Life expectancy in Tanzania

Tanzania: Life expectancy was 66.41 years in 2020. ▲ Rising

Latest (2020)
66.41 years
World rank
121st
of 162 countries
All-time high
66.41 years
in 2020
All-time low
25 years
in 1870
Years of data
24
1870–2020

Life expectancy in Tanzania, 1870–2020

02040601870194520201870: 25 years1880: 25 years1890: 25 years1900: 25 years1913: 25.9 years1925: 25.9 years1929: 30.3 years1933: 30.3 years1938: 34.2 years1950: 37 years1955: 39.4 years1960: 40.7 years1965: 43.1 years1970: 45.5 years1975: 48 years1980: 50.2 years1985: 51.1 years1990: 51.5 years1995: 50.8 years2000: 52.4 years2005: 56.3 years2010: 60.1 years2015: 64.7 years2020: 66.4 years

Source: Leandro Prados de la Escosura (2021) – with minor processing by Our World in Data. Measured in years.

Analysis

In 2020, life expectancy in Tanzania stood at 66.41 years. That is the highest value across all 24 years on record.

The figure is up 10.5% over ten years.

Over the whole period, life expectancy in Tanzania peaked at 66.41 years in 2020 and was at its lowest, 25 years, in 1870.

Tanzania ranks 121st of 162 countries on this measure, in the middle of the range.

The long-run direction has been consistently rising across the 24 years of available data.

Life expectancy in Tanzania, year by year

Annual values for Life expectancy in Tanzania, 1870 to 2020.
Year years Change
1870 25 years
1880 25 years +0.0%
1890 25 years +0.0%
1900 25 years +0.0%
1913 25.9 years +3.6%
1925 25.9 years +0.0%
1929 30.3 years +17.0%
1933 30.3 years +0.0%
1938 34.2 years +12.9%
1950 37.05 years +8.3%
1955 39.35 years +6.2%
1960 40.72 years +3.5%
1965 43.1 years +5.8%
1970 45.5 years +5.6%
1975 47.96 years +5.4%
1980 50.21 years +4.7%
1985 51.12 years +1.8%
1990 51.48 years +0.7%
1995 50.79 years -1.4%
2000 52.36 years +3.1%
2005 56.3 years +7.5%
2010 60.1 years +6.8%
2015 64.65 years +7.6%
2020 66.41 years +2.7%

Averages by decade

DecadeAverage LowestHighest Years
1870s 25 years 25 years 25 years 1
1880s 25 years 25 years 25 years 1
1890s 25 years 25 years 25 years 1
1900s 25 years 25 years 25 years 1
1910s 25.9 years 25.9 years 25.9 years 1
1920s 28.1 years 25.9 years 30.3 years 2
1930s 32.25 years 30.3 years 34.2 years 2
1950s 38.2 years 37.05 years 39.35 years 2
1960s 41.91 years 40.72 years 43.1 years 2
1970s 46.73 years 45.5 years 47.96 years 2
1980s 50.66 years 50.21 years 51.12 years 2
1990s 51.14 years 50.79 years 51.48 years 2
2000s 54.33 years 52.36 years 56.3 years 2
2010s 62.38 years 60.1 years 64.65 years 2
2020s 66.41 years 66.41 years 66.41 years 1

Countries ranked near Tanzania

  1. 118 Myanmar 66.8 years compare
  2. 119 Rwanda 66.77 years compare
  3. 120 Gabon 66.53 years compare
  4. 122 Pakistan 66.27 years compare
  5. 123 Botswana 65.65 years compare
  6. 124 Sudan 65.61 years compare

See the full ranking of 163 places →

More health data for Tanzania

All data for Tanzania →

Frequently asked questions

What is life expectancy in Tanzania?
Life expectancy in Tanzania was 66.41 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 Tanzania?
The highest recorded value was 66.41 years in 2020.
What is the lowest life expectancy recorded in Tanzania?
The lowest recorded value was 25 years in 1870.
How does Tanzania rank for life expectancy?
Tanzania ranks 121st out of 162 countries with data for 2020.
Is life expectancy rising or falling in Tanzania?
Over the last ten years it is up 10.5%. The long-run trend across the full record is rising.
Where does this Tanzania 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.

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Life expectancy in Tanzania. Statizoid, drawing on Leandro Prados de la Escosura (2021) – with minor processing by Our World in Data. Retrieved 02 September 2026, from https://health.statizoid.com/stat/life-expectancy-prados-de-la-escosura/tanzania/

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About this data

Indicator
Life expectancy
Unit
years
Source
Leandro Prados de la Escosura (2021) – with minor processing by Our World in Data
Licence
CC BY 4.0 (Our World in Data)
Coverage
163 places, 3,421 data points, 1870–2020
Last refreshed

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.