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Indicators · People and labour

Life expectancy at birth

Years a newborn would live if current death rates stayed the same.

Why it matters

A broad measure of health and living standards, and of the healthcare market.

Read with care

Estimates for recent years are often projections.

Source

World Bank

years. 54 African countries, 1990 to 2024.

Life expectancy: highest in Seychelles, lowest in Lesotho

Life expectancy at birth, years. Latest year available, 2024. 16 of 16 countries have data.

60
65
70
75
No data
Loading map…
Source: World Bank· Get the data (Professional)·dotzedw Insights Centre

Ranked: life expectancyiWhy it mattersA broad measure of health and living standards, and of the healthcare market.

Click a country to highlight it.

020406080Seychelles76.3Mauritius73.8Botswana69.3Malawi67.6Namibia67.5Tanzania67.2Comoros67.0Zambia66.5South Africa66.3Angola64.8Eswatini64.3Madagascar63.8Mozambique63.8Zimbabwe63.1DRC62.1Lesotho57.8median 66.4
dotzedw Insights Centre
How spread out SADC is
Median 66.4Lowest: Lesotho 57.8Highest: Seychelles 76.3

Over time

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Life expectancy at birth against income per person

Each bubble is a SADC country, sized by population. Dashed lines mark the SADC medians. Countries far from the pattern are worth a closer look.

0.020.040.060.080.0$1,000$3,000$10kGDP per person, US$ (log scale)Life expectancyDRCTanzaniaSouth AfricaAngolaMadagascarZambiaZimbabweNamibia
Source: World Bank, World Bank·dotzedw Insights Centre

Table

The same figures as the map, for screen readers and copying.
RankCountryValueYearFive-year changeGradeDetails
1Seychelles76.32024up 3% since 2019A
2Mauritius73.82024little changed since 2019A
3Botswana69.32024up 3% since 2019A
4Malawi67.62024up 4% since 2019A
5Namibia67.52024up 6% since 2019A
6Tanzania67.22024up 2% since 2019A
7Comoros67.02024up 2% since 2019A
8Zambia66.52024up 6% since 2019A
9South Africa66.32024little changed since 2019A
10Angola64.82024up 3% since 2019A
11Eswatini64.32024up 7% since 2019A
12Madagascar63.82024little changed since 2019A
13Mozambique63.82024up 4% since 2019A
14Zimbabwe63.12024up 3% since 2019A
15DRC62.12024up 3% since 2019A
16Lesotho57.82024up 5% since 2019A