Difference in male and female life expectancy in Switzerland
Switzerland: Difference in male and female life expectancy was 3.8 in 2023. ▲ Rising
Latest (2023)
3.8
Change on year
down 12.5%
World rank
180th
of 236 countries
All-time high
6.84
in 1991
All-time low
0.96
in 1889
Years of data
148
1876–2023
Difference in male and female life expectancy in Switzerland, 1876–2023
Source: Our World in Data.
Analysis
The most recent figure for difference in male and female life expectancy in Switzerland is 3.8, measured in 2023.
That represents a change of down 12.5% on the previous year and down 8.0% over ten years.
Over the whole period, difference in male and female life expectancy in Switzerland peaked at 6.84 in 1991 and was at its lowest, 0.96, in 1889.
Switzerland ranks 180th 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 male and female life expectancy in Switzerland, year by year
| Year | Value | Change |
|---|---|---|
| 1876 | 2.15 | — |
| 1877 | 1.5 | -30.2% |
| 1878 | 1.43 | -4.7% |
| 1879 | 1.47 | +2.8% |
| 1880 | 1.53 | +4.1% |
| 1881 | 1.54 | +0.7% |
| 1882 | 1.41 | -8.4% |
| 1883 | 1.05 | -25.5% |
| 1884 | 1.19 | +13.3% |
| 1885 | 1.01 | -15.1% |
| 1886 | 1.33 | +31.7% |
| 1887 | 1.26 | -5.3% |
| 1888 | 1.09 | -13.5% |
| 1889 | 0.96 | -11.9% |
| 1890 | 1.38 | +43.8% |
| 1891 | 0.98 | -29.0% |
| 1892 | 1.31 | +33.7% |
| 1893 | 1.26 | -3.8% |
| 1894 | 1.13 | -10.3% |
| 1895 | 1.29 | +14.2% |
| 1896 | 1.83 | +41.9% |
| 1897 | 1.93 | +5.5% |
| 1898 | 2 | +3.6% |
| 1899 | 2.33 | +16.5% |
| 1900 | 1.32 | -43.3% |
| 1901 | 1.81 | +37.1% |
| 1902 | 1.59 | -12.2% |
| 1903 | 1.62 | +1.9% |
| 1904 | 1.47 | -9.3% |
| 1905 | 1.84 | +25.2% |
| 1906 | 1.86 | +1.1% |
| 1907 | 1.66 | -10.8% |
| 1908 | 1.97 | +18.7% |
| 1909 | 1.87 | -5.1% |
| 1910 | 2.38 | +27.3% |
| 1911 | 2.29 | -3.8% |
| 1912 | 2.47 | +7.9% |
| 1913 | 2.42 | -2.0% |
| 1914 | 2.2 | -9.1% |
| 1915 | 2.13 | -3.2% |
| 1916 | 1.99 | -6.6% |
| 1917 | 2.27 | +14.1% |
| 1918 | 5.34 | +135.2% |
| 1919 | 1.21 | -77.3% |
| 1920 | 1.68 | +38.8% |
| 1921 | 2.15 | +28.0% |
| 1922 | 1.64 | -23.7% |
| 1923 | 2.52 | +53.7% |
| 1924 | 2.08 | -17.5% |
| 1925 | 2.33 | +12.0% |
| 1926 | 2.4 | +3.0% |
| 1927 | 2.26 | -5.8% |
| 1928 | 2.63 | +16.4% |
| 1929 | 3.06 | +16.3% |
| 1930 | 3.35 | +9.5% |
| 1931 | 2.99 | -10.7% |
| 1932 | 3.01 | +0.7% |
| 1933 | 3.02 | +0.3% |
| 1934 | 3.13 | +3.6% |
| 1935 | 3.09 | -1.3% |
| 1936 | 3.4 | +10.0% |
| 1937 | 3.26 | -4.1% |
| 1938 | 3.16 | -3.1% |
| 1939 | 3.36 | +6.3% |
| 1940 | 3.44 | +2.4% |
| 1941 | 3.66 | +6.4% |
| 1942 | 3.7 | +1.1% |
| 1943 | 3.64 | -1.6% |
| 1944 | 3.72 | +2.2% |
| 1945 | 3.38 | -9.1% |
| 1946 | 2.94 | -13.0% |
| 1947 | 3.45 | +17.3% |
| 1948 | 3.46 | +0.3% |
| 1949 | 3.64 | +5.2% |
| 1950 | 3.84 | +5.5% |
| 1951 | 3.97 | +3.3% |
| 1952 | 3.99 | +0.7% |
| 1953 | 4.26 | +6.7% |
| 1954 | 4.24 | -0.4% |
| 1955 | 4.2 | -1.1% |
| 1956 | 4.37 | +4.0% |
| 1957 | 4.79 | +9.6% |
| 1958 | 4.85 | +1.3% |
| 1959 | 4.87 | +0.4% |
| 1960 | 4.91 | +1.0% |
| 1961 | 5.27 | +7.3% |
| 1962 | 5.26 | -0.3% |
| 1963 | 5.44 | +3.5% |
| 1964 | 5.44 | +0.0% |
| 1965 | 5.2 | -4.5% |
| 1966 | 5.33 | +2.4% |
| 1967 | 5.55 | +4.2% |
| 1968 | 5.44 | -2.1% |
| 1969 | 5.58 | +2.6% |
| 1970 | 5.73 | +2.8% |
| 1971 | 5.67 | -1.0% |
| 1972 | 5.83 | +2.7% |
| 1973 | 5.71 | -2.0% |
| 1974 | 6.02 | +5.3% |
| 1975 | 6.22 | +3.4% |
| 1976 | 6.29 | +1.1% |
| 1977 | 6.51 | +3.4% |
| 1978 | 6.41 | -1.5% |
| 1979 | 6.28 | -2.0% |
| 1980 | 6.35 | +1.2% |
| 1981 | 6.51 | +2.5% |
| 1982 | 6.5 | -0.2% |
| 1983 | 6.64 | +2.2% |
| 1984 | 6.54 | -1.5% |
| 1985 | 6.53 | -0.0% |
| 1986 | 6.53 | -0.1% |
| 1987 | 6.67 | +2.2% |
| 1988 | 6.6 | -1.0% |
| 1989 | 6.71 | +1.6% |
| 1990 | 6.66 | -0.7% |
| 1991 | 6.84 | +2.6% |
| 1992 | 6.72 | -1.8% |
| 1993 | 6.51 | -3.1% |
| 1994 | 6.4 | -1.7% |
| 1995 | 6.24 | -2.4% |
| 1996 | 5.93 | -4.9% |
| 1997 | 5.77 | -2.7% |
| 1998 | 5.99 | +3.8% |
| 1999 | 5.57 | -7.1% |
| 2000 | 5.53 | -0.6% |
| 2001 | 5.5 | -0.7% |
| 2002 | 5.15 | -6.3% |
| 2003 | 5.05 | -1.9% |
| 2004 | 4.99 | -1.3% |
| 2005 | 5 | +0.3% |
| 2006 | 4.73 | -5.3% |
| 2007 | 4.72 | -0.4% |
| 2008 | 4.54 | -3.8% |
| 2009 | 4.48 | -1.2% |
| 2010 | 4.38 | -2.2% |
| 2011 | 4.34 | -1.0% |
| 2012 | 4.15 | -4.4% |
| 2013 | 4.13 | -0.4% |
| 2014 | 4.13 | -0.1% |
| 2015 | 4.11 | -0.4% |
| 2016 | 3.75 | -8.7% |
| 2017 | 3.92 | +4.3% |
| 2018 | 3.72 | -4.9% |
| 2019 | 3.64 | -2.1% |
| 2020 | 4.02 | +10.3% |
| 2021 | 3.93 | -2.1% |
| 2022 | 4.34 | +10.3% |
| 2023 | 3.8 | -12.5% |
Switzerland compared with similar countries
- Switzerland's 3.8 is below the median for high income countries, which is 4.91, 77% of the median. (85 countries reporting)
- Switzerland's 3.8 is below the median for Europe & Central Asia, which is 5.35, 71% of the median. (56 countries reporting)
Biggest year-on-year movements
Years where Difference in male and female life expectancy 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 |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1918 | +135.2% | 2.27 | 5.34 |
| 1919 | -77.3% | 5.34 | 1.21 |
| 1923 | +53.7% | 1.64 | 2.52 |
| 1890 | +43.8% | 0.96 | 1.38 |
| 1900 | -43.3% | 2.33 | 1.32 |
| 1896 | +41.9% | 1.29 | 1.83 |
Averages by decade
| Decade | Average | Lowest | Highest | Years |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1870s | 1.64 | 1.43 | 2.15 | 4 |
| 1880s | 1.24 | 0.96 | 1.54 | 10 |
| 1890s | 1.54 | 0.98 | 2.33 | 10 |
| 1900s | 1.7 | 1.32 | 1.97 | 10 |
| 1910s | 2.47 | 1.21 | 5.34 | 10 |
| 1920s | 2.27 | 1.64 | 3.06 | 10 |
| 1930s | 3.18 | 2.99 | 3.4 | 10 |
| 1940s | 3.5 | 2.94 | 3.72 | 10 |
| 1950s | 4.34 | 3.84 | 4.87 | 10 |
| 1960s | 5.34 | 4.91 | 5.58 | 10 |
| 1970s | 6.07 | 5.67 | 6.51 | 10 |
| 1980s | 6.56 | 6.35 | 6.71 | 10 |
| 1990s | 6.26 | 5.57 | 6.84 | 10 |
| 2000s | 4.97 | 4.48 | 5.53 | 10 |
| 2010s | 4.03 | 3.64 | 4.38 | 10 |
| 2020s | 4.02 | 3.8 | 4.34 | 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 male and female life expectancy in Switzerland?
- Difference in male and female life expectancy in Switzerland was 3.8 in 2023, according to Our World in Data.
- What is the highest difference in male and female life expectancy recorded in Switzerland?
- The highest recorded value was 6.84 in 1991.
- What is the lowest difference in male and female life expectancy recorded in Switzerland?
- The lowest recorded value was 0.96 in 1889.
- How does Switzerland rank for difference in male and female life expectancy?
- Switzerland ranks 180th out of 236 countries with data for 2023.
- Is difference in male and female life expectancy rising or falling in Switzerland?
- Over the last ten years it is down 8.0%. 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 male and female life expectancy. 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).