Life expectancy at birth, total (years) (Life World Population) in Afghanistan
Afghanistan: Life expectancy at birth, total (years) (Life World Population) was 66.29 years in 2024. ▲ Rising
Latest (2024)
66.29 years
Change on year
up 0.4%
World rank
185th
of 218 countries
All-time high
66.29 years
in 2024
All-time low
31.47 years
in 1984
Years of data
65
1960–2024
Life expectancy at birth, total in Afghanistan, 1960–2024
Source: World Population Prospects, United Nations (UN). Measured in years.
Analysis
In 2024, life expectancy at birth, total in Afghanistan stood at 66.29 years. That is the highest value across all 65 years on record.
The figure is up 0.4% on the previous year and up 6.5% over ten years.
Over the whole period, life expectancy at birth, total in Afghanistan peaked at 66.29 years in 2024 and was at its lowest, 31.47 years, in 1984.
That places Afghanistan 185th out of 218 countries with data for 2024, putting it in the bottom quarter.
The long-run direction has been consistently rising across the 65 years of available data.
Life expectancy at birth, total (years) (Life World Population) in Afghanistan, year by year
| Year | years | Change |
|---|---|---|
| 1960 | 32.8 years | — |
| 1961 | 33.29 years | +1.5% |
| 1962 | 33.76 years | +1.4% |
| 1963 | 34.2 years | +1.3% |
| 1964 | 34.67 years | +1.4% |
| 1965 | 35.12 years | +1.3% |
| 1966 | 35.58 years | +1.3% |
| 1967 | 36.04 years | +1.3% |
| 1968 | 36.51 years | +1.3% |
| 1969 | 36.98 years | +1.3% |
| 1970 | 37.46 years | +1.3% |
| 1971 | 37.93 years | +1.3% |
| 1972 | 38.42 years | +1.3% |
| 1973 | 38.95 years | +1.4% |
| 1974 | 39.47 years | +1.3% |
| 1975 | 39.99 years | +1.3% |
| 1976 | 40.52 years | +1.3% |
| 1977 | 41.08 years | +1.4% |
| 1978 | 40.09 years | -2.4% |
| 1979 | 38.84 years | -3.1% |
| 1980 | 39.26 years | +1.1% |
| 1981 | 39.41 years | +0.4% |
| 1982 | 36.06 years | -8.5% |
| 1983 | 36.52 years | +1.3% |
| 1984 | 31.47 years | -13.8% |
| 1985 | 32.13 years | +2.1% |
| 1986 | 38.4 years | +19.5% |
| 1987 | 38.83 years | +1.1% |
| 1988 | 43.24 years | +11.3% |
| 1989 | 44.5 years | +2.9% |
| 1990 | 45.12 years | +1.4% |
| 1991 | 45.52 years | +0.9% |
| 1992 | 46.57 years | +2.3% |
| 1993 | 51.02 years | +9.6% |
| 1994 | 50.97 years | -0.1% |
| 1995 | 52.1 years | +2.2% |
| 1996 | 52.83 years | +1.4% |
| 1997 | 53.21 years | +0.7% |
| 1998 | 52.49 years | -1.4% |
| 1999 | 54.53 years | +3.9% |
| 2000 | 55.01 years | +0.9% |
| 2001 | 55.51 years | +0.9% |
| 2002 | 56.23 years | +1.3% |
| 2003 | 57.17 years | +1.7% |
| 2004 | 57.81 years | +1.1% |
| 2005 | 58.25 years | +0.8% |
| 2006 | 58.55 years | +0.5% |
| 2007 | 58.96 years | +0.7% |
| 2008 | 59.71 years | +1.3% |
| 2009 | 60.25 years | +0.9% |
| 2010 | 60.7 years | +0.8% |
| 2011 | 61.25 years | +0.9% |
| 2012 | 61.73 years | +0.8% |
| 2013 | 62.19 years | +0.7% |
| 2014 | 62.26 years | +0.1% |
| 2015 | 62.27 years | +0.0% |
| 2016 | 62.65 years | +0.6% |
| 2017 | 62.41 years | -0.4% |
| 2018 | 62.44 years | +0.1% |
| 2019 | 62.94 years | +0.8% |
| 2020 | 61.45 years | -2.4% |
| 2021 | 60.42 years | -1.7% |
| 2022 | 65.62 years | +8.6% |
| 2023 | 66.03 years | +0.6% |
| 2024 | 66.29 years | +0.4% |
Afghanistan compared with similar countries
- Afghanistan's 66.29 years is above the median for low income countries, which is 63.84 years, 1.0× the median. (25 countries reporting)
- Afghanistan's 66.29 years is below the median for Middle East, North Africa, Afghanistan & Pakistan, which is 76.71 years, 86% of the median. (23 countries reporting)
Averages by decade
| Decade | Average | Lowest | Highest | Years |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1960s | 34.9 years | 32.8 years | 36.98 years | 10 |
| 1970s | 39.28 years | 37.46 years | 41.08 years | 10 |
| 1980s | 37.98 years | 31.47 years | 44.5 years | 10 |
| 1990s | 50.44 years | 45.12 years | 54.53 years | 10 |
| 2000s | 57.74 years | 55.01 years | 60.25 years | 10 |
| 2010s | 62.08 years | 60.7 years | 62.94 years | 10 |
| 2020s | 63.96 years | 60.42 years | 66.29 years | 5 |
Countries ranked near Afghanistan
More health data for Afghanistan
- Un projection of annual infant deaths, annual growth rate -1.45 % change on previous year (2100)
- Heat deaths vs projected death rates, annual growth rate 1.03 % change on previous year (2090)
- Estimated changes in temperature-related death rates compared to projected death rates 812.4 deaths per 1,000 people (2090)
- Number of infants who die before age 1 14,735 deaths (2100)
- Neonatal tetanus - number of reported cases, gaps filled 19 (2025)
- Population ages 00-04, female, annual growth rate 1.78 % change on previous year (2025)
- Population ages 00-04, female, per unit of GDP 0.0002 units per US$ of GDP (2024)
- Population ages 00-04, female, per capita 0.077 units per person (2025)
- Population ages 00-04, male, annual growth rate 1.75 % change on previous year (2025)
- Population ages 00-04, male, per unit of GDP 0.0002 units per US$ of GDP (2024)
Frequently asked questions
- What is life expectancy at birth, total in Afghanistan?
- Life expectancy at birth, total in Afghanistan was 66.29 years in 2024, according to World Population Prospects, United Nations (UN).
- What is the highest life expectancy at birth, total recorded in Afghanistan?
- The highest recorded value was 66.29 years in 2024.
- What is the lowest life expectancy at birth, total recorded in Afghanistan?
- The lowest recorded value was 31.47 years in 1984.
- How does Afghanistan rank for life expectancy at birth, total?
- Afghanistan ranks 185th out of 218 countries with data for 2024.
- Is life expectancy at birth, total rising or falling in Afghanistan?
- Over the last ten years it is up 6.5%. The long-run trend across the full record is rising.
- Where does this Afghanistan data come from?
- The figures come from World Population Prospects, United Nations (UN), published as part of Life expectancy at birth, total (years). Statizoid updates them automatically from the source API.
Download this data
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About this data
Life expectancy at birth indicates the number of years a newborn infant would live if prevailing patterns of mortality at the time of its birth were to stay the same throughout its life.