Life expectancy versus lifespan inequality in Congo
Congo: Life expectancy versus lifespan inequality was 0.1606 in 2023. ▼ Falling
Life expectancy versus lifespan inequality in Congo, 1950–2023
Source: Human Mortality Database (2025); Aburto et al. (2023) – with major processing by Our World in Data.
Analysis
In 2023, life expectancy versus lifespan inequality in Congo stood at 0.1606. That is the lowest value across all 74 years on record.
That represents a change of down 2.2% on the previous year and down 14.0% over ten years.
Over the whole period, life expectancy versus lifespan inequality in Congo peaked at 0.4362 in 1950 and was at its lowest, 0.1606, in 2023.
Congo ranks 38th of 236 countries on this measure, in the top quarter.
The long-run direction has been consistently falling across the 74 years of available data.
Life expectancy versus lifespan inequality in Congo, year by year
| Year | Value | Change |
|---|---|---|
| 1950 | 0.4362 | — |
| 1951 | 0.4279 | -1.9% |
| 1952 | 0.4195 | -2.0% |
| 1953 | 0.4109 | -2.0% |
| 1954 | 0.4025 | -2.1% |
| 1955 | 0.3933 | -2.3% |
| 1956 | 0.3839 | -2.4% |
| 1957 | 0.3746 | -2.4% |
| 1958 | 0.3653 | -2.5% |
| 1959 | 0.3564 | -2.4% |
| 1960 | 0.3476 | -2.5% |
| 1961 | 0.3394 | -2.4% |
| 1962 | 0.3319 | -2.2% |
| 1963 | 0.3244 | -2.2% |
| 1964 | 0.3174 | -2.2% |
| 1965 | 0.3106 | -2.1% |
| 1966 | 0.3044 | -2.0% |
| 1967 | 0.3002 | -1.4% |
| 1968 | 0.2927 | -2.5% |
| 1969 | 0.2873 | -1.8% |
| 1970 | 0.2825 | -1.7% |
| 1971 | 0.278 | -1.6% |
| 1972 | 0.2738 | -1.5% |
| 1973 | 0.2698 | -1.5% |
| 1974 | 0.2662 | -1.3% |
| 1975 | 0.2626 | -1.4% |
| 1976 | 0.2592 | -1.3% |
| 1977 | 0.2558 | -1.3% |
| 1978 | 0.2531 | -1.0% |
| 1979 | 0.2495 | -1.4% |
| 1980 | 0.2463 | -1.3% |
| 1981 | 0.2431 | -1.3% |
| 1982 | 0.2407 | -1.0% |
| 1983 | 0.2383 | -1.0% |
| 1984 | 0.2369 | -0.6% |
| 1985 | 0.2367 | -0.1% |
| 1986 | 0.2366 | -0.0% |
| 1987 | 0.237 | +0.2% |
| 1988 | 0.2381 | +0.5% |
| 1989 | 0.2404 | +1.0% |
| 1990 | 0.2429 | +1.0% |
| 1991 | 0.246 | +1.3% |
| 1992 | 0.2494 | +1.4% |
| 1993 | 0.2534 | +1.6% |
| 1994 | 0.2569 | +1.4% |
| 1995 | 0.2604 | +1.3% |
| 1996 | 0.2632 | +1.1% |
| 1997 | 0.2791 | +6.0% |
| 1998 | 0.2742 | -1.7% |
| 1999 | 0.2683 | -2.2% |
| 2000 | 0.264 | -1.6% |
| 2001 | 0.26 | -1.5% |
| 2002 | 0.2542 | -2.2% |
| 2003 | 0.2479 | -2.5% |
| 2004 | 0.2399 | -3.2% |
| 2005 | 0.232 | -3.3% |
| 2006 | 0.2243 | -3.3% |
| 2007 | 0.2173 | -3.1% |
| 2008 | 0.2094 | -3.6% |
| 2009 | 0.2041 | -2.5% |
| 2010 | 0.1996 | -2.2% |
| 2011 | 0.1935 | -3.0% |
| 2012 | 0.1904 | -1.6% |
| 2013 | 0.1867 | -1.9% |
| 2014 | 0.1835 | -1.7% |
| 2015 | 0.1802 | -1.8% |
| 2016 | 0.1778 | -1.3% |
| 2017 | 0.1752 | -1.5% |
| 2018 | 0.1724 | -1.6% |
| 2019 | 0.1845 | +7.0% |
| 2020 | 0.1671 | -9.4% |
| 2021 | 0.168 | +0.5% |
| 2022 | 0.1642 | -2.3% |
| 2023 | 0.1606 | -2.2% |
Congo compared with similar countries
- Congo's 0.1606 is above the median for lower middle income countries, which is 0.1501, 1.1× the median. (47 countries reporting)
- Congo's 0.1606 is below the median for Sub-Saharan Africa, which is 0.1766, 91% of the median. (48 countries reporting)
Averages by decade
| Decade | Average | Lowest | Highest | Years |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1950s | 0.3971 | 0.3564 | 0.4362 | 10 |
| 1960s | 0.3156 | 0.2873 | 0.3476 | 10 |
| 1970s | 0.2651 | 0.2495 | 0.2825 | 10 |
| 1980s | 0.2394 | 0.2366 | 0.2463 | 10 |
| 1990s | 0.2594 | 0.2429 | 0.2791 | 10 |
| 2000s | 0.2353 | 0.2041 | 0.264 | 10 |
| 2010s | 0.1844 | 0.1724 | 0.1996 | 10 |
| 2020s | 0.165 | 0.1606 | 0.168 | 4 |
Countries ranked near Congo
More health data for Congo
- Un projection of annual infant deaths, annual growth rate -0.4813 % change on previous year (2100)
- Heat deaths vs projected death rates, annual growth rate 0.9705 % change on previous year (2090)
- Estimated changes in temperature-related death rates compared to projected death rates 759.5 deaths per 1,000 people (2090)
- Number of infants who die before age 1 2,688 deaths (2100)
- Neonatal tetanus - number of reported cases, gaps filled 11 (2025)
- Population ages 00-04, female, annual growth rate 1.44 % change on previous year (2025)
- Population ages 00-04, female, per unit of GDP 0 units per US$ of GDP (2025)
- Population ages 00-04, female, per capita 0.0695 units per person (2025)
- Population ages 00-04, male, annual growth rate 1.45 % change on previous year (2025)
- Population ages 00-04, male, per unit of GDP 0 units per US$ of GDP (2025)
Frequently asked questions
- What is life expectancy versus lifespan inequality in Congo?
- Life expectancy versus lifespan inequality in Congo was 0.1606 in 2023, according to Human Mortality Database (2025); Aburto et al. (2023) – with major processing by Our World in Data.
- What is the highest life expectancy versus lifespan inequality recorded in Congo?
- The highest recorded value was 0.4362 in 1950.
- What is the lowest life expectancy versus lifespan inequality recorded in Congo?
- The lowest recorded value was 0.1606 in 2023.
- How does Congo rank for life expectancy versus lifespan inequality?
- Congo ranks 38th out of 236 countries with data for 2023.
- Is life expectancy versus lifespan inequality rising or falling in Congo?
- Over the last ten years it is down 14.0%. The long-run trend across the full record is falling.
- Where does this Congo data come from?
- The figures come from Human Mortality Database (2025); Aburto et al. (2023) – with major processing by Our World in Data, published as part of Life expectancy versus lifespan inequality. Statizoid updates them automatically from the source API.
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About this data
Level of inequality in lifespans, measured between 0 and 1.