Life expectancy at birth, total in Sub-Saharan Africa
Sub-Saharan Africa: Life expectancy at birth, total was 62.8 years in 2024. ▲ Rising
Latest (2024)
62.8 years
Change on year
up 0.3%
Rank
40th
of 45 groups
All-time high
62.8 years
in 2024
All-time low
41.43 years
in 1960
Years of data
65
1960–2024
Life expectancy at birth, total in Sub-Saharan Africa, 1960–2024
Source: World Population Prospects, United Nations (UN). Measured in years.
Analysis
The most recent figure for life expectancy at birth, total in Sub-Saharan Africa is 62.8 years, measured in 2024. That is the highest value across all 65 years on record.
Compared with earlier readings it is up 0.3% on the previous year and up 6.5% over ten years.
Over the whole period, life expectancy at birth, total in Sub-Saharan Africa peaked at 62.8 years in 2024 and was at its lowest, 41.43 years, in 1960.
Sub-Saharan Africa ranks 40th of 45 groups on this measure, in the bottom quarter.
The long-run direction has been consistently rising across the 65 years of available data.
Life expectancy at birth, total in Sub-Saharan Africa, year by year
| Year | years | Change |
|---|---|---|
| 1960 | 41.43 years | — |
| 1961 | 41.73 years | +0.7% |
| 1962 | 42.24 years | +1.2% |
| 1963 | 42.52 years | +0.7% |
| 1964 | 42.85 years | +0.8% |
| 1965 | 43.12 years | +0.6% |
| 1966 | 43.22 years | +0.2% |
| 1967 | 43.54 years | +0.7% |
| 1968 | 44.03 years | +1.1% |
| 1969 | 44.31 years | +0.6% |
| 1970 | 44.77 years | +1.0% |
| 1971 | 45.09 years | +0.7% |
| 1972 | 45.18 years | +0.2% |
| 1973 | 45.74 years | +1.2% |
| 1974 | 45.97 years | +0.5% |
| 1975 | 46.32 years | +0.8% |
| 1976 | 47 years | +1.5% |
| 1977 | 47.43 years | +0.9% |
| 1978 | 47.71 years | +0.6% |
| 1979 | 48.15 years | +0.9% |
| 1980 | 48.54 years | +0.8% |
| 1981 | 48.82 years | +0.6% |
| 1982 | 49.1 years | +0.6% |
| 1983 | 48.38 years | -1.5% |
| 1984 | 48.51 years | +0.3% |
| 1985 | 48.8 years | +0.6% |
| 1986 | 49.21 years | +0.8% |
| 1987 | 49.89 years | +1.4% |
| 1988 | 49.87 years | -0.0% |
| 1989 | 50.15 years | +0.6% |
| 1990 | 50.03 years | -0.2% |
| 1991 | 49.93 years | -0.2% |
| 1992 | 49.9 years | -0.1% |
| 1993 | 50.18 years | +0.6% |
| 1994 | 50.12 years | -0.1% |
| 1995 | 50.49 years | +0.7% |
| 1996 | 50.45 years | -0.1% |
| 1997 | 50.62 years | +0.3% |
| 1998 | 50.56 years | -0.1% |
| 1999 | 51.01 years | +0.9% |
| 2000 | 51.64 years | +1.3% |
| 2001 | 51.99 years | +0.7% |
| 2002 | 52.36 years | +0.7% |
| 2003 | 52.83 years | +0.9% |
| 2004 | 53.35 years | +1.0% |
| 2005 | 53.89 years | +1.0% |
| 2006 | 54.59 years | +1.3% |
| 2007 | 55.26 years | +1.2% |
| 2008 | 55.89 years | +1.1% |
| 2009 | 56.37 years | +0.9% |
| 2010 | 57.11 years | +1.3% |
| 2011 | 57.47 years | +0.6% |
| 2012 | 58.23 years | +1.3% |
| 2013 | 58.72 years | +0.8% |
| 2014 | 58.99 years | +0.5% |
| 2015 | 59.4 years | +0.7% |
| 2016 | 59.81 years | +0.7% |
| 2017 | 60.16 years | +0.6% |
| 2018 | 60.77 years | +1.0% |
| 2019 | 61.13 years | +0.6% |
| 2020 | 61.17 years | +0.1% |
| 2021 | 60.7 years | -0.8% |
| 2022 | 61.86 years | +1.9% |
| 2023 | 62.6 years | +1.2% |
| 2024 | 62.8 years | +0.3% |
Averages by decade
| Decade | Average | Lowest | Highest | Years |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1960s | 42.9 years | 41.43 years | 44.31 years | 10 |
| 1970s | 46.34 years | 44.77 years | 48.15 years | 10 |
| 1980s | 49.13 years | 48.38 years | 50.15 years | 10 |
| 1990s | 50.33 years | 49.9 years | 51.01 years | 10 |
| 2000s | 53.82 years | 51.64 years | 56.37 years | 10 |
| 2010s | 59.18 years | 57.11 years | 61.13 years | 10 |
| 2020s | 61.83 years | 60.7 years | 62.8 years | 5 |
Countries ranked near Sub-Saharan Africa
- 37 Netherlands 81.97 years compare
- 38 Puerto Rico 81.9 years compare
- 39 Greece 81.84 years compare
- 40 Cyprus 81.82 years compare
- 41 Bahrain 81.42 years compare
- 42 United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern Ireland 81.39 years compare
- 43 Chile 81.36 years compare
More health data for Sub-Saharan Africa
- Population, male, per unit of GDP 0.0003 units per US$ of GDP (2025)
- Population ages 15-64, total, per capita 0.5639 units per person (2025)
- Population ages 65 and above, female, annual growth rate 3.74 % change on previous year (2025)
- Population ages 65 and above, total, per capita 0.0323 units per person (2025)
- Population ages 65 and above, female, per unit of GDP 0 units per US$ of GDP (2025)
- Population ages 65 and above, female, per capita 0.0181 units per person (2025)
- Population, male, per capita 0.4985 units per person (2025)
- Population ages 65 and above, male, per capita 0.0142 units per person (2025)
- Population ages 65 and above, male, per unit of GDP 0 units per US$ of GDP (2025)
- Population ages 65 and above, male, annual growth rate 3.59 % change on previous year (2025)
Frequently asked questions
- What is life expectancy at birth, total in Sub-Saharan Africa?
- Life expectancy at birth, total in Sub-Saharan Africa was 62.8 years in 2024, according to World Population Prospects, United Nations (UN).
- What is the highest life expectancy at birth, total recorded in Sub-Saharan Africa?
- The highest recorded value was 62.8 years in 2024.
- What is the lowest life expectancy at birth, total recorded in Sub-Saharan Africa?
- The lowest recorded value was 41.43 years in 1960.
- How does Sub-Saharan Africa rank for life expectancy at birth, total?
- Sub-Saharan Africa ranks 40th out of 45 groups with data for 2024.
- Is life expectancy at birth, total rising or falling in Sub-Saharan Africa?
- Over the last ten years it is up 6.5%. The long-run trend across the full record is rising.
- Where does this Sub-Saharan Africa 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.
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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.