Life expectancy at birth in Somalia
Somalia: Life expectancy at birth was 58.82 years in 2023. ▲ Rising
Latest (2023)
58.82 years
Change on year
up 9.1%
World rank
231st
of 236 countries
All-time high
58.82 years
in 2023
All-time low
25.03 years
in 1992
Years of data
74
1950–2023
Life expectancy at birth in Somalia, 1950–2023
Source: UN, World Population Prospects (2024) – processed by Our World in Data. Measured in years.
Analysis
The most recent figure for life expectancy at birth in Somalia is 58.82 years, measured in 2023. That is the highest value across all 74 years on record.
The figure is up 9.1% on the previous year and up 8.9% over ten years.
Over the whole period, life expectancy at birth in Somalia peaked at 58.82 years in 2023 and was at its lowest, 25.03 years, in 1992.
Somalia ranks 231st of 236 countries on this measure, in the bottom quarter.
The long-run direction has been consistently rising across the 74 years of available data.
Life expectancy at birth in Somalia, year by year
| Year | years | Change |
|---|---|---|
| 1950 | 41.45 years | — |
| 1951 | 41.66 years | +0.5% |
| 1952 | 41.88 years | +0.5% |
| 1953 | 42.09 years | +0.5% |
| 1954 | 42.29 years | +0.5% |
| 1955 | 42.5 years | +0.5% |
| 1956 | 42.71 years | +0.5% |
| 1957 | 42.92 years | +0.5% |
| 1958 | 43.13 years | +0.5% |
| 1959 | 43.34 years | +0.5% |
| 1960 | 43.54 years | +0.5% |
| 1961 | 43.67 years | +0.3% |
| 1962 | 43.97 years | +0.7% |
| 1963 | 44.19 years | +0.5% |
| 1964 | 44.39 years | +0.5% |
| 1965 | 44.63 years | +0.5% |
| 1966 | 44.84 years | +0.5% |
| 1967 | 45.05 years | +0.5% |
| 1968 | 45.25 years | +0.5% |
| 1969 | 45.45 years | +0.4% |
| 1970 | 45.64 years | +0.4% |
| 1971 | 45.84 years | +0.4% |
| 1972 | 46.03 years | +0.4% |
| 1973 | 46.22 years | +0.4% |
| 1974 | 44.26 years | -4.3% |
| 1975 | 44.49 years | +0.5% |
| 1976 | 44.73 years | +0.5% |
| 1977 | 47 years | +5.1% |
| 1978 | 47.01 years | +0.0% |
| 1979 | 47.41 years | +0.8% |
| 1980 | 47.61 years | +0.4% |
| 1981 | 47.82 years | +0.4% |
| 1982 | 48.02 years | +0.4% |
| 1983 | 48.23 years | +0.4% |
| 1984 | 48.44 years | +0.4% |
| 1985 | 48.28 years | -0.3% |
| 1986 | 48.43 years | +0.3% |
| 1987 | 49 years | +1.2% |
| 1988 | 43.93 years | -10.3% |
| 1989 | 46.65 years | +6.2% |
| 1990 | 46.9 years | +0.5% |
| 1991 | 25.42 years | -45.8% |
| 1992 | 25.03 years | -1.5% |
| 1993 | 50.55 years | +101.9% |
| 1994 | 50.3 years | -0.5% |
| 1995 | 50.65 years | +0.7% |
| 1996 | 50.52 years | -0.2% |
| 1997 | 50.28 years | -0.5% |
| 1998 | 50.76 years | +0.9% |
| 1999 | 50.61 years | -0.3% |
| 2000 | 50.75 years | +0.3% |
| 2001 | 50.83 years | +0.2% |
| 2002 | 50.82 years | -0.0% |
| 2003 | 50.72 years | -0.2% |
| 2004 | 50.69 years | -0.1% |
| 2005 | 50.89 years | +0.4% |
| 2006 | 50.91 years | +0.0% |
| 2007 | 50.88 years | -0.1% |
| 2008 | 51.46 years | +1.1% |
| 2009 | 52.1 years | +1.3% |
| 2010 | 48.9 years | -6.1% |
| 2011 | 32.45 years | -33.6% |
| 2012 | 49.14 years | +51.4% |
| 2013 | 54.02 years | +9.9% |
| 2014 | 54.44 years | +0.8% |
| 2015 | 55.06 years | +1.1% |
| 2016 | 55.28 years | +0.4% |
| 2017 | 52.19 years | -5.6% |
| 2018 | 54.77 years | +4.9% |
| 2019 | 57.25 years | +4.5% |
| 2020 | 57.09 years | -0.3% |
| 2021 | 55.7 years | -2.4% |
| 2022 | 53.93 years | -3.2% |
| 2023 | 58.82 years | +9.1% |
Somalia compared with similar countries
- Somalia's 58.82 years is below the median for low income countries, which is 63.65 years, 92% of the median. (25 countries reporting)
- Somalia's 58.82 years is below the median for Sub-Saharan Africa, which is 64.1 years, 92% of the median. (48 countries reporting)
Biggest year-on-year movements
Years where Life expectancy at birth in Somalia changed far more than this series normally does. A large move can be a real event or a change in how the figure was measured — the source note below says who published it.
| Year | Change | From | To |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1993 | +101.9% | 25.03 years | 50.55 years |
| 2012 | +51.4% | 32.45 years | 49.14 years |
| 1991 | -45.8% | 46.9 years | 25.42 years |
| 2011 | -33.6% | 48.9 years | 32.45 years |
Averages by decade
| Decade | Average | Lowest | Highest | Years |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1950s | 42.4 years | 41.45 years | 43.34 years | 10 |
| 1960s | 44.5 years | 43.54 years | 45.45 years | 10 |
| 1970s | 45.86 years | 44.26 years | 47.41 years | 10 |
| 1980s | 47.64 years | 43.93 years | 49 years | 10 |
| 1990s | 45.1 years | 25.03 years | 50.76 years | 10 |
| 2000s | 51.01 years | 50.69 years | 52.1 years | 10 |
| 2010s | 51.35 years | 32.45 years | 57.25 years | 10 |
| 2020s | 56.39 years | 53.93 years | 58.82 years | 4 |
Countries ranked near Somalia
More health data for Somalia
- Un projection of annual infant deaths, annual growth rate -1.41 % change on previous year (2100)
- Heat deaths vs projected death rates, annual growth rate 0.8681 % change on previous year (2090)
- Estimated changes in temperature-related death rates compared to projected death rates 987.7 deaths per 1,000 people (2090)
- Number of infants who die before age 1 32,421 deaths (2100)
- Neonatal tetanus - number of reported cases, gaps filled 182 (2013)
- Population ages 00-04, female, annual growth rate 2.39 % change on previous year (2025)
- Population ages 00-04, female, per unit of GDP 0.0001 units per US$ of GDP (2025)
- Population ages 00-04, female, per capita 0.0897 units per person (2025)
- Population ages 00-04, male, annual growth rate 2.38 % change on previous year (2025)
- Population ages 00-04, male, per unit of GDP 0.0001 units per US$ of GDP (2025)
Frequently asked questions
- What is life expectancy at birth in Somalia?
- Life expectancy at birth in Somalia was 58.82 years in 2023, according to UN, World Population Prospects (2024) – processed by Our World in Data.
- What is the highest life expectancy at birth recorded in Somalia?
- The highest recorded value was 58.82 years in 2023.
- What is the lowest life expectancy at birth recorded in Somalia?
- The lowest recorded value was 25.03 years in 1992.
- How does Somalia rank for life expectancy at birth?
- Somalia ranks 231st out of 236 countries with data for 2023.
- Is life expectancy at birth rising or falling in Somalia?
- Over the last ten years it is up 8.9%. The long-run trend across the full record is rising.
- Where does this Somalia data come from?
- The figures come from UN, World Population Prospects (2024) – processed by Our World in Data, published as part of Life expectancy at birth. Statizoid updates them automatically from the source API.
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About this data
Period life expectancy at birth.