Life expectancy at birth, by sex in China
China: Life expectancy at birth, by sex was 75.2 years in 2023. ▲ Rising
Latest (2023)
75.2 years
Change on year
down 0.4%
World rank
77th
of 236 countries
All-time high
75.49 years
in 2021
All-time low
32.17 years
in 1960
Years of data
74
1950–2023
Life expectancy at birth, by sex in China, 1950–2023
Source: UN, World Population Prospects (2024) – processed by Our World in Data. Measured in years.
Analysis
In 2023, life expectancy at birth, by sex in China stood at 75.2 years.
The figure is down 0.4% on the previous year and up 1.8% over ten years.
Over the whole period, life expectancy at birth, by sex in China peaked at 75.49 years in 2021 and was at its lowest, 32.17 years, 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.
Life expectancy at birth, by sex in China, year by year
| Year | years | Change |
|---|---|---|
| 1950 | 42.18 years | — |
| 1951 | 42.94 years | +1.8% |
| 1952 | 43.7 years | +1.8% |
| 1953 | 44.35 years | +1.5% |
| 1954 | 45.15 years | +1.8% |
| 1955 | 45.47 years | +0.7% |
| 1956 | 46.05 years | +1.3% |
| 1957 | 46.58 years | +1.2% |
| 1958 | 46.97 years | +0.8% |
| 1959 | 38.59 years | -17.8% |
| 1960 | 32.17 years | -16.7% |
| 1961 | 38.62 years | +20.1% |
| 1962 | 48.95 years | +26.7% |
| 1963 | 49.66 years | +1.5% |
| 1964 | 50.33 years | +1.3% |
| 1965 | 50.95 years | +1.2% |
| 1966 | 51.67 years | +1.4% |
| 1967 | 52.43 years | +1.5% |
| 1968 | 53.26 years | +1.6% |
| 1969 | 54.08 years | +1.5% |
| 1970 | 54.94 years | +1.6% |
| 1971 | 55.9 years | +1.7% |
| 1972 | 56.73 years | +1.5% |
| 1973 | 57.55 years | +1.5% |
| 1974 | 58.2 years | +1.1% |
| 1975 | 58.86 years | +1.1% |
| 1976 | 59.22 years | +0.6% |
| 1977 | 60.31 years | +1.8% |
| 1978 | 60.94 years | +1.0% |
| 1979 | 61.53 years | +1.0% |
| 1980 | 62.05 years | +0.9% |
| 1981 | 62.56 years | +0.8% |
| 1982 | 63.01 years | +0.7% |
| 1983 | 63.47 years | +0.7% |
| 1984 | 63.88 years | +0.6% |
| 1985 | 64.24 years | +0.6% |
| 1986 | 64.56 years | +0.5% |
| 1987 | 64.9 years | +0.5% |
| 1988 | 65.22 years | +0.5% |
| 1989 | 65.56 years | +0.5% |
| 1990 | 65.86 years | +0.5% |
| 1991 | 66.29 years | +0.6% |
| 1992 | 66.75 years | +0.7% |
| 1993 | 67.11 years | +0.5% |
| 1994 | 67.41 years | +0.4% |
| 1995 | 67.87 years | +0.7% |
| 1996 | 68.32 years | +0.7% |
| 1997 | 68.73 years | +0.6% |
| 1998 | 69.12 years | +0.6% |
| 1999 | 69.52 years | +0.6% |
| 2000 | 69.85 years | +0.5% |
| 2001 | 70.23 years | +0.6% |
| 2002 | 70.59 years | +0.5% |
| 2003 | 70.93 years | +0.5% |
| 2004 | 71.27 years | +0.5% |
| 2005 | 71.59 years | +0.5% |
| 2006 | 71.9 years | +0.4% |
| 2007 | 72.33 years | +0.6% |
| 2008 | 72.36 years | +0.0% |
| 2009 | 72.8 years | +0.6% |
| 2010 | 73.19 years | +0.5% |
| 2011 | 73.33 years | +0.2% |
| 2012 | 73.62 years | +0.4% |
| 2013 | 73.88 years | +0.3% |
| 2014 | 74.12 years | +0.3% |
| 2015 | 74.36 years | +0.3% |
| 2016 | 74.58 years | +0.3% |
| 2017 | 74.45 years | -0.2% |
| 2018 | 75.03 years | +0.8% |
| 2019 | 75.3 years | +0.4% |
| 2020 | 75.25 years | -0.1% |
| 2021 | 75.49 years | +0.3% |
| 2022 | 75.47 years | -0.0% |
| 2023 | 75.2 years | -0.4% |
Averages by decade
| Decade | Average | Lowest | Highest | Years |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1950s | 44.2 years | 38.59 years | 46.97 years | 10 |
| 1960s | 48.21 years | 32.17 years | 54.08 years | 10 |
| 1970s | 58.42 years | 54.94 years | 61.53 years | 10 |
| 1980s | 63.94 years | 62.05 years | 65.56 years | 10 |
| 1990s | 67.7 years | 65.86 years | 69.52 years | 10 |
| 2000s | 71.39 years | 69.85 years | 72.8 years | 10 |
| 2010s | 74.19 years | 73.19 years | 75.3 years | 10 |
| 2020s | 75.35 years | 75.2 years | 75.49 years | 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)
- Estimated changes in temperature-related death rates compared to projected death rates 2,029 deaths per 1,000 people (2090)
- Number of infants who die before age 1 4,642 deaths (2100)
- Population ages 30-34, female, annual growth rate -7.35 % change on previous year (2025)
- Population ages 30-34, female, per unit of GDP 0 units per US$ of GDP (2025)
- Population ages 30-34, female, per capita 0.0328 units per person (2025)
- Population ages 30-34, male, annual growth rate -6.72 % change on previous year (2025)
- Population ages 30-34, male, per unit of GDP 0 units per US$ of GDP (2025)
- Population ages 30-34, male, per capita 0.0368 units per person (2025)
Frequently asked questions
- What is life expectancy at birth, by sex in China?
- Life expectancy at birth, by sex in China was 75.2 years in 2023, according to UN, World Population Prospects (2024) – processed by Our World in Data.
- What is the highest life expectancy at birth, by sex recorded in China?
- The highest recorded value was 75.49 years in 2021.
- What is the lowest life expectancy at birth, by sex recorded in China?
- The lowest recorded value was 32.17 years in 1960.
- How does China rank for life expectancy at birth, by sex?
- China ranks 77th out of 236 countries with data for 2023.
- Is life expectancy at birth, by sex 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 UN, World Population Prospects (2024) – processed by Our World in Data, published as part of Life expectancy at birth, by sex. Statizoid updates them automatically from the source API.
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About this data
Period life expectancy at birth.