Life expectancy at birth, total (years) (expectancy UNESCO Institute) in Afghanistan
Afghanistan: Life expectancy at birth, total (years) (expectancy UNESCO Institute) was 66.03 years in 2023. ▲ Rising
Latest (2023)
66.03 years
Change on year
up 0.6%
World rank
182nd
of 215 countries
All-time high
66.03 years
in 2023
All-time low
31.47 years
in 1984
Years of data
54
1970–2023
Life expectancy at birth, total in Afghanistan, 1970–2023
Source: UNESCO Institute for Statistics. Measured in years.
Analysis
The most recent figure for life expectancy at birth, total in Afghanistan is 66.03 years, measured in 2023. That is the highest value across all 54 years on record.
That represents a change of up 0.6% on the previous year and up 6.2% over ten years.
Over the whole period, life expectancy at birth, total in Afghanistan peaked at 66.03 years in 2023 and was at its lowest, 31.47 years, in 1984.
Afghanistan ranks 182nd of 215 countries on this measure, in the bottom quarter.
The long-run direction has been consistently rising across the 54 years of available data.
Life expectancy at birth, total (years) (expectancy UNESCO Institute) in Afghanistan, year by year
| Year | years | Change |
|---|---|---|
| 1970 | 37.46 years | — |
| 1971 | 37.93 years | +1.3% |
| 1972 | 38.42 years | +1.3% |
| 1973 | 38.95 years | +1.4% |
| 1974 | 39.47 years | +1.3% |
| 1975 | 39.99 years | +1.3% |
| 1976 | 40.52 years | +1.3% |
| 1977 | 41.08 years | +1.4% |
| 1978 | 40.09 years | -2.4% |
| 1979 | 38.84 years | -3.1% |
| 1980 | 39.26 years | +1.1% |
| 1981 | 39.41 years | +0.4% |
| 1982 | 36.06 years | -8.5% |
| 1983 | 36.52 years | +1.3% |
| 1984 | 31.47 years | -13.8% |
| 1985 | 32.13 years | +2.1% |
| 1986 | 38.4 years | +19.5% |
| 1987 | 38.83 years | +1.1% |
| 1988 | 43.24 years | +11.3% |
| 1989 | 44.5 years | +2.9% |
| 1990 | 45.12 years | +1.4% |
| 1991 | 45.52 years | +0.9% |
| 1992 | 46.57 years | +2.3% |
| 1993 | 51.02 years | +9.6% |
| 1994 | 50.97 years | -0.1% |
| 1995 | 52.1 years | +2.2% |
| 1996 | 52.83 years | +1.4% |
| 1997 | 53.21 years | +0.7% |
| 1998 | 52.49 years | -1.4% |
| 1999 | 54.53 years | +3.9% |
| 2000 | 55.01 years | +0.9% |
| 2001 | 55.51 years | +0.9% |
| 2002 | 56.23 years | +1.3% |
| 2003 | 57.17 years | +1.7% |
| 2004 | 57.81 years | +1.1% |
| 2005 | 58.25 years | +0.8% |
| 2006 | 58.55 years | +0.5% |
| 2007 | 58.96 years | +0.7% |
| 2008 | 59.71 years | +1.3% |
| 2009 | 60.25 years | +0.9% |
| 2010 | 60.7 years | +0.8% |
| 2011 | 61.25 years | +0.9% |
| 2012 | 61.73 years | +0.8% |
| 2013 | 62.19 years | +0.7% |
| 2014 | 62.26 years | +0.1% |
| 2015 | 62.27 years | +0.0% |
| 2016 | 62.65 years | +0.6% |
| 2017 | 62.41 years | -0.4% |
| 2018 | 62.44 years | +0.1% |
| 2019 | 62.94 years | +0.8% |
| 2020 | 61.45 years | -2.4% |
| 2021 | 60.42 years | -1.7% |
| 2022 | 65.62 years | +8.6% |
| 2023 | 66.03 years | +0.6% |
Afghanistan compared with similar countries
- Afghanistan's 66.03 years is above the median for low income countries, which is 63.65 years, 1.0× the median. (25 countries reporting)
- Afghanistan's 66.03 years is below the median for Middle East, North Africa, Afghanistan & Pakistan, which is 76.51 years, 86% of the median. (23 countries reporting)
Averages by decade
| Decade | Average | Lowest | Highest | Years |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1970s | 39.28 years | 37.46 years | 41.08 years | 10 |
| 1980s | 37.98 years | 31.47 years | 44.5 years | 10 |
| 1990s | 50.44 years | 45.12 years | 54.53 years | 10 |
| 2000s | 57.74 years | 55.01 years | 60.25 years | 10 |
| 2010s | 62.08 years | 60.7 years | 62.94 years | 10 |
| 2020s | 63.38 years | 60.42 years | 66.03 years | 4 |
Countries ranked near Afghanistan
More population data for Afghanistan
- Population regions with projections, annual growth rate 0.4637 % change on previous year (2100)
- Urban and rural population 2050, annual growth rate 0.2412 % change on previous year (2050)
- Population long run with projections, annual growth rate 0.4637 % change on previous year (2100)
- Un population 2024 vs 2022, annual growth rate 0.2115 % change on previous year (2100)
- Africa's Development Dynamics (AfDD) Table 05 - Demographic estimates 74,075 Persons (2050)
- Africa's Development Dynamics (AfDD) Table 03 - Annual population 2.39 Percent per annum (2030)
- Projected population under age 5, annual growth rate -0.2522 % change on previous year (2100)
- Population growth rate 0.424 (2100)
- Population density 199.65 (2100)
- Projected population under age 5 9.03 million (2100)
Frequently asked questions
- What is life expectancy at birth, total in Afghanistan?
- Life expectancy at birth, total in Afghanistan was 66.03 years in 2023, according to UNESCO Institute for Statistics.
- What is the highest life expectancy at birth, total recorded in Afghanistan?
- The highest recorded value was 66.03 years in 2023.
- What is the lowest life expectancy at birth, total recorded in Afghanistan?
- The lowest recorded value was 31.47 years in 1984.
- How does Afghanistan rank for life expectancy at birth, total?
- Afghanistan ranks 182nd out of 215 countries with data for 2023.
- Is life expectancy at birth, total rising or falling in Afghanistan?
- Over the last ten years it is up 6.2%. The long-run trend across the full record is rising.
- Where does this Afghanistan data come from?
- The figures come from UNESCO Institute for Statistics, published as part of Life expectancy at birth, total (years). Statizoid updates them automatically from the source API.
Download this data
CSV · JSON — 54 observations, free to reuse under CC BY-SA 3.0 IGO (UNESCO Institute for Statistics).
About this data
February 2026 Data Release