Period versus cohort life expectancy in Germany
Germany: Period versus cohort life expectancy was 81.01 years in 2020. ▲ Rising
Latest (2020)
81.01 years
Change on year
down 0.2%
World rank
25th
of 41 countries
All-time high
81.2 years
in 2019
All-time low
75.35 years
in 1990
Years of data
31
1990–2020
Period versus cohort life expectancy in Germany, 1990–2020
Source: Human Mortality Database (2025) – processed by Our World in Data. Measured in years.
Analysis
Germany recorded 81.01 years for period versus cohort life expectancy in 2020.
That represents a change of down 0.2% on the previous year and up 1.2% over ten years.
Over the whole period, period versus cohort life expectancy in Germany peaked at 81.2 years in 2019 and was at its lowest, 75.35 years, in 1990.
Germany ranks 25th of 41 countries on this measure, in the middle of the range.
The long-run direction has been consistently rising across the 31 years of available data.
Period versus cohort life expectancy in Germany, year by year
| Year | years | Change |
|---|---|---|
| 1990 | 75.35 years | — |
| 1991 | 75.56 years | +0.3% |
| 1992 | 76.01 years | +0.6% |
| 1993 | 76.09 years | +0.1% |
| 1994 | 76.39 years | +0.4% |
| 1995 | 76.56 years | +0.2% |
| 1996 | 76.79 years | +0.3% |
| 1997 | 77.23 years | +0.6% |
| 1998 | 77.58 years | +0.5% |
| 1999 | 77.81 years | +0.3% |
| 2000 | 78.06 years | +0.3% |
| 2001 | 78.41 years | +0.4% |
| 2002 | 78.48 years | +0.1% |
| 2003 | 78.54 years | +0.1% |
| 2004 | 79.13 years | +0.8% |
| 2005 | 79.26 years | +0.2% |
| 2006 | 79.59 years | +0.4% |
| 2007 | 79.74 years | +0.2% |
| 2008 | 79.82 years | +0.1% |
| 2009 | 79.92 years | +0.1% |
| 2010 | 80.08 years | +0.2% |
| 2011 | 80.35 years | +0.3% |
| 2012 | 80.5 years | +0.2% |
| 2013 | 80.46 years | -0.0% |
| 2014 | 80.92 years | +0.6% |
| 2015 | 80.57 years | -0.4% |
| 2016 | 80.84 years | +0.3% |
| 2017 | 80.94 years | +0.1% |
| 2018 | 80.88 years | -0.1% |
| 2019 | 81.2 years | +0.4% |
| 2020 | 81.01 years | -0.2% |
Germany compared with similar countries
- Germany's 81.01 years is below the median for high income countries, which is 81.92 years, 99% of the median. (38 countries reporting)
- Germany's 81.01 years is below the median for Europe & Central Asia, which is 81.49 years, 99% of the median. (31 countries reporting)
Averages by decade
| Decade | Average | Lowest | Highest | Years |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1990s | 76.54 years | 75.35 years | 77.81 years | 10 |
| 2000s | 79.09 years | 78.06 years | 79.92 years | 10 |
| 2010s | 80.67 years | 80.08 years | 81.2 years | 10 |
| 2020s | 81.01 years | 81.01 years | 81.01 years | 1 |
Countries ranked near Germany
More health data for Germany
- Un projection of annual infant deaths, annual growth rate -2.13 % change on previous year (2100)
- Heat deaths vs projected death rates, annual growth rate -0.9955 % change on previous year (2090)
- Estimated changes in temperature-related death rates compared to projected death rates 1,164 deaths per 1,000 people (2090)
- Number of infants who die before age 1 368 deaths (2100)
- Neonatal tetanus - number of reported cases, gaps filled 0 (2000)
- Population ages 00-04, female, annual growth rate -2.18 % 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 0.0216 units per person (2025)
- Population ages 00-04, male, annual growth rate -2.2 % 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 period versus cohort life expectancy in Germany?
- Period versus cohort life expectancy in Germany was 81.01 years in 2020, according to Human Mortality Database (2025) – processed by Our World in Data.
- What is the highest period versus cohort life expectancy recorded in Germany?
- The highest recorded value was 81.2 years in 2019.
- What is the lowest period versus cohort life expectancy recorded in Germany?
- The lowest recorded value was 75.35 years in 1990.
- How does Germany rank for period versus cohort life expectancy?
- Germany ranks 25th out of 41 countries with data for 2020.
- Is period versus cohort life expectancy rising or falling in Germany?
- Over the last ten years it is up 1.2%. The long-run trend across the full record is rising.
- Where does this Germany data come from?
- The figures come from Human Mortality Database (2025) – processed by Our World in Data, published as part of Period versus cohort life expectancy. Statizoid updates them automatically from the source API.
Download this data
CSV · JSON — 31 observations, free to reuse under CC BY 4.0 (Our World in Data).
About this data
Period life expectancy at birth, in a given year.