The 15 countries with the highest life expectancies — and the 15 with the lowest

Sep 16, 2026 01:08 AM - 1 hour ago 3

Visitors beryllium and guidelines among historical cannons overlooking a sunlit hillside metropolis and harbor.

Jeanne Calment was the oldest verified person to person ever lived, passing distant astatine 122.

Despite Calment's bonzer longevity, her location country, France, ranks 19th successful the world for mean life expectancy.

The World Bank Group collected data connected life expectancy astatine commencement by state done 2024. Life expectancy astatine commencement is the mean number of years a newborn is expected to unrecorded if mortality patterns stay the aforesaid passim their life.

The countries classed highest thin to beryllium wealthier, pinch robust healthcare systems and little rates of early-life mortality.

Meanwhile, the countries pinch the lowest life expectancy are each located successful Africa, which often faces disease, malnutrition, and conflict. High mortality among infants and children and healthcare shortages connected the continent importantly little the life expectancy astatine birth.

The US classed 47th successful the dataset, pinch an mean life expectancy of 78.9 years.

The World Bank Group utilized statistic from sources specified arsenic the United Nations and nationalist statistical agency databases. Business Insider did not see autonomous regions and territories listed successful the data.

The mean life expectancy estimates for 2024 are based connected information interpolated crossed five-year periods, truthful they whitethorn not bespeak events that occurred successful that twelvemonth and affected mortality rates, such arsenic a conflict aliases famine.

See the 15 countries pinch the highest life expectancy, followed by the 15 pinch the lowest.

13. (tie) Norway's mean life expectancy is 83.2 years.

Sailboats and crowds capable Oslo's sunny waterfront harbor beneath a bluish entity and metropolis skyline.

Average female life expectancy: 84.8

Average antheral life expectancy: 81.6

13. (tie) Luxembourg's mean life expectancy is 83.2.

Luxembourg emblem flies supra a greenish parkland and historical metropolis skyline pinch religion spires.

Average female life expectancy: 85.5

Average antheral life expectancy: 81.0

13. (tie) Israel's mean life expectancy is 83.2.

Aerial position of a coastal metropolis skyline pinch high-rise buildings, beachfront parks, roads, and turquoise water.

Average female life expectancy: 85.4

Average antheral life expectancy: 81.1

12. Singapore's mean life expectancy is 83.3 years.

Singapore skyline pinch the Singapore Flyer, Marina Bay waterfront, bridge, and Gardens by the Bay greenery nether a cloudy sky.

Average female life expectancy: 85.6

Average antheral life expectancy: 81.2

11. South Korea's mean life expectancy is 83.6 years.

Seoul skyline astatine sunset pinch N Seoul Tower rising from a cardinal elevation supra dense high-rise buildings.

Average female life expectancy: 86.6

Average antheral life expectancy: 80.8

10. Spain's mean life expectancy is 83.9 years.

Gran Vía cityscape successful Madrid pinch the Metrópolis Building, Edificio Telefónica, traffic, and melodramatic clouds.

Average female life expectancy: 86.5

Average antheral life expectancy: 81.4

8. (tie) Italy's mean life expectancy is 84.0 years.

Rome skyline pinch historical domes, the Vittoriano monument, trees, and distant mountains nether a partially cloudy sky.

Average female life expectancy: 86.0

Average antheral life expectancy: 82.0

8. (tie) Japan's mean life expectancy is 84.0 years.

Tokyo skyline astatine sunset pinch illuminated Tokyo Tower and Mount Fuji rising successful the background.

Average female life expectancy: 87.1

Average antheral life expectancy: 81.1

7. Sweden's mean life expectancy is 84.1 years.

Aerial position of cardinal Stockholm pinch Gamla Stan rooftops, religion spires, waterfront, and Stockholm City Hall.

Average female life expectancy: 85.6

Average antheral life expectancy: 82.6

5. (tie) Andorra's mean life expectancy is 84.2 years.

Dense municipality buildings capable a greenish upland vale beneath steep rocky slopes and a cloudy sky.

Average female life expectancy: 86.2

Average antheral life expectancy: 82.3

5. (tie) Liechtenstein's mean life expectancy is 84.2 years.

Aerial position of a municipality pinch homes, roads, greenish fields, and forested mountains rising successful the background.

Average female life expectancy: 86.3

Average antheral life expectancy: 82.2

4. Switzerland's mean life expectancy is 84.4 years.

Waterfront buildings and moored sailboats statement a bluish reservoir pinch a yellowish vessel and snow-capped upland behind.

Average female life expectancy: 86.2

Average antheral life expectancy: 82.7

3. Kuwait's mean life expectancy is 84.6 years.

Kuwait Towers emergence supra Kuwait City’s waterfront skyline during a aureate sunset.

Average female life expectancy: 85.4

Average antheral life expectancy: 83.8

2. San Marino's mean life expectancy is 85.8 years.

Rolling greenish countryside surrounds a red-roofed hillside municipality nether a cloudy sky.

Average female life expectancy: 87.2

Average antheral life expectancy: 84.3

1. Monaco's mean life expectancy is 86.5 years.

Coastal Monaco cityscape pinch high-rise buildings, marina, mountains, and bluish Mediterranean h2o nether a clear sky.

Average female life expectancy: 88.6

Average antheral life expectancy: 84.6

15. On the little end, Nauru's mean life expectancy is 62.3 years.

Ocean waves break against a harbor breakwater and rocky shoreline beneath a cloudy bluish sky.

Average female life expectancy: 64.2

Average antheral life expectancy: 60.4

14. Côte d'Ivoire's mean life expectancy is 62.1 years.

Domed basilica pinch colonnades stands crossed a wide paved plaza beneath a partially cloudy bluish sky.

Average female life expectancy: 64.3

Average antheral life expectancy: 60.2

13. The Democratic Republic of the Congo's mean life expectancy is 62.1 years.

Elevated position of a wide municipality boulevard pinch traffic, high-rises, billboards, and a hazy skyline.

Average female life expectancy: 64.2

Average antheral life expectancy: 60.0

12. Sierra Leone's mean life expectancy is 62.0 years.

Dense waterfront metropolis buildings beryllium beneath greenish hills pinch connection towers nether a clear bluish sky.

Average female life expectancy: 63.7

Average antheral life expectancy: 60.2

11. Niger's mean life expectancy is 61.4 years.

Urban skyline and mid-rise buildings emergence beyond dense greenish trees nether a hazy bluish sky.

Average female life expectancy: 62.4

Average antheral life expectancy: 60.5

10. Burkina Faso's mean life expectancy is 61.3 years.

Mud-brick buildings and mini shelters statement a calm waterway nether a clear bluish sky.

Average female life expectancy: 63.4

Average antheral life expectancy: 59.1

9. Benin's mean life expectancy is 61.0 years.

Weathered historical building stands beside a mosque pinch minarets connected a quiet thoroughfare crossed by overhead wires.

Average female life expectancy: 62.4

Average antheral life expectancy: 59.5

8. Guinea's mean life expectancy is 60.9 years.

Aerial position of a coastal metropolis pinch larboard facilities, docks, warehouses, cranes, and vessels on the waterfront.

Average female life expectancy: 62.1

Average antheral life expectancy: 59.7

7. Mali's mean life expectancy is 60.7 years.

Aerial position of a dense low-rise metropolis territory pinch business retention tanks and h2o visible successful the distance.

Average female life expectancy: 62.2

Average antheral life expectancy: 59.3

6. Somalia's mean life expectancy is 59.0 years.

Aerial position of a crowded municipality formation pinch turquoise coastal water, anchored boats, and dense metropolis buildings.

Average female life expectancy: 61.6

Average antheral life expectancy: 56.5

5. Lesotho's mean life expectancy is 57.8 years.

Aerial position of a municipality pinch roads, buildings, greenish fields, and distant hills nether a hazy sky.

Average female life expectancy: 60.4

Average antheral life expectancy: 55.0

3. (tie) South Sudan's mean life expectancy is 57.7 years.

Aerial position of a sprawling low-rise municipality vicinity pinch dusty roads, walled compounds, trees, and scattered larger buildings.

Average female life expectancy: 60.7

Average antheral life expectancy: 54.8

3. (tie) The Central African Republic's mean life expectancy is 57.7 years.

Brick religion pinch copy towers faces a plaza pinch cars, pedestrians, and a motorcycle successful front.

Average female life expectancy: 59.6

Average antheral life expectancy: 55.5

2. Chad's mean life expectancy is 55.2 years.

Aerial position of an arid municipality pinch dense buildings, roads, scattered trees, and a ample acheronian pond.

Average female life expectancy: 57.2

Average antheral life expectancy: 53.4

1. Nigeria's mean life expectancy is 54.6 years.

Aerial position of a sprawling metropolis pinch residential neighborhoods, roads, greenery, and hazy skyline successful the distance.

Average female life expectancy: 54.9

Average antheral life expectancy: 54.3

James LaForge was a Life Fellow connected Business Insider's Editorial Partnerships team. He has covered history, lifestyle, and civilization for Business Insider and partners, including MSN, Apple News, and Yahoo.He antecedently wrote for New Jersey Monthly Magazine, covering manner and civilization content. He graduated from Ramapo College of New Jersey successful 2024 pinch a Bachelor of Arts successful Communication Arts.Selected Articles:

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Roya is simply a newsman connected Business Insider's Editorial Partnerships team. She is based successful London. Before joining Business Insider, she worked arsenic a newsman astatine financial newswire Alliance News and was an intern astatine The Wall Street Journal. Roya graduated from City St George's, University of London pinch an MA successful International Journalism.