Life expectancy at birth oecd in South Korea
South Korea: Life expectancy at birth oecd was 83.6 in 2021. ▲ Rising
Latest (2021)
83.6
Change on year
up 0.1%
World rank
3rd
of 49 countries
All-time high
83.6
in 2021
All-time low
62.3
in 1970
Years of data
52
1970–2021
Life expectancy at birth oecd in South Korea, 1970–2021
Source: Our World in Data.
Analysis
South Korea recorded 83.6 for life expectancy at birth oecd in 2021. That is the highest value across all 52 years on record.
Compared with earlier readings it is up 0.1% on the previous year and up 3.7% over ten years.
Over the whole period, life expectancy at birth oecd in South Korea peaked at 83.6 in 2021 and was at its lowest, 62.3, in 1970.
South Korea ranks 3rd of 49 countries on this measure, in the top 10%.
The long-run direction has been consistently rising across the 52 years of available data.
Life expectancy at birth oecd in South Korea, year by year
| Year | Value | Change |
|---|---|---|
| 1970 | 62.3 | — |
| 1971 | 62.7 | +0.6% |
| 1972 | 63.1 | +0.6% |
| 1973 | 63.5 | +0.6% |
| 1974 | 63.9 | +0.6% |
| 1975 | 64.2 | +0.5% |
| 1976 | 64.6 | +0.6% |
| 1977 | 65 | +0.6% |
| 1978 | 65.3 | +0.5% |
| 1979 | 65.6 | +0.5% |
| 1980 | 66.1 | +0.8% |
| 1981 | 66.7 | +0.9% |
| 1982 | 67.2 | +0.7% |
| 1983 | 67.7 | +0.7% |
| 1984 | 68.3 | +0.9% |
| 1985 | 68.9 | +0.9% |
| 1986 | 69.5 | +0.9% |
| 1987 | 70.1 | +0.9% |
| 1988 | 70.7 | +0.9% |
| 1989 | 71.2 | +0.7% |
| 1990 | 71.7 | +0.7% |
| 1991 | 72.2 | +0.7% |
| 1992 | 72.6 | +0.6% |
| 1993 | 73.1 | +0.7% |
| 1994 | 73.5 | +0.5% |
| 1995 | 73.8 | +0.4% |
| 1996 | 74.2 | +0.5% |
| 1997 | 74.7 | +0.7% |
| 1998 | 75.1 | +0.5% |
| 1999 | 75.5 | +0.5% |
| 2000 | 76 | +0.7% |
| 2001 | 76.5 | +0.7% |
| 2002 | 76.8 | +0.4% |
| 2003 | 77.3 | +0.7% |
| 2004 | 77.8 | +0.6% |
| 2005 | 78.2 | +0.5% |
| 2006 | 78.8 | +0.8% |
| 2007 | 79.2 | +0.5% |
| 2008 | 79.6 | +0.5% |
| 2009 | 80 | +0.5% |
| 2010 | 80.2 | +0.3% |
| 2011 | 80.6 | +0.5% |
| 2012 | 80.9 | +0.4% |
| 2013 | 81.4 | +0.6% |
| 2014 | 81.8 | +0.5% |
| 2015 | 82.1 | +0.4% |
| 2016 | 82.4 | +0.4% |
| 2017 | 82.7 | +0.4% |
| 2018 | 82.7 | +0.0% |
| 2019 | 83.3 | +0.7% |
| 2020 | 83.5 | +0.2% |
| 2021 | 83.6 | +0.1% |
South Korea compared with similar countries
- South Korea's 83.6 is above the median for high income countries, which is 81.4, 1.0× the median. (39 countries reporting)
- South Korea's 83.6 is above the median for East Asia & Pacific, which is 82.8, 1.0× the median. (6 countries reporting)
Averages by decade
| Decade | Average | Lowest | Highest | Years |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1970s | 64.02 | 62.3 | 65.6 | 10 |
| 1980s | 68.64 | 66.1 | 71.2 | 10 |
| 1990s | 73.64 | 71.7 | 75.5 | 10 |
| 2000s | 78.02 | 76 | 80 | 10 |
| 2010s | 81.81 | 80.2 | 83.3 | 10 |
| 2020s | 83.55 | 83.5 | 83.6 | 2 |
Countries ranked near South Korea
More health data for South Korea
- Un projection of annual infant deaths, annual growth rate -1.43 % change on previous year (2100)
- Heat deaths vs projected death rates, annual growth rate 0.1935 % change on previous year (2090)
- Un projection of annual infant deaths 69 (2100)
- Neonatal tetanus - number of reported cases, gaps filled 0 (2025)
- Population ages 00-04, female, annual growth rate -2.66 % 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 0.0118 units per person (2025)
- Population ages 00-04, male, annual growth rate -2.76 % 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 0.0124 units per person (2025)
Frequently asked questions
- What is life expectancy at birth oecd in South Korea?
- Life expectancy at birth oecd in South Korea was 83.6 in 2021, according to Our World in Data.
- What is the highest life expectancy at birth oecd recorded in South Korea?
- The highest recorded value was 83.6 in 2021.
- What is the lowest life expectancy at birth oecd recorded in South Korea?
- The lowest recorded value was 62.3 in 1970.
- How does South Korea rank for life expectancy at birth oecd?
- South Korea ranks 3rd out of 49 countries with data for 2021.
- Is life expectancy at birth oecd rising or falling in South Korea?
- Over the last ten years it is up 3.7%. The long-run trend across the full record is rising.
- Where does this South Korea data come from?
- The figures come from Our World in Data, published as part of Life expectancy at birth oecd. Statizoid updates them automatically from the source API.
Download this data
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