Life expectancy at birth, total (years) (expectancy UNESCO Institute) in Ethiopia
Ethiopia: Life expectancy at birth, total (years) (expectancy UNESCO Institute) was 67.31 years in 2023. ▲ Rising
Latest (2023)
67.31 years
Change on year
up 0.6%
World rank
170th
of 215 countries
All-time high
67.31 years
in 2023
All-time low
36.32 years
in 1983
Years of data
54
1970–2023
Life expectancy at birth, total in Ethiopia, 1970–2023
Source: UNESCO Institute for Statistics. Measured in years.
Analysis
In 2023, life expectancy at birth, total in Ethiopia stood at 67.31 years. That is the highest value across all 54 years on record.
Compared with earlier readings it is up 0.6% on the previous year and up 8.3% over ten years.
Over the whole period, life expectancy at birth, total in Ethiopia peaked at 67.31 years in 2023 and was at its lowest, 36.32 years, in 1983.
Ethiopia ranks 170th 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 Ethiopia, year by year
| Year | years | Change |
|---|---|---|
| 1970 | 42.12 years | — |
| 1971 | 42.22 years | +0.2% |
| 1972 | 41.03 years | -2.8% |
| 1973 | 41.1 years | +0.2% |
| 1974 | 39.08 years | -4.9% |
| 1975 | 38.94 years | -0.4% |
| 1976 | 41.32 years | +6.1% |
| 1977 | 41.4 years | +0.2% |
| 1978 | 41.51 years | +0.3% |
| 1979 | 42.38 years | +2.1% |
| 1980 | 42.81 years | +1.0% |
| 1981 | 43.08 years | +0.6% |
| 1982 | 43.43 years | +0.8% |
| 1983 | 36.32 years | -16.4% |
| 1984 | 36.74 years | +1.2% |
| 1985 | 37.75 years | +2.7% |
| 1986 | 38.37 years | +1.7% |
| 1987 | 45.89 years | +19.6% |
| 1988 | 45.68 years | -0.5% |
| 1989 | 45.64 years | -0.1% |
| 1990 | 45.12 years | -1.2% |
| 1991 | 46.66 years | +3.4% |
| 1992 | 47.28 years | +1.3% |
| 1993 | 47.68 years | +0.8% |
| 1994 | 47.93 years | +0.5% |
| 1995 | 48.16 years | +0.5% |
| 1996 | 48.7 years | +1.1% |
| 1997 | 49.21 years | +1.1% |
| 1998 | 49.78 years | +1.2% |
| 1999 | 49.49 years | -0.6% |
| 2000 | 50.88 years | +2.8% |
| 2001 | 51.43 years | +1.1% |
| 2002 | 52.09 years | +1.3% |
| 2003 | 52.88 years | +1.5% |
| 2004 | 53.73 years | +1.6% |
| 2005 | 54.36 years | +1.2% |
| 2006 | 55.4 years | +1.9% |
| 2007 | 56.57 years | +2.1% |
| 2008 | 57.73 years | +2.1% |
| 2009 | 58.72 years | +1.7% |
| 2010 | 59.71 years | +1.7% |
| 2011 | 60.59 years | +1.5% |
| 2012 | 61.44 years | +1.4% |
| 2013 | 62.16 years | +1.2% |
| 2014 | 62.93 years | +1.2% |
| 2015 | 63.59 years | +1.1% |
| 2016 | 64.16 years | +0.9% |
| 2017 | 64.77 years | +0.9% |
| 2018 | 65.26 years | +0.8% |
| 2019 | 65.74 years | +0.7% |
| 2020 | 65.97 years | +0.3% |
| 2021 | 65.33 years | -1.0% |
| 2022 | 66.9 years | +2.4% |
| 2023 | 67.31 years | +0.6% |
Ethiopia compared with similar countries
- Ethiopia's 67.31 years is above the median for low income countries, which is 63.65 years, 1.1× the median. (25 countries reporting)
- Ethiopia's 67.31 years is above the median for Sub-Saharan Africa, which is 64.1 years, 1.1× the median. (48 countries reporting)
Averages by decade
| Decade | Average | Lowest | Highest | Years |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1970s | 41.11 years | 38.94 years | 42.38 years | 10 |
| 1980s | 41.57 years | 36.32 years | 45.89 years | 10 |
| 1990s | 48 years | 45.12 years | 49.78 years | 10 |
| 2000s | 54.38 years | 50.88 years | 58.72 years | 10 |
| 2010s | 63.04 years | 59.71 years | 65.74 years | 10 |
| 2020s | 66.38 years | 65.33 years | 67.31 years | 4 |
Countries ranked near Ethiopia
More population data for Ethiopia
- Population regions with projections, annual growth rate 0.4782 % change on previous year (2100)
- Urban and rural population 2050, annual growth rate 1.28 % change on previous year (2050)
- Population long run with projections, annual growth rate 0.4782 % change on previous year (2100)
- Un population 2024 vs 2022, annual growth rate 0.2918 % change on previous year (2100)
- Projected population under age 5, annual growth rate -0.229 % change on previous year (2100)
- Population growth rate 0.484 (2100)
- Population density 325.45 (2100)
- Projected population under age 5 23.22 million (2100)
- Population growth rate by level of development 0.484 (2100)
- Urbanization vs gdp, annual growth rate 2.06 % change on previous year (2025)
Frequently asked questions
- What is life expectancy at birth, total in Ethiopia?
- Life expectancy at birth, total in Ethiopia was 67.31 years in 2023, according to UNESCO Institute for Statistics.
- What is the highest life expectancy at birth, total recorded in Ethiopia?
- The highest recorded value was 67.31 years in 2023.
- What is the lowest life expectancy at birth, total recorded in Ethiopia?
- The lowest recorded value was 36.32 years in 1983.
- How does Ethiopia rank for life expectancy at birth, total?
- Ethiopia ranks 170th out of 215 countries with data for 2023.
- Is life expectancy at birth, total rising or falling in Ethiopia?
- Over the last ten years it is up 8.3%. The long-run trend across the full record is rising.
- Where does this Ethiopia 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