Life expectancy at birth has improved all over the world
According to the World Bank data, from 1960 to 2022
Life expectancy at birth indicates the number of years a newborn infant would live if prevailing patterns of mortality at the time of its birth were to stay the same throughout its life.
Over the past six decades, life expectancy at birth has shown remarkable improvement worldwide, underscoring advancements in healthcare, living conditions, and disease prevention.
According to data from the World Bank, this value has steadily increased globally from 1960 to 2022, moving from 50.9 years in 1960 to 72 years in 2022, a 41.5 percent improvement in 62 years, reflecting enhanced quality of life and medical progress on a global scale.
All countries, regions, and areas recorded a rise in life expectancy at birth in this period except one.
Improvement rate by country, region and area
Five countries doubled their expectation of life at birth: two from East Asia and the Pacific, two from South Asia, and one from the MENA region (a special mention to Mali (99.7%), a Sub-Saharan African nation).
China's life expectancy at birth was 33.3 years in 1960. In just two years, it rose 52.5% to reach 50.8 years. Although growth has slowed since then, it has been steady year by year, reaching 78.6 years for those born in 2022. From 1960 to 2022, the expectation of life in China increased by 136.2%, the highest among the listed countries.
The increase in life expectancy at birth in Bhutan has been constant since 1960. Just a minimum decrease (0.2 years) for those born in 2000 compared to 1999. It's the second country with the highest value.
Timor-Leste's life expectancy for those born in 1960 was 32.2 years but hit a low of 21.8 years in 1979. Even though growth has not been as steady as in China and Bhutan, it has rocketed to 69.1 years for babies born in 2022.
Two little drops in 1978 and 2004 prevented Maldives from a full constant growth curve. Still, the South-Asian country recorded the fourth highest improvement in life expectancy at birth since 1960.
Oman climbed from 35.5 years (1960) to 78 years (2018-19) in life expectancy. It decreased a little since but, in 62 years, the percent change was 108.6, 5th place overall.
The exception
Until 2019, life expectancy at birth in Ukraine grew, like every other nation. Since then, it has dropped by 3.2 years. Although it is not the subject of this article, the decline might be attributed to the COVID-19 pandemic and the ongoing armed conflict with Russia.
Life expectancy at birth by country, region and area (1960-2022)
The life expectancy at birth between 1960 and 2022 of all countries, regions, and areas compiled by the World Bank is in the table below. Data can be filtered by country, region, income level, and values:
Life expectancy by groups
OECD
The OECD is a forum where governments of market-based democracies work together to develop policy standards for sustainable economic growth. It also helps countries, both members and non-members, address the challenges and take advantage of the benefits of a global economy.
Life expectancy at birth among the 38 OECD members increased by 18.3% between 1960 and 2022.
By region
The African Eastern and Southern region, composed of 26 countries, stretching from the Red Sea in the North to the Cape of Good Hope in the South, recorded an improvement rate of 42.7%, from 44.1 years (born in 1960) to 62.9 years (2022).
Western and Central Africa, 22 countries stretching from the westernmost point of Africa, across the equator, and partly along the Atlantic Ocean till the Republic of Congo in the South, registered an increase of life expectancy at birth of 52.3%, from 37.8 (1960) to 57.6 years (2022).
The Arab World region groups members from the League of Arab States. It went from a life expectancy of 45 years in 1960 to 71.2 sixty-two years later.
The life expectancy at birth in the countries located in Central Europe and the Baltics improved by 13% for those born in 2022 (76.8 years) compared to 1960 (67.9).
The East Asia and Pacific regional aggregate group went from 41.6 to 76.9 years of life expectancy at birth.
The expectance of life at birth in Europe and Central Asia, which includes countries such as Germany, France, Italy, Norway, Finland, United Kingdom, Lithuania, Kazakhstan, Turkmenistan, Russia, and Ukraine, among others, rose 15.4% from 1960 to 2022.
The people from the countries in the Euro Area born in 2022 have a life expectancy of 81.7 years, 18% more than the ones born in 1960.
Pretty similar is the situation in the countries that belong to the European Union: 80.8 years for the 2022-born, a 17% increase compared to the 1960-born.
The life expectancy at birth of people in countries located in Latin America and the Caribbean grew by 33.7%.
The 21 States listed from the Middle East & North Africa region registered a rise of almost two-thirds (63.6%) in life expectancy, going from 44.8 years (born in 1960) to 73.2 years (2022).
Bermuda, Canada, and the United States (North American region), all labeled as high-income countries, recorded a joint life expectancy at birth of 77.8 years in 2022, an 11.4% increase compared to 1960.
Eight South-Asian countries, including Afghanistan, Bhutan, India, Maldives, and Pakistan, recorded a life expectancy of 45.1 years in 1960. It grew 51.1%, positioning in 68.2 years in 2022.
The life expectancy of the Sub-Saharan African region was 41.4 years in 1960. Sixty-two years later, it's 60.8, an increment of 46.8%.
By income level
High-income countries are those in which the 2023 Atlas gross national index (GNI) per capita was more than $14,005.
The 85 high-income States' life expectancy at birth rose by 16.4% between 1960 and 2022.
Upper-middle-income countries have economies in which the 2023 Atlas GNI per capita was between 4,516 and 14,005 dollars.
In 1960, life expectancy at birth in this group was 41.9 years. In 62 years, the value increased to 75.7.
