Life expectancy at birth, by sex in South Sudan
South Sudan: Life expectancy at birth, by sex was 54.64 years in 2023. ▲ Rising
Latest (2023)
54.64 years
Change on year
up 0.6%
World rank
233rd
of 236 countries
All-time high
56.95 years
in 2012
All-time low
10.65 years
in 1988
Years of data
74
1950–2023
Life expectancy at birth, by sex in South Sudan, 1950–2023
Source: UN, World Population Prospects (2024) – processed by Our World in Data. Measured in years.
Analysis
The most recent figure for life expectancy at birth, by sex in South Sudan is 54.64 years, measured in 2023.
Compared with earlier readings it is up 0.6% on the previous year and down 3.9% over ten years.
Over the whole period, life expectancy at birth, by sex in South Sudan peaked at 56.95 years in 2012 and was at its lowest, 10.65 years, in 1988.
That places South Sudan 233rd out of 236 countries with data for 2023, putting it in the bottom quarter.
The long-run direction has been consistently rising across the 74 years of available data.
Life expectancy at birth, by sex in South Sudan, year by year
| Year | years | Change |
|---|---|---|
| 1950 | 28.13 years | — |
| 1951 | 28.5 years | +1.3% |
| 1952 | 28.9 years | +1.4% |
| 1953 | 29.27 years | +1.3% |
| 1954 | 29.62 years | +1.2% |
| 1955 | 30.01 years | +1.3% |
| 1956 | 29.49 years | -1.7% |
| 1957 | 28.79 years | -2.4% |
| 1958 | 25.51 years | -11.4% |
| 1959 | 25.75 years | +0.9% |
| 1960 | 25.99 years | +0.9% |
| 1961 | 26.24 years | +0.9% |
| 1962 | 26.53 years | +1.1% |
| 1963 | 25.36 years | -4.4% |
| 1964 | 30.29 years | +19.4% |
| 1965 | 25.93 years | -14.4% |
| 1966 | 22.46 years | -13.4% |
| 1967 | 22.66 years | +0.9% |
| 1968 | 22.9 years | +1.0% |
| 1969 | 22.12 years | -3.4% |
| 1970 | 22.33 years | +1.0% |
| 1971 | 28.3 years | +26.7% |
| 1972 | 28.63 years | +1.2% |
| 1973 | 35.1 years | +22.6% |
| 1974 | 35.53 years | +1.2% |
| 1975 | 35.9 years | +1.0% |
| 1976 | 36.21 years | +0.9% |
| 1977 | 36.46 years | +0.7% |
| 1978 | 36.8 years | +0.9% |
| 1979 | 37.12 years | +0.9% |
| 1980 | 37.47 years | +0.9% |
| 1981 | 37.8 years | +0.9% |
| 1982 | 38.17 years | +1.0% |
| 1983 | 33.66 years | -11.8% |
| 1984 | 30.34 years | -9.9% |
| 1985 | 30.81 years | +1.5% |
| 1986 | 31.16 years | +1.1% |
| 1987 | 18.89 years | -39.4% |
| 1988 | 10.65 years | -43.6% |
| 1989 | 26.13 years | +145.4% |
| 1990 | 26.44 years | +1.2% |
| 1991 | 26.9 years | +1.8% |
| 1992 | 19.89 years | -26.1% |
| 1993 | 20.13 years | +1.2% |
| 1994 | 43.09 years | +114.1% |
| 1995 | 29.2 years | -32.2% |
| 1996 | 29.88 years | +2.3% |
| 1997 | 30.9 years | +3.4% |
| 1998 | 17.58 years | -43.1% |
| 1999 | 43.21 years | +145.8% |
| 2000 | 46.55 years | +7.7% |
| 2001 | 47.5 years | +2.0% |
| 2002 | 48.45 years | +2.0% |
| 2003 | 51.77 years | +6.9% |
| 2004 | 52.54 years | +1.5% |
| 2005 | 53.39 years | +1.6% |
| 2006 | 53.91 years | +1.0% |
| 2007 | 54.61 years | +1.3% |
| 2008 | 55.34 years | +1.3% |
| 2009 | 55.82 years | +0.9% |
| 2010 | 56.37 years | +1.0% |
| 2011 | 56.31 years | -0.1% |
| 2012 | 56.95 years | +1.1% |
| 2013 | 56.83 years | -0.2% |
| 2014 | 42.69 years | -24.9% |
| 2015 | 36.94 years | -13.5% |
| 2016 | 33.81 years | -8.5% |
| 2017 | 32.41 years | -4.2% |
| 2018 | 49.15 years | +51.7% |
| 2019 | 55.73 years | +13.4% |
| 2020 | 54.84 years | -1.6% |
| 2021 | 54.37 years | -0.9% |
| 2022 | 54.29 years | -0.2% |
| 2023 | 54.64 years | +0.6% |
Averages by decade
| Decade | Average | Lowest | Highest | Years |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1950s | 28.4 years | 25.51 years | 30.01 years | 10 |
| 1960s | 25.05 years | 22.12 years | 30.29 years | 10 |
| 1970s | 33.24 years | 22.33 years | 37.12 years | 10 |
| 1980s | 29.51 years | 10.65 years | 38.17 years | 10 |
| 1990s | 28.72 years | 17.58 years | 43.21 years | 10 |
| 2000s | 51.99 years | 46.55 years | 55.82 years | 10 |
| 2010s | 47.72 years | 32.41 years | 56.95 years | 10 |
| 2020s | 54.53 years | 54.29 years | 54.84 years | 4 |
Countries ranked near South Sudan
More health data for South Sudan
- Heat deaths vs projected death rates, annual growth rate 0.665 % change on previous year (2090)
- Un projection of annual infant deaths, annual growth rate -1.47 % change on previous year (2100)
- Estimated changes in temperature-related death rates compared to projected death rates 1,347 deaths per 1,000 people (2090)
- Number of infants who die before age 1 12,029 deaths (2100)
- Deaths in armed conflicts based on where they occurred 123 deaths (2026)
- Deaths in armed conflicts by region 123 deaths (2026)
- Population ages 25-29, male, annual growth rate 9.08 % change on previous year (2025)
- Population ages 30-34, male, annual growth rate 2.58 % change on previous year (2025)
- Population ages 30-34, female, per capita 0.0265 units per person (2025)
- Population ages 30-34, female, per unit of GDP 0 units per US$ of GDP (2015)
Frequently asked questions
- What is life expectancy at birth, by sex in South Sudan?
- Life expectancy at birth, by sex in South Sudan was 54.64 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 South Sudan?
- The highest recorded value was 56.95 years in 2012.
- What is the lowest life expectancy at birth, by sex recorded in South Sudan?
- The lowest recorded value was 10.65 years in 1988.
- How does South Sudan rank for life expectancy at birth, by sex?
- South Sudan ranks 233rd out of 236 countries with data for 2023.
- Is life expectancy at birth, by sex rising or falling in South Sudan?
- Over the last ten years it is down 3.9%. The long-run trend across the full record is rising.
- Where does this South Sudan 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.