Jeanne Calment was the oldest verified person to have ever lived, passing away at 122. She was born in 1875, just a decade after the US Civil War ended, and died in 1997, a year before Google launched.
Despite Calment’s extraordinary longevity, her home country, France, ranks just outside the top 20 countries for life expectancy. In some parts of the world, however, living past 100 years old is the norm.
The World Bank Group collected data through 2023 on life expectancy at birth by country. The data showed that Monaco and San Marino reported the highest life expectancies, while Nigeria and Chad had the lowest.
The countries ranked highest tend to be wealthier, with solid healthcare systems and lower rates of early-life mortality. Meanwhile, the countries with the lowest life expectancy often face challenges such as disease, malnutrition, and conflict.
The US ranked 48th in the data set, with an average life expectancy of 78.4 years.
The World Bank Group used statistics from sources such as the United Nations Population Division and Eurostat. Business Insider did not include autonomous regions and territories listed in the data.
See the 15 countries with the highest life expectancy, followed by the 15 with the lowest.
1. Monaco’s average life expectancy is 86.4 years.
The average life expectancy for men in Monaco is 84.4 years.
The average life expectancy for women in Monaco is 88.5 years.
2. San Marino’s average life expectancy is 85.7 years.
The average life expectancy for men in San Marino is 84.2 years.
The average life expectancy for women in San Marino is 87.1 years.
3. Liechtenstein’s average life expectancy is 84.8 years.
The average life expectancy for men in Liechtenstein is 82.5.
The average life expectancy for women in Liechtenstein is 87.3.
4. Switzerland’s average life expectancy is 84.1 years.
The average life expectancy for men in Switzerland is 82.3 years.
The average life expectancy for women in Switzerland is 85.9 years.
5. Andorra’s average life expectancy is 84 years.
The average life expectancy for men in Andorra is 82.1 years.
The average life expectancy for women in Andorra is 86.1 years.
5. Japan’s average life expectancy is 84 years. (Tie)
The average life expectancy for men in Japan is 81.1 years.
The average life expectancy for women in Japan is 87.1 years.
7. Spain’s average life expectancy is 83.9 years.
The average life expectancy for men in Spain is 81.2 years.
The average life expectancy for women in Spain is 86.7 years.
8. Italy’s average life expectancy is 83.7 years.
The average life expectancy for men in Italy is 81.7 years.
The average life expectancy for women in Italy is 85.8 years.
9. Malta’s average life expectancy is 83.5 years.
The average life expectancy for men in Malta is 81.8 years.
The average life expectancy for women in Malta is 85.3 years.
10. South Korea’s average life expectancy is 83.43 years.
The average life expectancy for men in South Korea is 80.6 years.
The average life expectancy for women in South Korea is 86.4 years.
11. Luxembourg’s average life expectancy is 83.4 years.
The average life expectancy for men in Luxembourg is 81.7 years.
The average life expectancy for women in Luxembourg is 85.1 years.
12. Sweden’s average life expectancy is 83.3 years.
The average life expectancy for men in Sweden is 81.7 years.
The average life expectancy for women in Sweden is 85 years.
13. Israel’s average life expectancy is 83.19 years.
The average life expectancy for men in Israel is 81 years.
The average life expectancy for women in Israel is 85.5 years.
14. Kuwait’s average life expectancy is 83.18 years.
The average life expectancy for men in Kuwait is 82.7 years.
The average life expectancy for women in Kuwait is 83.7 years.
15. Norway’s average life expectancy is 83.1 years.
The average life expectancy for men in Norway is 81.6 years.
The average life expectancy for women in Norway is 84.7 years.
16. Nauru’s average life expectancy is 62.1 years.
The average life expectancy for men in Nauru is 60.3 years.
The average life expectancy for women in Nauru is 64 years.
17. Côte d’Ivoire’s average life expectancy is 61.94 years.
The average life expectancy for men in Côte d’Ivoire is 60 years.
The average life expectancy for women in Côte d’Ivoire is 64.1 years.
18. The Democratic Republic of the Congo’s average life expectancy is 61.9 years.
The average life expectancy for men in the Democratic Republic of the Congo is 59.8 years.
The average life expectancy for women in the Democratic Republic of the Congo is 64 years.
19. Sierra Leone’s average life expectancy is 61.8 years.
The average life expectancy for men in Sierra Leone is 60.1 years.
The average life expectancy for women in Sierra Leone is 63.5 years.
20. Niger’s average life expectancy is 61.2 years.
The average life expectancy for men in Niger is 60.3 years.
The average life expectancy for women in Niger is 62.1 years.
21. Burkina Faso’s average life expectancy is 61.1 years.
The average life expectancy for men in Burkina Faso is 58.9 years.
The average life expectancy for women in Burkina Faso is 63.2 years.
22. Benin’s average life expectancy is 60.77 years.
The average life expectancy for men in Benin is 59.3 years.
The average life expectancy for women in Benin is 62.2 years.
23. Guinea’s average life expectancy is 60.74 years.
The average life expectancy for men in Guinea is 59.5 years.
The average life expectancy for women in Guinea is 61.9 years.
24. Mali’s average life expectancy is 60.4 years.
The average life expectancy for men in Mali is 59 years.
The average life expectancy for women in Mali is 61.9 years.
25. Somalia’s average life expectancy is 58.8 years.
The average life expectancy for men in Somalia is 56.4 years.
The average life expectancy for women in Somalia is 61.4 years.
26. South Sudan’s average life expectancy is 57.6 years.
The average life expectancy for men in South Sudan is 54.6 years.
The average life expectancy for women in South Sudan is 60.6 years.
27. Central African Republic’s average life expectancy is 57.4 years.
The average life expectancy for men in Central African Republic is 55.3 years.
The average life expectancy for women in Central African Republic is 59.3 years.
28. Lesotho’s average life expectancy is 57.35 years.
The average life expectancy for men in Lesotho is 54.6 years.
The average life expectancy for women in Lesotho is 60 years.
29. Chad’s average life expectancy is 55.1 years.
The average life expectancy for men in Chad is 53.2 years.
The average life expectancy for women in Chad is 57 years.
30. Nigeria’s average life expectancy is 54.5 years.
The average life expectancy for men in Nigeria is 54.2 years.
The average life expectancy for women in Nigeria is 54.7 years.
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