Life expectancy by country, 1960 to 2024

Hong Kong, Japan, Switzerland and more: the countries with the longest lives since 1960.

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What the data shows

In 2024, Hong Kong ranks #1 with 85.4 yrs, ahead of Kuwait (84.6 yrs) and Switzerland (84.4 yrs).
Back in 1960, Norway was #1 with 73.5 yrs.
The top spot changed hands 7 times, first to Sweden in 1963, most recently to Hong Kong in 2023.
Biggest climber: Kuwait, from #10 in 1960 to #2 in 2024.

About this chart

Life expectancy at birth is how long a newborn would live if today's death rates held for their whole life. The top of the ranking has been a contest between East Asian economies and Western Europe for decades, and most countries in the race have gained a decade or more since 1960.

Look for the dip in 2020 and 2021: COVID-19 pushed life expectancy down in most countries before it recovered. Countries with fewer than one million people are excluded, and figures are as published by the World Bank.

The data

Source: World Bank, World Development Indicators (SP.DYN.LE00.IN), life expectancy at birth in years; countries over 1 million people. Retrieved November 3, 2026.

Where people live longest, Life expectancy at birth, years, 1960–2024
Date	🇭🇰 Hong Kong	🇰🇼 Kuwait	🇨🇭 Switzerland	🇸🇪 Sweden	🇯🇵 Japan	🇮🇹 Italy	🇪🇸 Spain	🇰🇷 South Korea	🇸🇬 Singapore	🇮🇱 Israel	🇳🇴 Norway	🇦🇺 Australia
1960	65.7 yrs	59.2 yrs	71.3 yrs	73.0 yrs	67.7 yrs	69.1 yrs	69.1 yrs	53.8 yrs	65.6 yrs		73.5 yrs	70.8 yrs
1961	66.4 yrs	60.2 yrs	71.6 yrs	73.5 yrs	68.4 yrs	69.8 yrs	69.5 yrs	54.5 yrs	66.0 yrs	72.0 yrs	73.6 yrs	71.0 yrs
1962	66.9 yrs	61.3 yrs	71.2 yrs	73.4 yrs	68.6 yrs	69.1 yrs	69.5 yrs	55.1 yrs	66.4 yrs	72.1 yrs	73.4 yrs	70.9 yrs
1963	67.6 yrs	62.3 yrs	71.2 yrs	73.6 yrs	69.7 yrs	69.2 yrs	69.7 yrs	55.0 yrs	66.8 yrs	72.1 yrs	73.1 yrs	70.9 yrs
1964	68.2 yrs	63.3 yrs	72.1 yrs	73.7 yrs	70.2 yrs	70.3 yrs	70.4 yrs	55.4 yrs	67.0 yrs	72.2 yrs	73.6 yrs	70.9 yrs
1965	68.9 yrs	64.2 yrs	72.2 yrs	73.9 yrs	70.3 yrs	70.2 yrs	70.8 yrs	55.9 yrs	67.2 yrs	72.3 yrs	73.7 yrs	70.9 yrs
1966	69.3 yrs	65.1 yrs	72.3 yrs	74.1 yrs	70.9 yrs	70.9 yrs	71.1 yrs	55.5 yrs	67.5 yrs	72.3 yrs	74.0 yrs	70.8 yrs
1967	69.8 yrs	66.0 yrs	72.6 yrs	74.1 yrs	71.5 yrs	71.0 yrs	71.3 yrs	60.9 yrs	67.7 yrs	71.5 yrs	74.1 yrs	70.9 yrs
1968	70.2 yrs	66.8 yrs	72.6 yrs	74.0 yrs	71.6 yrs	70.8 yrs	71.5 yrs	60.9 yrs	68.0 yrs	71.1 yrs	73.9 yrs	70.9 yrs
1969	70.6 yrs	67.6 yrs	72.6 yrs	74.1 yrs	71.9 yrs	70.8 yrs	71.1 yrs	61.5 yrs	68.3 yrs	71.0 yrs	73.7 yrs	71.0 yrs
1970	70.9 yrs	68.2 yrs	73.0 yrs	74.6 yrs	71.9 yrs	71.6 yrs	72.0 yrs	62.2 yrs	68.7 yrs	71.2 yrs	74.1 yrs	71.0 yrs
1971	71.5 yrs	68.7 yrs	73.1 yrs	74.6 yrs	72.8 yrs	71.8 yrs	71.6 yrs	62.6 yrs	69.0 yrs	71.7 yrs	74.2 yrs	71.1 yrs
1972	71.5 yrs	69.1 yrs	73.6 yrs	74.7 yrs	73.2 yrs	72.1 yrs	72.8 yrs	63.0 yrs	69.2 yrs	71.1 yrs	74.3 yrs	71.5 yrs
1973	72.1 yrs	69.4 yrs	73.9 yrs	74.9 yrs	73.3 yrs	72.0 yrs	72.6 yrs	63.4 yrs	69.5 yrs	71.7 yrs	74.4 yrs	71.8 yrs
1974	72.6 yrs	69.7 yrs	74.3 yrs	75.0 yrs	73.7 yrs	72.7 yrs	73.0 yrs	63.8 yrs	69.9 yrs	71.7 yrs	74.8 yrs	72.2 yrs
1975	73.4 yrs	70.0 yrs	74.7 yrs	75.0 yrs	74.2 yrs	72.6 yrs	73.3 yrs	64.2 yrs	70.4 yrs	72.0 yrs	74.8 yrs	72.6 yrs
1976	72.8 yrs	70.2 yrs	74.8 yrs	75.0 yrs	74.7 yrs	73.0 yrs	73.6 yrs	64.5 yrs	70.7 yrs	73.0 yrs	75.0 yrs	73.0 yrs
1977	73.3 yrs	70.5 yrs	75.2 yrs	75.4 yrs	75.3 yrs	73.4 yrs	74.1 yrs	64.9 yrs	71.0 yrs	73.0 yrs	75.4 yrs	73.3 yrs
1978	73.5 yrs	70.8 yrs	75.2 yrs	75.5 yrs	75.6 yrs	73.7 yrs	74.3 yrs	65.2 yrs	71.3 yrs	73.2 yrs	75.4 yrs	73.7 yrs
1979	73.7 yrs	71.1 yrs	75.5 yrs	75.5 yrs	76.1 yrs	74.0 yrs	74.8 yrs	65.5 yrs	71.5 yrs	73.5 yrs	75.4 yrs	74.0 yrs
1980	74.7 yrs	71.5 yrs	75.5 yrs	75.7 yrs	76.0 yrs	73.9 yrs	75.3 yrs	66.0 yrs	72.2 yrs	73.9 yrs	75.7 yrs	74.3 yrs
1981	75.3 yrs	71.8 yrs	75.7 yrs	76.0 yrs	76.4 yrs	74.4 yrs	75.5 yrs	66.5 yrs	72.6 yrs	74.3 yrs	75.9 yrs	74.7 yrs
1982	75.4 yrs	72.3 yrs	76.0 yrs	76.3 yrs	76.9 yrs	74.8 yrs	76.1 yrs	67.1 yrs	72.7 yrs	74.1 yrs	76.0 yrs	74.9 yrs
1983	75.3 yrs	72.7 yrs	76.0 yrs	76.6 yrs	76.9 yrs	74.6 yrs	75.9 yrs	67.5 yrs	73.0 yrs	74.5 yrs	76.1 yrs	75.1 yrs
1984	76.0 yrs	73.2 yrs	76.6 yrs	76.8 yrs	77.3 yrs	75.4 yrs	76.3 yrs	68.2 yrs	73.3 yrs	74.8 yrs	76.2 yrs	75.4 yrs
1985	76.4 yrs	73.6 yrs	76.7 yrs	76.7 yrs	77.6 yrs	75.5 yrs	76.3 yrs	68.8 yrs	73.9 yrs	75.2 yrs	75.9 yrs	75.6 yrs
1986	76.7 yrs	74.1 yrs	76.9 yrs	76.9 yrs	78.0 yrs	75.8 yrs	76.5 yrs	69.4 yrs	74.2 yrs	75.0 yrs	76.2 yrs	75.9 yrs
1987	76.9 yrs	74.5 yrs	77.2 yrs	77.1 yrs	78.4 yrs	76.2 yrs	76.7 yrs	70.0 yrs	74.5 yrs	75.3 yrs	76.1 yrs	76.2 yrs
1988	77.1 yrs	74.9 yrs	77.2 yrs	77.0 yrs	78.3 yrs	76.4 yrs	76.7 yrs	70.5 yrs	74.7 yrs	74.4 yrs	76.2 yrs	76.4 yrs
1989	77.0 yrs	75.3 yrs	77.4 yrs	77.7 yrs	78.8 yrs	76.8 yrs	76.8 yrs	71.0 yrs	74.9 yrs	76.3 yrs	76.5 yrs	76.7 yrs
1990	77.4 yrs	73.4 yrs	77.2 yrs	77.5 yrs	78.8 yrs	77.0 yrs	76.8 yrs	71.6 yrs	75.3 yrs	76.6 yrs	76.5 yrs	77.0 yrs
1991	77.9 yrs	73.9 yrs	77.5 yrs	77.7 yrs	79.0 yrs	77.0 yrs	77.0 yrs	72.0 yrs	75.6 yrs	76.8 yrs	77.0 yrs	77.3 yrs
1992	77.7 yrs	76.0 yrs	77.8 yrs	78.0 yrs	79.1 yrs	77.4 yrs	77.4 yrs	72.5 yrs	75.9 yrs	76.5 yrs	77.2 yrs	77.4 yrs
1993	78.0 yrs	76.1 yrs	78.1 yrs	78.1 yrs	79.3 yrs	77.7 yrs	77.5 yrs	73.0 yrs	76.0 yrs	77.2 yrs	77.2 yrs	77.9 yrs
1994	78.5 yrs	76.0 yrs	78.3 yrs	78.7 yrs	79.7 yrs	77.9 yrs	77.9 yrs	73.4 yrs	76.2 yrs	77.4 yrs	77.7 yrs	77.9 yrs
1995	78.7 yrs	76.0 yrs	78.4 yrs	78.7 yrs	79.5 yrs	78.2 yrs	78.0 yrs	73.7 yrs	76.3 yrs	77.5 yrs	77.7 yrs	77.8 yrs
1996	79.6 yrs	75.9 yrs	78.9 yrs	79.0 yrs	80.2 yrs	78.5 yrs	78.1 yrs	74.2 yrs	76.6 yrs	78.1 yrs	78.2 yrs	78.1 yrs
1997	80.1 yrs	75.9 yrs	79.1 yrs	79.2 yrs	80.4 yrs	78.8 yrs	78.6 yrs	74.6 yrs	76.9 yrs	78.0 yrs	78.1 yrs	78.5 yrs
1998	80.1 yrs	76.0 yrs	79.3 yrs	79.3 yrs	80.5 yrs	79.0 yrs	78.7 yrs	75.0 yrs	77.3 yrs	78.1 yrs	78.3 yrs	78.6 yrs
1999	80.4 yrs	76.1 yrs	79.6 yrs	79.4 yrs	80.5 yrs	79.4 yrs	78.7 yrs	75.4 yrs	77.6 yrs	78.7 yrs	78.3 yrs	78.9 yrs
2000	80.9 yrs	76.2 yrs	79.7 yrs	79.6 yrs	81.1 yrs	79.8 yrs	79.0 yrs	75.9 yrs	78.0 yrs	79.0 yrs	78.6 yrs	79.2 yrs
2001	81.4 yrs	76.4 yrs	80.2 yrs	79.8 yrs	81.4 yrs	80.1 yrs	79.4 yrs	76.4 yrs	78.3 yrs	79.4 yrs	78.8 yrs	79.6 yrs
2002	81.5 yrs	76.5 yrs	80.4 yrs	79.8 yrs	81.7 yrs	80.2 yrs	79.6 yrs	76.8 yrs	78.6 yrs	79.5 yrs	79.0 yrs	79.9 yrs
2003	81.3 yrs	76.6 yrs	80.5 yrs	80.1 yrs	81.8 yrs	80.0 yrs	79.6 yrs	77.2 yrs	79.0 yrs	79.6 yrs	79.4 yrs	80.2 yrs
2004	81.8 yrs	76.7 yrs	81.1 yrs	80.5 yrs	82.0 yrs	80.8 yrs	79.9 yrs	77.7 yrs	79.5 yrs	80.1 yrs	79.8 yrs	80.5 yrs
2005	81.6 yrs	76.8 yrs	81.2 yrs	80.5 yrs	82.0 yrs	80.8 yrs	80.2 yrs	78.2 yrs	80.0 yrs	80.2 yrs	80.0 yrs	80.8 yrs
2006	82.4 yrs	76.9 yrs	81.5 yrs	80.7 yrs	82.3 yrs	81.3 yrs	80.8 yrs	78.7 yrs	80.1 yrs	80.6 yrs	80.3 yrs	81.0 yrs
2007	82.4 yrs	77.0 yrs	81.7 yrs	80.9 yrs	82.5 yrs	81.4 yrs	80.9 yrs	79.1 yrs	80.4 yrs	80.5 yrs	80.4 yrs	81.3 yrs
2008	82.3 yrs	77.2 yrs	82.0 yrs	81.1 yrs	82.6 yrs	81.5 yrs	81.2 yrs	79.5 yrs	80.8 yrs	81.0 yrs	80.6 yrs	81.4 yrs
2009	82.8 yrs	77.4 yrs	82.0 yrs	81.4 yrs	82.9 yrs	81.6 yrs	81.5 yrs	80.0 yrs	81.2 yrs	81.4 yrs	80.8 yrs	81.5 yrs
2010	83.0 yrs	77.7 yrs	82.2 yrs	81.5 yrs	82.8 yrs	82.0 yrs	81.6 yrs	80.1 yrs	81.5 yrs	81.6 yrs	81.0 yrs	81.7 yrs
2011	83.4 yrs	78.1 yrs	82.7 yrs	81.8 yrs	82.6 yrs	82.2 yrs	82.5 yrs	80.6 yrs	81.7 yrs	81.7 yrs	81.3 yrs	81.9 yrs
2012	83.5 yrs	78.4 yrs	82.7 yrs	81.7 yrs	83.1 yrs	82.2 yrs	82.4 yrs	80.8 yrs	82.0 yrs	81.7 yrs	81.5 yrs	82.0 yrs
2013	83.8 yrs	78.7 yrs	82.8 yrs	82.0 yrs	83.3 yrs	82.7 yrs	83.1 yrs	81.3 yrs	82.2 yrs	82.1 yrs	81.8 yrs	82.1 yrs
2014	83.9 yrs	79.1 yrs	83.2 yrs	82.3 yrs	83.6 yrs	83.1 yrs	83.2 yrs	81.7 yrs	82.5 yrs	82.2 yrs	82.1 yrs	82.3 yrs
2015	84.3 yrs	79.4 yrs	82.9 yrs	82.2 yrs	83.8 yrs	82.5 yrs	82.8 yrs	82.0 yrs	82.7 yrs	82.1 yrs	82.3 yrs	82.4 yrs
2016	84.2 yrs	79.7 yrs	83.6 yrs	82.3 yrs	84.0 yrs	83.2 yrs	83.3 yrs	82.3 yrs	82.8 yrs	82.4 yrs	82.4 yrs	82.4 yrs
2017	84.7 yrs	79.9 yrs	83.6 yrs	82.4 yrs	84.1 yrs	82.9 yrs	83.3 yrs	82.6 yrs	83.1 yrs	82.6 yrs	82.6 yrs	82.5 yrs
2018	84.9 yrs	80.1 yrs	83.8 yrs	82.6 yrs	84.2 yrs	83.3 yrs	83.4 yrs	82.6 yrs	83.3 yrs	82.8 yrs	82.8 yrs	82.7 yrs
2019	85.2 yrs	82.0 yrs	83.9 yrs	83.1 yrs	84.4 yrs	83.5 yrs	83.8 yrs	83.2 yrs	83.6 yrs	82.8 yrs	83.0 yrs	82.9 yrs
2020	85.5 yrs	78.8 yrs	83.0 yrs	82.4 yrs	84.6 yrs	82.2 yrs	82.2 yrs	83.4 yrs	83.5 yrs	82.6 yrs	83.2 yrs	83.2 yrs
2021	85.5 yrs	78.7 yrs	83.8 yrs	83.1 yrs	84.4 yrs	82.6 yrs	83.2 yrs	83.5 yrs	83.1 yrs	82.5 yrs	83.2 yrs	83.3 yrs
2022	83.7 yrs	80.6 yrs	83.6 yrs	83.1 yrs	84.0 yrs	82.7 yrs	83.1 yrs	82.7 yrs	82.9 yrs	82.7 yrs	82.5 yrs	83.2 yrs
2023	85.2 yrs	83.2 yrs	84.2 yrs	83.3 yrs	84.0 yrs	83.4 yrs	83.9 yrs	83.4 yrs	83.1 yrs	83.2 yrs	83.0 yrs	83.1 yrs
2024	85.4 yrs	84.6 yrs	84.4 yrs	84.1 yrs	84.0 yrs	84.0 yrs	83.9 yrs	83.6 yrs	83.3 yrs	83.2 yrs	83.2 yrs	83.1 yrs

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Frequently asked questions

Which country has the highest life expectancy?

In 2024, Hong Kong ranks #1 with 85.4 yrs, followed by Kuwait (84.6 yrs) and Switzerland (84.4 yrs). Source: World Bank, World Development Indicators (SP.DYN.LE00.IN), life expectancy at birth in years; countries over 1 million people.

How is life expectancy calculated?

It uses the death rates at each age in a given year. A figure of 84 years means a baby born that year would live 84 years on average if those death rates never changed. Because death rates usually fall over time, real lifespans tend to be longer.

Where does this data come from?

World Bank, World Development Indicators (SP.DYN.LE00.IN), life expectancy at birth in years; countries over 1 million people. Retrieved November 3, 2026. You can download the full table as a CSV from this page.

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