Difference in male and female life expectancy in Iceland
Iceland: Difference in male and female life expectancy was 3.35 in 2023. ▼ Falling
Latest (2023)
3.35
Change on year
down 26.9%
World rank
194th
of 229 countries
All-time high
10.88
in 1879
All-time low
-2.01
in 1891
Years of data
186
1838–2023
Difference in male and female life expectancy in Iceland, 1838–2023
Source: Our World in Data.
Analysis
Iceland recorded 3.35 for difference in male and female life expectancy in 2023.
That represents a change of down 26.9% on the previous year and up 7.6% over ten years.
Over the whole period, difference in male and female life expectancy in Iceland peaked at 10.88 in 1879 and was at its lowest, -2.01, in 1891.
That places Iceland 194th out of 229 countries with data for 2023, putting it in the bottom quarter.
The long-run direction has been consistently falling across the 186 years of available data.
Difference in male and female life expectancy in Iceland, year by year
| Year | Value | Change |
|---|---|---|
| 1838 | 4.12 | — |
| 1839 | 6.24 | +51.5% |
| 1840 | 4.23 | -32.2% |
| 1841 | 3.58 | -15.4% |
| 1842 | 9.17 | +156.1% |
| 1843 | 3.97 | -56.7% |
| 1844 | 4.16 | +4.8% |
| 1845 | 2.76 | -33.7% |
| 1846 | 0.11 | -96.0% |
| 1847 | 7.72 | +6918.1% |
| 1848 | 3.31 | -57.1% |
| 1849 | 5.89 | +77.9% |
| 1850 | 3.51 | -40.4% |
| 1851 | 5.4 | +53.8% |
| 1852 | 5.34 | -1.1% |
| 1853 | 7.69 | +44.0% |
| 1854 | 10.69 | +39.0% |
| 1855 | 4 | -62.6% |
| 1856 | 8.01 | +100.2% |
| 1857 | 9.23 | +15.2% |
| 1858 | 5.18 | -43.9% |
| 1859 | 7.12 | +37.5% |
| 1860 | 6.8 | -4.5% |
| 1861 | 6.29 | -7.5% |
| 1862 | 3.42 | -45.6% |
| 1863 | 10.55 | +208.5% |
| 1864 | 10.11 | -4.2% |
| 1865 | 6.87 | -32.0% |
| 1866 | 4.18 | -39.2% |
| 1867 | 8.06 | +92.8% |
| 1868 | 7.78 | -3.5% |
| 1869 | 5.89 | -24.3% |
| 1870 | 7.99 | +35.7% |
| 1871 | 7.84 | -1.9% |
| 1872 | 5.99 | -23.6% |
| 1873 | 3.12 | -47.9% |
| 1874 | 5.14 | +64.7% |
| 1875 | 9.1 | +77.0% |
| 1876 | 6.13 | -32.6% |
| 1877 | 6.98 | +13.9% |
| 1878 | 5.23 | -25.1% |
| 1879 | 10.88 | +108.0% |
| 1880 | 4.57 | -58.0% |
| 1881 | 4.54 | -0.7% |
| 1882 | -0.62 | -113.7% |
| 1883 | 7.32 | -1280.6% |
| 1884 | 7.57 | +3.4% |
| 1885 | 4.05 | -46.5% |
| 1886 | 3.33 | -17.8% |
| 1887 | 8.5 | +155.3% |
| 1888 | 8.92 | +4.9% |
| 1889 | 3.79 | -57.5% |
| 1890 | 6.1 | +60.9% |
| 1891 | -2.01 | -133.0% |
| 1892 | 5.38 | -367.7% |
| 1893 | 8.34 | +55.0% |
| 1894 | 7.22 | -13.4% |
| 1895 | 3.45 | -52.2% |
| 1896 | 5.44 | +57.7% |
| 1897 | 9.35 | +71.9% |
| 1898 | 8.45 | -9.6% |
| 1899 | 7 | -17.2% |
| 1900 | 6.75 | -3.6% |
| 1901 | 6.01 | -11.0% |
| 1902 | 2.51 | -58.2% |
| 1903 | 5.43 | +116.3% |
| 1904 | 5.36 | -1.3% |
| 1905 | 6.08 | +13.4% |
| 1906 | 9.87 | +62.3% |
| 1907 | 4.81 | -51.3% |
| 1908 | 4.95 | +2.9% |
| 1909 | 3.1 | -37.4% |
| 1910 | 4.92 | +58.7% |
| 1911 | 4.97 | +1.0% |
| 1912 | 5.53 | +11.3% |
| 1913 | 3.96 | -28.4% |
| 1914 | 6.19 | +56.3% |
| 1915 | 7.24 | +17.0% |
| 1916 | 6.35 | -12.3% |
| 1917 | 3.68 | -42.0% |
| 1918 | 3.52 | -4.3% |
| 1919 | 3.57 | +1.4% |
| 1920 | 4.54 | +27.2% |
| 1921 | 7.67 | +68.9% |
| 1922 | 7.83 | +2.1% |
| 1923 | 5.28 | -32.6% |
| 1924 | 7.76 | +47.0% |
| 1925 | 5.19 | -33.1% |
| 1926 | 3.7 | -28.7% |
| 1927 | 2.66 | -28.1% |
| 1928 | 0.8 | -69.9% |
| 1929 | 1.57 | +96.2% |
| 1930 | 4.44 | +182.8% |
| 1931 | 2.22 | -50.0% |
| 1932 | 3.57 | +60.8% |
| 1933 | 5.39 | +51.0% |
| 1934 | 2.75 | -49.0% |
| 1935 | 3.46 | +25.8% |
| 1936 | 5.7 | +64.7% |
| 1937 | 2.92 | -48.8% |
| 1938 | 5.96 | +104.1% |
| 1939 | 3.49 | -41.4% |
| 1940 | 4.64 | +33.0% |
| 1941 | 5.84 | +25.9% |
| 1942 | 3.76 | -35.6% |
| 1943 | 2.73 | -27.4% |
| 1944 | 4.28 | +56.8% |
| 1945 | 2.75 | -35.7% |
| 1946 | 5.21 | +89.5% |
| 1947 | 2.98 | -42.8% |
| 1948 | 1.37 | -54.0% |
| 1949 | 2.87 | +109.5% |
| 1950 | 4.67 | +62.7% |
| 1951 | 3.63 | -22.2% |
| 1952 | 4.68 | +28.7% |
| 1953 | 3.61 | -22.9% |
| 1954 | 3.95 | +9.4% |
| 1955 | 4.71 | +19.4% |
| 1956 | 2.29 | -51.3% |
| 1957 | 3.08 | +34.2% |
| 1958 | 4.51 | +46.5% |
| 1959 | 5.53 | +22.7% |
| 1960 | 2.39 | -56.8% |
| 1961 | 4.56 | +90.6% |
| 1962 | 4.19 | -8.1% |
| 1963 | 5.68 | +35.5% |
| 1964 | 4.98 | -12.2% |
| 1965 | 4.93 | -1.1% |
| 1966 | 5.25 | +6.6% |
| 1967 | 5.09 | -3.1% |
| 1968 | 3.87 | -23.9% |
| 1969 | 4.36 | +12.7% |
| 1970 | 6.09 | +39.6% |
| 1971 | 5.29 | -13.1% |
| 1972 | 4.52 | -14.5% |
| 1973 | 5.62 | +24.2% |
| 1974 | 6.27 | +11.6% |
| 1975 | 6.14 | -2.1% |
| 1976 | 5.91 | -3.8% |
| 1977 | 5.61 | -5.0% |
| 1978 | 5.38 | -4.1% |
| 1979 | 5.09 | -5.4% |
| 1980 | 5.96 | +17.1% |
| 1981 | 5.89 | -1.2% |
| 1982 | 4.8 | -18.5% |
| 1983 | 7.06 | +46.9% |
| 1984 | 5.36 | -24.1% |
| 1985 | 5.2 | -2.8% |
| 1986 | 5.27 | +1.4% |
| 1987 | 4.63 | -12.2% |
| 1988 | 5.25 | +13.5% |
| 1989 | 4.11 | -21.7% |
| 1990 | 4.79 | +16.4% |
| 1991 | 6.16 | +28.6% |
| 1992 | 3.83 | -37.8% |
| 1993 | 3.41 | -10.9% |
| 1994 | 4 | +17.2% |
| 1995 | 3.93 | -1.7% |
| 1996 | 4.59 | +16.7% |
| 1997 | 4.86 | +6.0% |
| 1998 | 4.01 | -17.5% |
| 1999 | 3.74 | -6.8% |
| 2000 | 3.31 | -11.4% |
| 2001 | 4.61 | +39.3% |
| 2002 | 3.85 | -16.6% |
| 2003 | 2.93 | -23.8% |
| 2004 | 4.11 | +40.1% |
| 2005 | 3.68 | -10.5% |
| 2006 | 3.39 | -7.8% |
| 2007 | 3.34 | -1.4% |
| 2008 | 3.11 | -6.9% |
| 2009 | 3.81 | +22.5% |
| 2010 | 4.16 | +9.1% |
| 2011 | 3.31 | -20.5% |
| 2012 | 2.58 | -22.1% |
| 2013 | 3.11 | +20.7% |
| 2014 | 3.15 | +1.3% |
| 2015 | 2.43 | -23.0% |
| 2016 | 3.4 | +40.0% |
| 2017 | 3.31 | -2.7% |
| 2018 | 3.05 | -7.8% |
| 2019 | 2.95 | -3.4% |
| 2020 | 2.68 | -9.1% |
| 2021 | 2.82 | +5.3% |
| 2022 | 4.58 | +62.5% |
| 2023 | 3.35 | -26.9% |
Averages by decade
| Decade | Average | Lowest | Highest | Years |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1830s | 5.18 | 4.12 | 6.24 | 2 |
| 1840s | 4.49 | 0.11 | 9.17 | 10 |
| 1850s | 6.62 | 3.51 | 10.69 | 10 |
| 1860s | 7 | 3.42 | 10.55 | 10 |
| 1870s | 6.84 | 3.12 | 10.88 | 10 |
| 1880s | 5.2 | -0.62 | 8.92 | 10 |
| 1890s | 5.87 | -2.01 | 9.35 | 10 |
| 1900s | 5.49 | 2.51 | 9.87 | 10 |
| 1910s | 4.99 | 3.52 | 7.24 | 10 |
| 1920s | 4.7 | 0.8 | 7.83 | 10 |
| 1930s | 3.99 | 2.22 | 5.96 | 10 |
| 1940s | 3.64 | 1.37 | 5.84 | 10 |
| 1950s | 4.07 | 2.29 | 5.53 | 10 |
| 1960s | 4.53 | 2.39 | 5.68 | 10 |
| 1970s | 5.59 | 4.52 | 6.27 | 10 |
| 1980s | 5.35 | 4.11 | 7.06 | 10 |
| 1990s | 4.33 | 3.41 | 6.16 | 10 |
| 2000s | 3.61 | 2.93 | 4.61 | 10 |
| 2010s | 3.14 | 2.43 | 4.16 | 10 |
| 2020s | 3.36 | 2.68 | 4.58 | 4 |
Countries ranked near Iceland
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)
- Heat deaths vs projected death rates 1,358 (2090)
- Un projection of annual infant deaths 0 (2100)
- Population ages 15-64, male, annual growth rate 1.49 % change on previous year (2025)
- Population ages 15-64, male, per unit of GDP 0 units per US$ of GDP (2025)
- Population ages 15-64, male, per capita 0.3448 units per person (2025)
- Population ages 15-64, total, annual growth rate 1.39 % change on previous year (2025)
- Population ages 15-64, total, per unit of GDP 0 units per US$ of GDP (2025)
- Population ages 15-64, total, per capita 0.665 units per person (2025)
Frequently asked questions
- What is difference in male and female life expectancy in Iceland?
- Difference in male and female life expectancy in Iceland was 3.35 in 2023, according to Our World in Data.
- What is the highest difference in male and female life expectancy recorded in Iceland?
- The highest recorded value was 10.88 in 1879.
- What is the lowest difference in male and female life expectancy recorded in Iceland?
- The lowest recorded value was -2.01 in 1891.
- How does Iceland rank for difference in male and female life expectancy?
- Iceland ranks 194th out of 229 countries with data for 2023.
- Is difference in male and female life expectancy rising or falling in Iceland?
- Over the last ten years it is up 7.6%. The long-run trend across the full record is falling.
- Where does this Iceland 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.
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