Afghanistan vs South Africa: Life expectancy at birth, total
Afghanistan
66.03 years
in 2023
South Africa
66.14 years
in 2023
Afghanistan rank
182nd
South Africa rank
180th
Life expectancy at birth, total over time
- Afghanistan
- South Africa
How they compare
South Africa currently reports 66.14 years against 66.03 years in Afghanistan, a difference of 0.11 years.
The two have swapped places 4 times across 54 shared years of data; in 1970 it was South Africa ahead.
Afghanistan ranks 182nd and South Africa ranks 180th of 215 countries.
Across the 6 decades both report, Afghanistan averaged higher in 1 and South Africa in 5.
Head to head by decade
| Decade | Afghanistan | South Africa | Difference | Ahead |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1970s | 39.28 years | 57.44 years | 18.17 years | South Africa |
| 1980s | 37.98 years | 61.78 years | 23.8 years | South Africa |
| 1990s | 50.44 years | 61.58 years | 11.14 years | South Africa |
| 2000s | 57.74 years | 55.58 years | 2.16 years | Afghanistan |
| 2010s | 62.08 years | 63.28 years | 1.2 years | South Africa |
| 2020s | 63.38 years | 64.69 years | 1.31 years | South Africa |
Averages of every year both report within each decade.
Frequently asked questions
- Which has higher life expectancy at birth, total, Afghanistan or South Africa?
- South Africa, at 66.14 years against 66.03 years in Afghanistan as of 2023.
- What is the difference in life expectancy at birth, total between Afghanistan and South Africa?
- 0.11 years, with South Africa ahead.
- How many years of comparable data are there for Afghanistan and South Africa?
- 54 years are reported by both, from 1970 to 2023.
- How do Afghanistan and South Africa rank globally for life expectancy at birth, total?
- Afghanistan ranks 182nd and South Africa ranks 180th of 215 countries.
- Where does this data come from?
- UNESCO Institute for Statistics, published as Life expectancy at birth, total (years). Statizoid refreshes it automatically from the source and publishes the full history for both places.
Individual pages
About this data
February 2026 Data Release