How long do people live where you are?
Global life expectancy has more than doubled since 1900, and the gap between the best and worst countries is still thirty years.
Almost exactly the world today
73 yr is longer than 5 of the 11 references on this page.
Reference figures are measurements and are rounded; the unit conversion behind them is exact.
| Reference | Size | Yours ÷ theirs | Note |
|---|---|---|---|
| the world in 1900 | 32 yr | 2.28× | |
| the world in 1950 | 46 yr | 1.59× | |
| Chad | 54 yr | 1.35× | |
| Nigeria | 54 yr | 1.35× | |
| India | 70 yr | 1.04× | |
| the world today | 73.4 yr | 0.995× | |
| United States | 79 yr | 0.924× | |
| United Kingdom | 81 yr | 0.901× | |
| Switzerland | 84 yr | 0.869× | |
| Japan | 84.5 yr | 0.864× | |
| Monaco | 87 yr | 0.839× |
Worth knowing
- Global life expectancy rose from 32 years in 1900 to 73 today — the fastest improvement in any human health measure ever recorded.
- Most of that gain came from reducing child mortality rather than extending old age. A Roman who reached 40 could expect a further 25 years.
Frequently asked
Why was historical life expectancy so low?
Because it averages in very high infant mortality. In a society where a third of children die before five, adults still commonly reached their sixties.
Is life expectancy still rising?
Globally yes, though the pandemic caused the first fall since the second world war. Several rich countries, including the US and UK, have seen gains stall since 2010.