Difference in male and female life expectancy in Norway
Norway: Difference in male and female life expectancy was 3.05 in 2023. ▲ Rising
Latest (2023)
3.05
Change on year
down 9.3%
World rank
210th
of 236 countries
All-time high
6.73
in 1986
All-time low
1.24
in 1879
Years of data
178
1846–2023
Difference in male and female life expectancy in Norway, 1846–2023
Source: Our World in Data.
Analysis
Norway recorded 3.05 for difference in male and female life expectancy in 2023.
The figure is down 9.3% on the previous year and down 23.9% over ten years.
Over the whole period, difference in male and female life expectancy in Norway peaked at 6.73 in 1986 and was at its lowest, 1.24, in 1879.
That places Norway 210th out of 236 countries with data for 2023, putting it in the bottom quarter.
The long-run direction has been consistently rising across the 178 years of available data.
Difference in male and female life expectancy in Norway, year by year
| Year | Value | Change |
|---|---|---|
| 1846 | 2.92 | — |
| 1847 | 2.42 | -17.1% |
| 1848 | 2.9 | +19.8% |
| 1849 | 2.7 | -6.9% |
| 1850 | 2.84 | +5.2% |
| 1851 | 2.78 | -2.1% |
| 1852 | 2.88 | +3.6% |
| 1853 | 2.3 | -20.1% |
| 1854 | 2.73 | +18.7% |
| 1855 | 3.04 | +11.4% |
| 1856 | 2.7 | -11.2% |
| 1857 | 2.31 | -14.4% |
| 1858 | 2.25 | -2.6% |
| 1859 | 2.02 | -10.2% |
| 1860 | 2.27 | +12.4% |
| 1861 | 2.13 | -6.2% |
| 1862 | 2.17 | +1.9% |
| 1863 | 2.96 | +36.4% |
| 1864 | 1.67 | -43.6% |
| 1865 | 2.33 | +39.5% |
| 1866 | 2.63 | +12.9% |
| 1867 | 2.82 | +7.2% |
| 1868 | 3.48 | +23.4% |
| 1869 | 3.15 | -9.5% |
| 1870 | 2.74 | -13.0% |
| 1871 | 2.44 | -10.9% |
| 1872 | 2.67 | +9.4% |
| 1873 | 2.79 | +4.5% |
| 1874 | 2.76 | -1.1% |
| 1875 | 2.72 | -1.4% |
| 1876 | 2.4 | -11.8% |
| 1877 | 2.14 | -10.8% |
| 1878 | 2.21 | +3.3% |
| 1879 | 1.24 | -43.9% |
| 1880 | 2.25 | +81.5% |
| 1881 | 2.72 | +20.9% |
| 1882 | 1.98 | -27.2% |
| 1883 | 1.48 | -25.3% |
| 1884 | 1.95 | +31.8% |
| 1885 | 2.11 | +8.2% |
| 1886 | 2.32 | +10.0% |
| 1887 | 1.89 | -18.5% |
| 1888 | 2.44 | +29.1% |
| 1889 | 2.91 | +19.3% |
| 1890 | 2.86 | -1.7% |
| 1891 | 3.12 | +9.1% |
| 1892 | 3.31 | +6.1% |
| 1893 | 3.45 | +4.2% |
| 1894 | 3.19 | -7.5% |
| 1895 | 2.8 | -12.2% |
| 1896 | 3.31 | +18.2% |
| 1897 | 3.26 | -1.5% |
| 1898 | 3.07 | -5.8% |
| 1899 | 2.92 | -4.9% |
| 1900 | 2.8 | -4.1% |
| 1901 | 3.21 | +14.6% |
| 1902 | 2.24 | -30.2% |
| 1903 | 2.49 | +11.2% |
| 1904 | 1.95 | -21.7% |
| 1905 | 1.89 | -3.1% |
| 1906 | 2.13 | +12.7% |
| 1907 | 2.14 | +0.5% |
| 1908 | 1.97 | -7.9% |
| 1909 | 2.57 | +30.5% |
| 1910 | 2.62 | +1.9% |
| 1911 | 2.82 | +7.6% |
| 1912 | 2.44 | -13.5% |
| 1913 | 2.83 | +16.0% |
| 1914 | 2.64 | -6.7% |
| 1915 | 3.03 | +14.8% |
| 1916 | 3.05 | +0.7% |
| 1917 | 2.49 | -18.4% |
| 1918 | 3.55 | +42.6% |
| 1919 | 1.97 | -44.5% |
| 1920 | 1.72 | -12.7% |
| 1921 | 1.86 | +8.1% |
| 1922 | 1.65 | -11.3% |
| 1923 | 1.89 | +14.5% |
| 1924 | 1.87 | -1.1% |
| 1925 | 2.2 | +17.6% |
| 1926 | 1.92 | -12.7% |
| 1927 | 2.15 | +12.0% |
| 1928 | 1.93 | -10.2% |
| 1929 | 1.84 | -4.7% |
| 1930 | 2.08 | +13.0% |
| 1931 | 1.85 | -11.1% |
| 1932 | 1.85 | +0.0% |
| 1933 | 2.02 | +9.2% |
| 1934 | 2.26 | +11.9% |
| 1935 | 2 | -11.5% |
| 1936 | 2.27 | +13.5% |
| 1937 | 2.34 | +3.1% |
| 1938 | 2.72 | +16.2% |
| 1939 | 2.46 | -9.6% |
| 1940 | 4.69 | +90.7% |
| 1941 | 4.31 | -8.1% |
| 1942 | 5.41 | +25.5% |
| 1943 | 4.82 | -10.9% |
| 1944 | 4.82 | +0.0% |
| 1945 | 3.55 | -26.3% |
| 1946 | 2.62 | -26.2% |
| 1947 | 2.22 | -15.3% |
| 1948 | 2.72 | +22.5% |
| 1949 | 2.38 | -12.5% |
| 1950 | 2.53 | +6.3% |
| 1951 | 2.84 | +12.3% |
| 1952 | 2.88 | +1.4% |
| 1953 | 3.12 | +8.3% |
| 1954 | 3.22 | +3.2% |
| 1955 | 3.27 | +1.6% |
| 1956 | 3.45 | +5.4% |
| 1957 | 3.58 | +3.7% |
| 1958 | 3.8 | +6.2% |
| 1959 | 3.92 | +3.2% |
| 1960 | 3.99 | +1.8% |
| 1961 | 4.43 | +11.1% |
| 1962 | 4.52 | +2.0% |
| 1963 | 4.23 | -6.5% |
| 1964 | 4.46 | +5.5% |
| 1965 | 5.09 | +14.2% |
| 1966 | 4.92 | -3.4% |
| 1967 | 5.22 | +6.2% |
| 1968 | 5.23 | +0.2% |
| 1969 | 5.51 | +5.3% |
| 1970 | 5.83 | +5.9% |
| 1971 | 5.7 | -2.2% |
| 1972 | 5.81 | +1.9% |
| 1973 | 5.99 | +3.1% |
| 1974 | 5.87 | -2.0% |
| 1975 | 6.01 | +2.4% |
| 1976 | 6.05 | +0.7% |
| 1977 | 6.15 | +1.7% |
| 1978 | 6.09 | -1.0% |
| 1979 | 6.34 | +4.2% |
| 1980 | 6.57 | +3.5% |
| 1981 | 6.45 | -1.8% |
| 1982 | 6.69 | +3.7% |
| 1983 | 6.65 | -0.6% |
| 1984 | 6.61 | -0.7% |
| 1985 | 6.54 | -1.1% |
| 1986 | 6.73 | +3.0% |
| 1987 | 6.67 | -1.0% |
| 1988 | 6.3 | -5.5% |
| 1989 | 6.32 | +0.2% |
| 1990 | 6.12 | -3.1% |
| 1991 | 6.04 | -1.3% |
| 1992 | 6.08 | +0.6% |
| 1993 | 5.9 | -3.0% |
| 1994 | 5.71 | -3.2% |
| 1995 | 5.85 | +2.6% |
| 1996 | 5.56 | -5.1% |
| 1997 | 5.43 | -2.4% |
| 1998 | 5.65 | +4.2% |
| 1999 | 5.42 | -4.0% |
| 2000 | 5.35 | -1.3% |
| 2001 | 5.21 | -2.6% |
| 2002 | 5.08 | -2.5% |
| 2003 | 4.84 | -4.8% |
| 2004 | 4.83 | -0.2% |
| 2005 | 4.71 | -2.5% |
| 2006 | 4.43 | -5.9% |
| 2007 | 4.43 | +0.1% |
| 2008 | 4.54 | +2.5% |
| 2009 | 4.37 | -3.9% |
| 2010 | 4.26 | -2.5% |
| 2011 | 4.35 | +2.2% |
| 2012 | 3.97 | -8.7% |
| 2013 | 4 | +0.8% |
| 2014 | 3.99 | -0.3% |
| 2015 | 3.7 | -7.2% |
| 2016 | 3.52 | -4.9% |
| 2017 | 3.36 | -4.7% |
| 2018 | 3.46 | +3.2% |
| 2019 | 3.44 | -0.6% |
| 2020 | 3.37 | -2.2% |
| 2021 | 3.08 | -8.5% |
| 2022 | 3.36 | +9.1% |
| 2023 | 3.05 | -9.3% |
Norway compared with similar countries
- Norway's 3.05 is below the median for high income countries, which is 4.91, 62% of the median. (85 countries reporting)
- Norway's 3.05 is below the median for Europe & Central Asia, which is 5.35, 57% of the median. (56 countries reporting)
Biggest year-on-year movements
Years where Difference in male and female life expectancy in Norway 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 |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1940 | +90.7% | 2.46 | 4.69 |
| 1880 | +81.5% | 1.24 | 2.25 |
Averages by decade
| Decade | Average | Lowest | Highest | Years |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1840s | 2.73 | 2.42 | 2.92 | 4 |
| 1850s | 2.58 | 2.02 | 3.04 | 10 |
| 1860s | 2.56 | 1.67 | 3.48 | 10 |
| 1870s | 2.41 | 1.24 | 2.79 | 10 |
| 1880s | 2.21 | 1.48 | 2.91 | 10 |
| 1890s | 3.13 | 2.8 | 3.45 | 10 |
| 1900s | 2.34 | 1.89 | 3.21 | 10 |
| 1910s | 2.74 | 1.97 | 3.55 | 10 |
| 1920s | 1.9 | 1.65 | 2.2 | 10 |
| 1930s | 2.19 | 1.85 | 2.72 | 10 |
| 1940s | 3.75 | 2.22 | 5.41 | 10 |
| 1950s | 3.26 | 2.53 | 3.92 | 10 |
| 1960s | 4.76 | 3.99 | 5.51 | 10 |
| 1970s | 5.98 | 5.7 | 6.34 | 10 |
| 1980s | 6.55 | 6.3 | 6.73 | 10 |
| 1990s | 5.78 | 5.42 | 6.12 | 10 |
| 2000s | 4.78 | 4.37 | 5.35 | 10 |
| 2010s | 3.81 | 3.36 | 4.35 | 10 |
| 2020s | 3.21 | 3.05 | 3.37 | 4 |
Countries ranked near Norway
- 207 Cote d'Ivoire 3.19 compare
- 208 Netherlands 3.15 compare
- 209 Maldives 3.08 compare
- 211 Congo 3.04 compare
- 212 Bangladesh 3.03 compare
- 213 Equatorial Guinea 2.98 compare
More health data for Norway
- Un projection of annual infant deaths, annual growth rate -7.69 % change on previous year (2100)
- Heat deaths vs projected death rates, annual growth rate -0.337 % change on previous year (2090)
- Un projection of annual infant deaths 12 (2100)
- Neonatal tetanus - number of reported cases, gaps filled 0 (2021)
- Population ages 00-04, female, annual growth rate -0.217 % 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 0.0238 units per person (2025)
- Population ages 00-04, male, annual growth rate -0.0617 % 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 0.0251 units per person (2025)
Frequently asked questions
- What is difference in male and female life expectancy in Norway?
- Difference in male and female life expectancy in Norway was 3.05 in 2023, according to Our World in Data.
- What is the highest difference in male and female life expectancy recorded in Norway?
- The highest recorded value was 6.73 in 1986.
- What is the lowest difference in male and female life expectancy recorded in Norway?
- The lowest recorded value was 1.24 in 1879.
- How does Norway rank for difference in male and female life expectancy?
- Norway ranks 210th out of 236 countries with data for 2023.
- Is difference in male and female life expectancy rising or falling in Norway?
- Over the last ten years it is down 23.9%. The long-run trend across the full record is rising.
- Where does this Norway 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
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