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United Kingdom life expectancy by year, 1990 to 2024

United Kingdom: 81.4 years in 2024. Life expectancy peaked at 81.4 years in 2024 in this 1990–2024 series.

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What the data shows

  • United Kingdom: 75.9 years in 1990, 81.4 years in 2024. It peaked at 81.4 years in 2019.
  • Chile: 73.7 years in 1990, 81.4 years in 2024.
  • Bahrain: 72.6 years in 1990, 81.4 years in 2024.
  • Costa Rica: 76.1 years in 1990, 81.0 years in 2024.

About this chart

The sharpest annual fall in United Kingdom's displayed life expectancy series came in 2020: 1.1 years. United Kingdom recorded 81.4 years in 2024, compared with 75.9 years in 1990. The displayed annual series runs from 1990 through 2024; its lowest value was 75.9 years in 1990. The preceding annual observation, for 2023, was 81.2 years.

Life expectancy at birth, both sexes: the years a newborn would live if the mortality rates for that year persisted. This is a period estimate, not a forecast for an individual. In 2024, the comparison lines show Chile (81.4 years), Bahrain (81.4 years) and Costa Rica (81.0 years). These peers have the closest latest values among reporting countries with over one million people and a continuous common history; they are not selected by geography.

The data

Source: World Bank, World Development Indicators (SP.DYN.LE00.IN), years. Retrieved November 5, 2026. Life expectancy at birth, both sexes: the years a newborn would live if the mortality rates for that year persisted. This is a period estimate, not a forecast for an individual. Peers are selected by proximity to the country's latest value among countries with over one million people and a continuous common series.

United Kingdom: life expectancy, years, 1990 to 2024; three nearest peers, 1990–2024
Date🇬🇧 United Kingdom🇨🇱 Chile🇧🇭 Bahrain🇨🇷 Costa Rica
199075.9 years73.7 years72.6 years76.1 years
199176.1 years74.1 years72.7 years76.2 years
199276.4 years74.4 years72.8 years76.4 years
199376.4 years74.7 years72.9 years76.3 years
199476.9 years75.0 years73.1 years76.3 years
199576.8 years75.3 years73.4 years76.4 years
199677.1 years75.6 years73.6 years76.4 years
199777.2 years75.8 years73.9 years76.6 years
199877.2 years76.3 years74.1 years76.9 years
199977.4 years76.7 years74.4 years77.1 years
200077.7 years77.1 years74.7 years77.3 years
200178.0 years77.6 years74.9 years77.6 years
200278.1 years77.8 years75.2 years77.9 years
200378.4 years77.9 years75.5 years78.2 years
200478.7 years78.3 years75.8 years78.5 years
200579.0 years78.5 years76.1 years78.9 years
200679.2 years78.5 years76.5 years79.0 years
200779.4 years78.7 years77.0 years79.1 years
200879.6 years78.8 years77.5 years79.2 years
200980.1 years78.9 years78.0 years79.4 years
201080.4 years79.1 years78.6 years79.4 years
201181.0 years79.2 years79.1 years79.6 years
201280.9 years79.2 years79.6 years79.9 years
201381.0 years79.6 years80.0 years80.2 years
201481.3 years79.7 years80.2 years80.2 years
201581.0 years80.0 years80.3 years80.4 years
201681.2 years80.3 years80.4 years80.0 years
201781.3 years80.6 years80.4 years80.0 years
201881.3 years80.6 years80.4 years80.1 years
201981.4 years80.3 years80.5 years80.3 years
202080.3 years79.3 years78.7 years79.7 years
202180.6 years78.9 years78.1 years78.0 years
202281.0 years79.2 years81.0 years79.3 years
202381.2 years81.2 years81.3 years80.8 years
202481.4 years81.4 years81.4 years81.0 years

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Frequently asked questions

What is the life expectancy in United Kingdom?

Life expectancy at birth in United Kingdom was 81.4 years in 2024, according to the World Bank series for both sexes. This is a period estimate using that year's mortality rates.

When was United Kingdom's life expectancy highest in this series?

The highest displayed value was 81.4 years in 2024. This comparison covers 1990 through 2024; it is not a claim about years outside the available series.

Why are these countries compared with United Kingdom?

The comparison selects three countries with the closest 2024 values, among countries with over one million people and at least fifteen consecutive annual observations in common. The matching is based on the indicator level, not economic structure or geographic proximity.

Where does this data come from?

World Bank, World Development Indicators (SP.DYN.LE00.IN), years. Retrieved November 5, 2026. Life expectancy at birth, both sexes: the years a newborn would live if the mortality rates for that year persisted. This is a period estimate, not a forecast for an individual. Peers are selected by proximity to the country's latest value among countries with over one million people and a continuous common series. You can download the full table as a CSV from this page.

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