1100.2% |
| 1864 | -0.19 | +58.3% |
| 1865 | 0.29 | -252.6% |
| 1866 | 1.09 | +275.9% |
| 1867 | 0.81 | -25.7% |
| 1868 | 0.85 | +4.9% |
| 1869 | 0.69 | -18.8% |
| 1870 | 0.77 | +11.6% |
| 1871 | 1.17 | +51.9% |
| 1872 | 1.06 | -9.4% |
| 1873 | 1.43 | +34.9% |
| 1874 | 1.41 | -1.4% |
| 1875 | 1.47 | +4.3% |
| 1876 | 2.03 | +38.1% |
| 1877 | 1.99 | -2.0% |
| 1878 | 2.23 | +12.1% |
| 1879 | 2.06 | -7.6% |
| 1880 | 2.54 | +23.3% |
| 1881 | 2.2 | -13.4% |
| 1882 | 2.31 | +5.0% |
| 1883 | 2.6 | +12.6% |
| 1884 | 2.08 | -20.0% |
| 1885 | 2.2 | +5.8% |
| 1886 | 2.52 | +14.5% |
| 1887 | 2.47 | -2.0% |
| 1888 | 2.7 | +9.3% |
| 1889 | 2.71 | +0.4% |
| 1890 | 2.85 | +5.2% |
| 1891 | 2.71 | -4.9% |
| 1892 | 2.41 | -11.1% |
| 1893 | 2.22 | -7.9% |
| 1894 | 2.83 | +27.5% |
| 1895 | 2.44 | -13.8% |
| 1896 | 2.44 | +0.0% |
| 1897 | 2.46 | +0.8% |
| 1898 | 2.58 | +4.9% |
| 1899 | 2.5 | -3.1% |
| 1900 | 2.23 | -10.8% |
| 1901 | 2.4 | +7.6% |
| 1902 | 2.2 | -8.3% |
| 1903 | 2.36 | +7.3% |
| 1904 | 2.14 | -9.3% |
| 1905 | 2.07 | -3.3% |
| 1906 | 2.03 | -1.9% |
| 1907 | 2.04 | +0.5% |
| 1908 | 1.9 | -6.9% |
| 1909 | 2.11 | +11.1% |
| 1910 | 2.19 | +3.8% |
| 1911 | 2.53 | +15.5% |
| 1912 | 2.39 | -5.5% |
| 1913 | 2.57 | +7.5% |
| 1919 | 2.23 | -13.2% |
| 1920 | 2.19 | -1.8% |
| 1921 | 1.74 | -20.5% |
| 1922 | 1.98 | +13.8% |
| 1923 | 2.44 | +23.2% |
| 1924 | 2.56 | +4.9% |
| 1925 | 2.35 | -8.2% |
| 1926 | 2.27 | -3.4% |
| 1927 | 2.04 | -10.1% |
| 1928 | 2.25 | +10.3% |
| 1929 | 2.26 | +0.4% |
| 1930 | 2.71 | +19.9% |
| 1931 | 2.5 | -7.7% |
| 1932 | 2.35 | -6.0% |
| 1933 | 2.45 | +4.3% |
| 1934 | 2.61 | +6.5% |
| 1935 | 2.79 | +6.9% |
| 1936 | 3.05 | +9.3% |
| 1937 | 3.01 | -1.3% |
| 1938 | 3.03 | +0.7% |
| 1939 | 3.26 | +7.6% |
| 1940 | 8.16 | +150.3% |
| 1941 | 4.52 | -44.6% |
| 1942 | 4.55 | +0.7% |
| 1943 | 4.14 | -9.0% |
| 1944 | 6.3 | +52.2% |
| 1945 | 4.56 | -27.6% |
| 1946 | 4.56 | +0.0% |
| 1947 | 4.39 | -3.7% |
| 1948 | 4.31 | -1.8% |
| 1949 | 4.16 | -3.5% |
| 1950 | 4.21 | +1.3% |
| 1951 | 4.13 | -2.0% |
| 1952 | 4.29 | +3.9% |
| 1953 | 4.43 | +3.2% |
| 1954 | 4.38 | -1.0% |
| 1955 | 4.55 | +3.9% |
| 1956 | 4.78 | +5.0% |
| 1957 | 4.71 | -1.4% |
| 1958 | 4.8 | +2.0% |
| 1959 | 4.92 | +2.3% |
| 1960 | 5.37 | +9.2% |
| 1961 | 5.46 | +1.7% |
| 1962 | 5.4 | -1.2% |
| 1963 | 5.54 | +2.8% |
| 1964 | 5.69 | +2.6% |
| 1965 | 5.77 | +1.5% |
| 1966 | 5.61 | -2.7% |
| 1967 | 5.82 | +3.6% |
| 1968 | 5.87 | +1.0% |
| 1969 | 5.98 | +1.8% |
| 1970 | 5.86 | -2.0% |
| 1971 | 6.03 | +2.9% |
| 1972 | 6.23 | +3.2% |
| 1973 | 6.23 | +0.1% |
| 1974 | 6.11 | -2.0% |
| 1975 | 6.07 | -0.7% |
| 1976 | 6.25 | +2.9% |
| 1977 | 6.32 | +1.2% |
| 1978 | 6.39 | +1.1% |
| 1979 | 6.56 | +2.6% |
| 1980 | 6.63 | +1.1% |
| 1981 | 6.51 | -1.8% |
| 1982 | 6.4 | -1.6% |
| 1983 | 6.29 | -1.7% |
| 1984 | 6.57 | +4.4% |
| 1985 | 6.63 | +0.9% |
| 1986 | 6.36 | -4.1% |
| 1987 | 6.51 | +2.4% |
| 1988 | 6.54 | +0.3% |
| 1989 | 6.39 | -2.3% |
| 1990 | 6.47 | +1.4% |
| 1991 | 6.47 | +0.0% |
| 1992 | 6.5 | +0.4% |
| 1993 | 6.58 | +1.3% |
| 1994 | 6.48 | -1.6% |
| 1995 | 6.55 | +1.1% |
| 1996 | 6.5 | -0.8% |
| 1997 | 6.32 | -2.8% |
| 1998 | 6.24 | -1.3% |
| 1999 | 6.38 | +2.4% |
| 2000 | 6.26 | -1.9% |
| 2001 | 6.16 | -1.6% |
| 2002 | 5.99 | -2.8% |
| 2003 | 5.76 | -3.8% |
| 2004 | 5.86 | +1.7% |
| 2005 | 5.64 | -3.7% |
| 2006 | 5.59 | -1.0% |
| 2007 | 5.36 | -4.2% |
| 2008 | 5.47 | +2.1% |
| 2009 | 5.21 | -4.6% |
| 2010 | 5.13 | -1.5% |
| 2011 | 5.05 | -1.7% |
| 2012 | 5.09 | +0.9% |
| 2013 | 4.91 | -3.6% |
| 2014 | 4.86 | -1.1% |
| 2015 | 4.56 | -6.1% |
| 2016 | 4.78 | +4.7% |
| 2017 | 4.56 | -4.5% |
| 2018 | 4.4 | -3.6% |
| 2019 | 4.34 | -1.4% |
| 2020 | 4.52 | +4.3% |
| 2021 | 4.72 | +4.4% |
| 2022 | 4.87 | +3.1% |
| 2023 | 4.41 | -9.4% |
Belgium compared with similar countries
- Belgium's 4.41 is below the median for high income countries, which is 4.91, 90% of the median. (85 countries reporting)
- Belgium's 4.41 is below the median for Europe & Central Asia, which is 5.35, 83% of the median. (56 countries reporting)
Biggest year-on-year movements
Years where Difference in male and female life expectancy in Belgium 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 |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1863 | -1100.2% | -0.01 | -0.12 |
| 1861 | +700.0% | 0.03 | 0.24 |
| 1866 | +275.9% | 0.29 | 1.09 |
| 1865 | +252.6% | -0.19 | 0.29 |
| 1847 | +210.2% | 0.49 | 1.52 |
| 1846 | +159.8% | -0.82 | 0.49 |
Averages by decade
| Decade | Average | Lowest | Highest | Years |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1840s | -0.3511 | -1.11 | 1.52 | 9 |
| 1850s | -0.552 | -0.98 | 0.04 | 10 |
| 1860s | 0.368 | -0.19 | 1.09 | 10 |
| 1870s | 1.56 | 0.77 | 2.23 | 10 |
| 1880s | 2.43 | 2.08 | 2.71 | 10 |
| 1890s | 2.54 | 2.22 | 2.85 | 10 |
| 1900s | 2.15 | 1.9 | 2.4 | 10 |
| 1910s | 2.38 | 2.19 | 2.57 | 5 |
| 1920s | 2.21 | 1.74 | 2.56 | 10 |
| 1930s | 2.78 | 2.35 | 3.26 | 10 |
| 1940s | 4.96 | 4.14 | 8.16 | 10 |
| 1950s | 4.52 | 4.13 | 4.92 | 10 |
| 1960s | 5.65 | 5.37 | 5.98 | 10 |
| 1970s | 6.21 | 5.86 | 6.56 | 10 |
| 1980s | 6.48 | 6.29 | 6.63 | 10 |
| 1990s | 6.45 | 6.24 | 6.58 | 10 |
| 2000s | 5.73 | 5.21 | 6.26 | 10 |
| 2010s | 4.77 | 4.34 | 5.13 | 10 |
| 2020s | 4.63 | 4.41 | 4.87 | 4 |
Countries ranked near Belgium
More health data for Belgium
- Un projection of annual infant deaths, annual growth rate -3.28 % change on previous year (2100)
- Heat deaths vs projected death rates, annual growth rate -0.2923 % change on previous year (2090)
- Un projection of annual infant deaths 59 (2100)
- Neonatal tetanus - number of reported cases, gaps filled 0 (2025)
- Population ages 00-04, female, annual growth rate -2.11 % 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 0.0229 units per person (2025)
- Population ages 00-04, male, annual growth rate -1.96 % 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 0.024 units per person (2025)
Frequently asked questions
- What is difference in male and female life expectancy in Belgium?
- Difference in male and female life expectancy in Belgium was 4.41 in 2023, according to Our World in Data.
- What is the highest difference in male and female life expectancy recorded in Belgium?
- The highest recorded value was 8.16 in 1940.
- What is the lowest difference in male and female life expectancy recorded in Belgium?
- The lowest recorded value was -1.11 in 1844.
- How does Belgium rank for difference in male and female life expectancy?
- Belgium ranks 134th out of 236 countries with data for 2023.
- Is difference in male and female life expectancy rising or falling in Belgium?
- Over the last ten years it is down 10.1%. The long-run trend across the full record is volatile.
- Where does this Belgium data come from?
- The figures come from Our World in Data, published as part of Difference in male and female life expectancy. Statizoid updates them automatically from the source API.
Download this data
CSV · JSON — 178 observations, free to reuse under CC BY 4.0 (Our World in Data).