Female and male life expectancy at birth in years in China
China: Female and male life expectancy at birth in years was 75.2 in 2023. ▲ Rising
Latest (2023)
75.2
Change on year
down 0.4%
World rank
77th
of 236 countries
All-time high
75.49
in 2021
All-time low
32.17
in 1960
Years of data
74
1950–2023
Female and male life expectancy at birth in years in China, 1950–2023
Source: Our World in Data.
Analysis
In 2023, female and male life expectancy at birth in years in China stood at 75.2.
The figure is down 0.4% on the previous year and up 1.8% over ten years.
Over the whole period, female and male life expectancy at birth in years in China peaked at 75.49 in 2021 and was at its lowest, 32.17, in 1960.
That places China 77th out of 236 countries with data for 2023, putting it in the middle of the range.
The long-run direction has been consistently rising across the 74 years of available data.
Female and male life expectancy at birth in years in China, year by year
| Year | Value | Change |
|---|---|---|
| 1950 | 42.18 | — |
| 1951 | 42.94 | +1.8% |
| 1952 | 43.7 | +1.8% |
| 1953 | 44.35 | +1.5% |
| 1954 | 45.15 | +1.8% |
| 1955 | 45.47 | +0.7% |
| 1956 | 46.05 | +1.3% |
| 1957 | 46.58 | +1.2% |
| 1958 | 46.97 | +0.8% |
| 1959 | 38.59 | -17.8% |
| 1960 | 32.17 | -16.7% |
| 1961 | 38.62 | +20.1% |
| 1962 | 48.95 | +26.7% |
| 1963 | 49.66 | +1.5% |
| 1964 | 50.33 | +1.3% |
| 1965 | 50.95 | +1.2% |
| 1966 | 51.67 | +1.4% |
| 1967 | 52.43 | +1.5% |
| 1968 | 53.26 | +1.6% |
| 1969 | 54.08 | +1.5% |
| 1970 | 54.94 | +1.6% |
| 1971 | 55.9 | +1.7% |
| 1972 | 56.73 | +1.5% |
| 1973 | 57.55 | +1.5% |
| 1974 | 58.2 | +1.1% |
| 1975 | 58.86 | +1.1% |
| 1976 | 59.22 | +0.6% |
| 1977 | 60.31 | +1.8% |
| 1978 | 60.94 | +1.0% |
| 1979 | 61.53 | +1.0% |
| 1980 | 62.05 | +0.9% |
| 1981 | 62.56 | +0.8% |
| 1982 | 63.01 | +0.7% |
| 1983 | 63.47 | +0.7% |
| 1984 | 63.88 | +0.6% |
| 1985 | 64.24 | +0.6% |
| 1986 | 64.56 | +0.5% |
| 1987 | 64.9 | +0.5% |
| 1988 | 65.22 | +0.5% |
| 1989 | 65.56 | +0.5% |
| 1990 | 65.86 | +0.5% |
| 1991 | 66.29 | +0.6% |
| 1992 | 66.75 | +0.7% |
| 1993 | 67.11 | +0.5% |
| 1994 | 67.41 | +0.4% |
| 1995 | 67.87 | +0.7% |
| 1996 | 68.32 | +0.7% |
| 1997 | 68.73 | +0.6% |
| 1998 | 69.12 | +0.6% |
| 1999 | 69.52 | +0.6% |
| 2000 | 69.85 | +0.5% |
| 2001 | 70.23 | +0.6% |
| 2002 | 70.59 | +0.5% |
| 2003 | 70.93 | +0.5% |
| 2004 | 71.27 | +0.5% |
| 2005 | 71.59 | +0.5% |
| 2006 | 71.9 | +0.4% |
| 2007 | 72.33 | +0.6% |
| 2008 | 72.36 | +0.0% |
| 2009 | 72.8 | +0.6% |
| 2010 | 73.19 | +0.5% |
| 2011 | 73.33 | +0.2% |
| 2012 | 73.62 | +0.4% |
| 2013 | 73.88 | +0.3% |
| 2014 | 74.12 | +0.3% |
| 2015 | 74.36 | +0.3% |
| 2016 | 74.58 | +0.3% |
| 2017 | 74.45 | -0.2% |
| 2018 | 75.03 | +0.8% |
| 2019 | 75.3 | +0.4% |
| 2020 | 75.25 | -0.1% |
| 2021 | 75.49 | +0.3% |
| 2022 | 75.47 | -0.0% |
| 2023 | 75.2 | -0.4% |
China compared with similar countries
- China's 75.2 is above the median for upper middle income countries, which is 70.5, 1.1× the median. (58 countries reporting)
- China's 75.2 is above the median for East Asia & Pacific, which is 69.86, 1.1× the median. (37 countries reporting)
Biggest year-on-year movements
Years where Female and male life expectancy at birth in years in China 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 |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1962 | +26.7% | 38.62 | 48.95 |
Averages by decade
| Decade | Average | Lowest | Highest | Years |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1950s | 44.2 | 38.59 | 46.97 | 10 |
| 1960s | 48.21 | 32.17 | 54.08 | 10 |
| 1970s | 58.42 | 54.94 | 61.53 | 10 |
| 1980s | 63.94 | 62.05 | 65.56 | 10 |
| 1990s | 67.7 | 65.86 | 69.52 | 10 |
| 2000s | 71.39 | 69.85 | 72.8 | 10 |
| 2010s | 74.19 | 73.19 | 75.3 | 10 |
| 2020s | 75.35 | 75.2 | 75.49 | 4 |
Countries ranked near China
More health data for China
- Un projection of annual infant deaths, annual growth rate -1.15 % change on previous year (2100)
- Heat deaths vs projected death rates, annual growth rate -0.0985 % change on previous year (2090)
- Un projection of annual infant deaths 4,642 (2100)
- Neonatal tetanus - number of reported cases, gaps filled 10 (2025)
- Population ages 00-04, female, annual growth rate -8.22 % 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 0.0159 units per person (2025)
- Population ages 00-04, male, annual growth rate -8.73 % 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 0.0176 units per person (2025)
Frequently asked questions
- What is female and male life expectancy at birth in years in China?
- Female and male life expectancy at birth in years in China was 75.2 in 2023, according to Our World in Data.
- What is the highest female and male life expectancy at birth in years recorded in China?
- The highest recorded value was 75.49 in 2021.
- What is the lowest female and male life expectancy at birth in years recorded in China?
- The lowest recorded value was 32.17 in 1960.
- How does China rank for female and male life expectancy at birth in years?
- China ranks 77th out of 236 countries with data for 2023.
- Is female and male life expectancy at birth in years rising or falling in China?
- Over the last ten years it is up 1.8%. The long-run trend across the full record is rising.
- Where does this China data come from?
- The figures come from Our World in Data, published as part of Female and male life expectancy at birth in years. Statizoid updates them automatically from the source API.
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