South Africa vs Zambia: Life expectancy at birth, total
South Africa
66.14 years
in 2023
Zambia
66.35 years
in 2023
South Africa rank
180th
Zambia rank
178th
Life expectancy at birth, total over time
- South Africa
- Zambia
How they compare
Zambia currently reports 66.35 years against 66.14 years in South Africa, a difference of 0.21 years.
The two have swapped places 3 times across 54 shared years of data; in 1970 it was South Africa ahead.
South Africa ranks 180th and Zambia ranks 178th of 215 countries.
South Africa has averaged higher in every one of the 6 decades both report.
Head to head by decade
| Decade | South Africa | Zambia | Difference | Ahead |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1970s | 57.44 years | 55.25 years | 2.2 years | South Africa |
| 1980s | 61.78 years | 52.35 years | 9.43 years | South Africa |
| 1990s | 61.58 years | 46.48 years | 15.1 years | South Africa |
| 2000s | 55.58 years | 51.14 years | 4.44 years | South Africa |
| 2010s | 63.28 years | 60.15 years | 3.13 years | South Africa |
| 2020s | 64.69 years | 64.34 years | 0.3503 years | South Africa |
Averages of every year both report within each decade.
Frequently asked questions
- Which has higher life expectancy at birth, total, South Africa or Zambia?
- Zambia, at 66.35 years against 66.14 years in South Africa as of 2023.
- What is the difference in life expectancy at birth, total between South Africa and Zambia?
- 0.21 years, with Zambia ahead.
- How many years of comparable data are there for South Africa and Zambia?
- 54 years are reported by both, from 1970 to 2023.
- How do South Africa and Zambia rank globally for life expectancy at birth, total?
- South Africa ranks 180th and Zambia ranks 178th 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