Life expectancy over time in eight countries

Japan, the US, China, India, Brazil, Russia, South Africa and Nigeria: how long people live, since 1960.

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What the data shows

In 2024, Japan ranks #1 with 84.0 yrs, ahead of United States (78.9 yrs) and China (78.0 yrs).
Back in 1960, United States was #1 with 69.8 yrs.
The top spot changed hands once: Japan in 1965.
Biggest climber: China, from #8 in 1960 to #3 in 2024.

About this chart

China's line starts during the famine of the Great Leap Forward, which is why its 1960 value is so low; few lines anywhere rise as steeply afterwards. South Africa's dip in the 1990s and 2000s is the HIV/AIDS epidemic, and its recovery came with antiretroviral treatment.

The United States has fallen behind other rich countries since the 2010s, and Russia's line shows the mortality crisis after the Soviet collapse.

The data

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

Life expectancy since 1960, Years, at birth, 1960–2024
Date	🇯🇵 Japan	🇺🇸 United States	🇨🇳 China	🇧🇷 Brazil	🇮🇳 India	🇷🇺 Russia	🇿🇦 South Africa	🇳🇬 Nigeria
1960	67.7 yrs	69.8 yrs	33.4 yrs	53.2 yrs	45.6 yrs	67.5 yrs	52.6 yrs	37.2 yrs
1961	68.4 yrs	70.3 yrs	40.2 yrs	53.6 yrs	45.8 yrs	67.8 yrs	53.1 yrs	37.4 yrs
1962	68.6 yrs	70.1 yrs	51.0 yrs	54.0 yrs	46.1 yrs	67.7 yrs	53.6 yrs	37.6 yrs
1963	69.7 yrs	69.9 yrs	51.7 yrs	54.5 yrs	46.5 yrs	68.3 yrs	53.9 yrs	37.8 yrs
1964	70.2 yrs	70.2 yrs	52.3 yrs	54.8 yrs	46.7 yrs	68.7 yrs	54.2 yrs	38.0 yrs
1965	70.3 yrs	70.2 yrs	53.0 yrs	55.2 yrs	45.6 yrs	68.5 yrs	54.4 yrs	38.2 yrs
1966	70.9 yrs	70.2 yrs	53.7 yrs	55.6 yrs	45.9 yrs	68.6 yrs	54.7 yrs	38.4 yrs
1967	71.5 yrs	70.6 yrs	54.4 yrs	56.0 yrs	46.2 yrs	68.4 yrs	55.0 yrs	37.5 yrs
1968	71.6 yrs	70.0 yrs	55.2 yrs	56.5 yrs	47.9 yrs	68.3 yrs	55.2 yrs	38.6 yrs
1969	71.9 yrs	70.5 yrs	56.0 yrs	56.9 yrs	48.3 yrs	67.9 yrs	55.4 yrs	38.9 yrs
1970	71.9 yrs	70.8 yrs	56.8 yrs	57.3 yrs	48.6 yrs	68.1 yrs	55.7 yrs	40.0 yrs
1971	72.8 yrs	71.1 yrs	57.7 yrs	57.8 yrs	48.9 yrs	68.4 yrs	56.0 yrs	40.6 yrs
1972	73.2 yrs	71.2 yrs	58.6 yrs	58.3 yrs	49.2 yrs	68.3 yrs	56.4 yrs	41.3 yrs
1973	73.3 yrs	71.4 yrs	59.5 yrs	58.7 yrs	49.6 yrs	68.3 yrs	56.7 yrs	41.8 yrs
1974	73.7 yrs	72.0 yrs	60.2 yrs	59.1 yrs	50.3 yrs	68.3 yrs	57.1 yrs	42.5 yrs
1975	74.2 yrs	72.6 yrs	61.0 yrs	59.6 yrs	50.8 yrs	67.7 yrs	57.6 yrs	43.1 yrs
1976	74.7 yrs	72.9 yrs	61.2 yrs	60.0 yrs	51.3 yrs	67.5 yrs	58.0 yrs	44.2 yrs
1977	75.3 yrs	73.3 yrs	62.5 yrs	60.5 yrs	51.8 yrs	67.4 yrs	58.5 yrs	44.8 yrs
1978	75.6 yrs	73.4 yrs	63.1 yrs	60.9 yrs	52.4 yrs	67.4 yrs	59.0 yrs	45.3 yrs
1979	76.1 yrs	73.8 yrs	63.7 yrs	61.4 yrs	53.0 yrs	67.1 yrs	59.5 yrs	45.7 yrs
1980	76.0 yrs	73.6 yrs	64.2 yrs	61.8 yrs	53.6 yrs	67.0 yrs	60.0 yrs	46.0 yrs
1981	76.4 yrs	74.0 yrs	64.8 yrs	62.3 yrs	54.2 yrs	67.3 yrs	60.4 yrs	46.3 yrs
1982	76.9 yrs	74.4 yrs	65.2 yrs	62.7 yrs	54.7 yrs	67.8 yrs	60.9 yrs	46.4 yrs
1983	76.9 yrs	74.5 yrs	65.7 yrs	63.1 yrs	55.3 yrs	67.7 yrs	61.4 yrs	46.4 yrs
1984	77.3 yrs	74.6 yrs	66.1 yrs	63.6 yrs	55.8 yrs	67.2 yrs	61.8 yrs	46.3 yrs
1985	77.6 yrs	74.6 yrs	66.5 yrs	64.0 yrs	56.3 yrs	67.9 yrs	62.2 yrs	46.2 yrs
1986	78.0 yrs	74.6 yrs	66.9 yrs	64.4 yrs	56.8 yrs	69.4 yrs	62.4 yrs	46.0 yrs
1987	78.4 yrs	74.8 yrs	67.3 yrs	64.8 yrs	57.3 yrs	69.4 yrs	62.7 yrs	45.9 yrs
1988	78.3 yrs	74.8 yrs	67.6 yrs	65.2 yrs	57.7 yrs	69.5 yrs	62.9 yrs	45.8 yrs
1989	78.8 yrs	75.0 yrs	67.9 yrs	65.5 yrs	58.2 yrs	69.2 yrs	63.0 yrs	45.8 yrs
1990	78.8 yrs	75.2 yrs	68.2 yrs	65.9 yrs	58.6 yrs	68.9 yrs	62.9 yrs	45.7 yrs
1991	79.0 yrs	75.4 yrs	68.6 yrs	66.2 yrs	59.0 yrs	68.5 yrs	63.0 yrs	45.5 yrs
1992	79.1 yrs	75.6 yrs	69.1 yrs	66.5 yrs	59.4 yrs	66.9 yrs	62.8 yrs	45.6 yrs
1993	79.3 yrs	75.4 yrs	69.5 yrs	66.9 yrs	59.8 yrs	64.9 yrs	62.6 yrs	45.8 yrs
1994	79.7 yrs	75.6 yrs	69.8 yrs	67.3 yrs	60.2 yrs	64.5 yrs	62.1 yrs	45.7 yrs
1995	79.5 yrs	75.6 yrs	70.4 yrs	67.7 yrs	60.6 yrs	64.7 yrs	61.6 yrs	45.9 yrs
1996	80.2 yrs	76.0 yrs	70.8 yrs	68.1 yrs	61.0 yrs	65.9 yrs	61.1 yrs	45.8 yrs
1997	80.4 yrs	76.4 yrs	71.2 yrs	68.5 yrs	61.4 yrs	66.7 yrs	60.5 yrs	46.0 yrs
1998	80.5 yrs	76.6 yrs	71.6 yrs	68.8 yrs	61.9 yrs	67.0 yrs	59.9 yrs	46.1 yrs
1999	80.5 yrs	76.6 yrs	72.0 yrs	69.2 yrs	62.3 yrs	66.0 yrs	59.2 yrs	46.6 yrs
2000	81.1 yrs	76.6 yrs	72.3 yrs	69.6 yrs	62.7 yrs	65.5 yrs	58.4 yrs	47.1 yrs
2001	81.4 yrs	76.8 yrs	72.7 yrs	70.0 yrs	63.2 yrs	65.4 yrs	57.2 yrs	47.5 yrs
2002	81.7 yrs	76.9 yrs	73.0 yrs	70.4 yrs	63.6 yrs	65.1 yrs	55.6 yrs	48.0 yrs
2003	81.8 yrs	77.0 yrs	73.4 yrs	70.9 yrs	64.1 yrs	65.0 yrs	54.2 yrs	48.6 yrs
2004	82.0 yrs	77.5 yrs	73.7 yrs	71.4 yrs	64.5 yrs	65.5 yrs	54.0 yrs	49.1 yrs
2005	82.0 yrs	77.5 yrs	74.1 yrs	71.8 yrs	64.9 yrs	65.5 yrs	53.9 yrs	49.5 yrs
2006	82.3 yrs	77.7 yrs	74.4 yrs	72.3 yrs	65.4 yrs	66.7 yrs	54.2 yrs	49.9 yrs
2007	82.5 yrs	78.0 yrs	74.8 yrs	72.7 yrs	65.8 yrs	67.6 yrs	54.9 yrs	50.4 yrs
2008	82.6 yrs	78.0 yrs	74.8 yrs	73.1 yrs	66.2 yrs	67.9 yrs	56.0 yrs	50.7 yrs
2009	82.9 yrs	78.4 yrs	75.3 yrs	73.5 yrs	66.7 yrs	68.7 yrs	57.4 yrs	51.1 yrs
2010	82.8 yrs	78.5 yrs	75.7 yrs	73.8 yrs	67.2 yrs	68.8 yrs	58.9 yrs	51.3 yrs
2011	82.6 yrs	78.6 yrs	75.9 yrs	74.0 yrs	67.6 yrs	69.7 yrs	60.6 yrs	51.5 yrs
2012	83.1 yrs	78.7 yrs	76.2 yrs	74.3 yrs	68.1 yrs	70.1 yrs	61.7 yrs	51.7 yrs
2013	83.3 yrs	78.7 yrs	76.5 yrs	74.6 yrs	68.5 yrs	70.6 yrs	62.4 yrs	51.8 yrs
2014	83.6 yrs	78.8 yrs	76.7 yrs	74.8 yrs	68.9 yrs	70.7 yrs	63.2 yrs	51.9 yrs
2015	83.8 yrs	78.7 yrs	77.0 yrs	75.1 yrs	69.3 yrs	71.2 yrs	64.1 yrs	51.9 yrs
2016	84.0 yrs	78.5 yrs	77.2 yrs	75.1 yrs	69.7 yrs	71.7 yrs	64.7 yrs	52.2 yrs
2017	84.1 yrs	78.5 yrs	77.2 yrs	75.4 yrs	70.1 yrs	72.5 yrs	65.4 yrs	52.4 yrs
2018	84.2 yrs	78.6 yrs	77.7 yrs	75.6 yrs	70.4 yrs	72.7 yrs	65.7 yrs	52.7 yrs
2019	84.4 yrs	78.8 yrs	77.9 yrs	75.8 yrs	70.7 yrs	73.1 yrs	66.1 yrs	53.0 yrs
2020	84.6 yrs	77.0 yrs	78.0 yrs	74.5 yrs	70.2 yrs	71.3 yrs	65.2 yrs	53.1 yrs
2021	84.4 yrs	76.3 yrs	78.1 yrs	73.0 yrs	67.3 yrs	69.9 yrs	62.0 yrs	53.5 yrs
2022	84.0 yrs	77.4 yrs	78.2 yrs	74.9 yrs	71.7 yrs	72.5 yrs	65.5 yrs	54.1 yrs
2023	84.0 yrs	78.4 yrs	78.0 yrs	75.8 yrs	72.0 yrs	73.3 yrs	66.1 yrs	54.5 yrs
2024	84.0 yrs	78.9 yrs	78.0 yrs	76.0 yrs	72.2 yrs	73.4 yrs	66.3 yrs	54.6 yrs

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Frequently asked questions

Where does this data come from?

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

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