Life expectancy in Afghanistan
Afghanistan: Life expectancy was 62.58 years in 2020. ▲ Rising
Life expectancy in Afghanistan, 1950–2020
Source: Leandro Prados de la Escosura (2021) – with minor processing by Our World in Data. Measured in years.
Analysis
The most recent figure for life expectancy in Afghanistan is 62.58 years, measured in 2020.
Compared with earlier readings it is up 2.8% over ten years.
Over the whole period, life expectancy in Afghanistan peaked at 62.66 years in 2015 and was at its lowest, 31.55 years, in 1950.
That places Afghanistan 139th out of 162 countries with data for 2020, putting it in the bottom quarter.
The long-run direction has been consistently rising across the 15 years of available data.
Life expectancy in Afghanistan, year by year
| Year | years | Change |
|---|---|---|
| 1950 | 31.55 years | — |
| 1955 | 32.8 years | +4.0% |
| 1960 | 34.61 years | +5.5% |
| 1965 | 36.82 years | +6.4% |
| 1970 | 38.4 years | +4.3% |
| 1975 | 39.4 years | +2.6% |
| 1980 | 40.5 years | +2.8% |
| 1985 | 41.5 years | +2.5% |
| 1990 | 45.97 years | +10.8% |
| 1995 | 52.54 years | +14.3% |
| 2000 | 55.3 years | +5.2% |
| 2005 | 58.36 years | +5.5% |
| 2010 | 60.85 years | +4.3% |
| 2015 | 62.66 years | +3.0% |
| 2020 | 62.58 years | -0.1% |
Averages by decade
| Decade | Average | Lowest | Highest | Years |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1950s | 32.17 years | 31.55 years | 32.8 years | 2 |
| 1960s | 35.72 years | 34.61 years | 36.82 years | 2 |
| 1970s | 38.9 years | 38.4 years | 39.4 years | 2 |
| 1980s | 41 years | 40.5 years | 41.5 years | 2 |
| 1990s | 49.26 years | 45.97 years | 52.54 years | 2 |
| 2000s | 56.83 years | 55.3 years | 58.36 years | 2 |
| 2010s | 61.75 years | 60.85 years | 62.66 years | 2 |
| 2020s | 62.58 years | 62.58 years | 62.58 years | 1 |
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)
- Population ages 80 and above, female, per capita 0.0017 units per person (2025)
- Population ages 80 and above, male, annual growth rate 4.86 % change on previous year (2025)
- Population ages 80 and above, male, per unit of GDP 0 units per US$ of GDP (2024)
- Population ages 80 and above, male, per capita 0.0011 units per person (2025)
- Pertussis - number of reported cases, gaps filled 1,103 (2025)
- Pertussis - number of reported cases, per capita 0 units per person (2025)
Frequently asked questions
- What is life expectancy in Afghanistan?
- Life expectancy in Afghanistan was 62.58 years in 2020, according to Leandro Prados de la Escosura (2021) – with minor processing by Our World in Data.
- What is the highest life expectancy recorded in Afghanistan?
- The highest recorded value was 62.66 years in 2015.
- What is the lowest life expectancy recorded in Afghanistan?
- The lowest recorded value was 31.55 years in 1950.
- How does Afghanistan rank for life expectancy?
- Afghanistan ranks 139th out of 162 countries with data for 2020.
- Is life expectancy rising or falling in Afghanistan?
- Over the last ten years it is up 2.8%. The long-run trend across the full record is rising.
- Where does this Afghanistan data come from?
- The figures come from Leandro Prados de la Escosura (2021) – with minor processing by Our World in Data, published as part of Life expectancy. Statizoid updates them automatically from the source API.
Download this data
CSV · JSON — 15 observations, free to reuse under CC BY 4.0 (Our World in Data).
About this data
Average number of years a newborn would live if age-specific mortality rates in the current year were to stay the same throughout its life.