Life expectancy at birth, total (years) (expectancy UNESCO Institute) in France
France: Life expectancy at birth, total (years) (expectancy UNESCO Institute) was 82.93 years in 2023. ▲ Rising
Latest (2023)
82.93 years
Change on year
up 1.0%
World rank
23rd
of 215 countries
All-time high
82.93 years
in 2023
All-time low
71.66 years
in 1970
Years of data
54
1970–2023
Life expectancy at birth, total in France, 1970–2023
Source: UNESCO Institute for Statistics. Measured in years.
Analysis
The most recent figure for life expectancy at birth, total in France is 82.93 years, measured in 2023. That is the highest value across all 54 years on record.
The figure is up 1.0% on the previous year and up 0.9% over ten years.
Over the whole period, life expectancy at birth, total in France peaked at 82.93 years in 2023 and was at its lowest, 71.66 years, in 1970.
France ranks 23rd of 215 countries on this measure, in the top 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 France, year by year
| Year | years | Change |
|---|---|---|
| 1970 | 71.66 years | — |
| 1971 | 71.91 years | +0.3% |
| 1972 | 72.11 years | +0.3% |
| 1973 | 72.36 years | +0.3% |
| 1974 | 72.6 years | +0.3% |
| 1975 | 72.85 years | +0.3% |
| 1976 | 73.1 years | +0.3% |
| 1977 | 73.35 years | +0.3% |
| 1978 | 73.6 years | +0.3% |
| 1979 | 73.85 years | +0.3% |
| 1980 | 74.05 years | +0.3% |
| 1981 | 74.3 years | +0.3% |
| 1982 | 74.5 years | +0.3% |
| 1983 | 74.8 years | +0.4% |
| 1984 | 75 years | +0.3% |
| 1985 | 75.3 years | +0.4% |
| 1986 | 75.6 years | +0.4% |
| 1987 | 75.8 years | +0.3% |
| 1988 | 76.1 years | +0.4% |
| 1989 | 76.35 years | +0.3% |
| 1990 | 76.6 years | +0.3% |
| 1991 | 76.85 years | +0.3% |
| 1992 | 77.1 years | +0.3% |
| 1993 | 77.3 years | +0.3% |
| 1994 | 77.65 years | +0.5% |
| 1995 | 77.75 years | +0.1% |
| 1996 | 77.95 years | +0.3% |
| 1997 | 78.3 years | +0.5% |
| 1998 | 78.6 years | +0.4% |
| 1999 | 78.76 years | +0.2% |
| 2000 | 79.06 years | +0.4% |
| 2001 | 79.16 years | +0.1% |
| 2002 | 79.26 years | +0.1% |
| 2003 | 79.11 years | -0.2% |
| 2004 | 80.16 years | +1.3% |
| 2005 | 80.16 years | +0.0% |
| 2006 | 80.81 years | +0.8% |
| 2007 | 81.11 years | +0.4% |
| 2008 | 81.21 years | +0.1% |
| 2009 | 81.41 years | +0.2% |
| 2010 | 81.66 years | +0.3% |
| 2011 | 82.11 years | +0.6% |
| 2012 | 81.97 years | -0.2% |
| 2013 | 82.22 years | +0.3% |
| 2014 | 82.72 years | +0.6% |
| 2015 | 82.32 years | -0.5% |
| 2016 | 82.57 years | +0.3% |
| 2017 | 82.58 years | +0.0% |
| 2018 | 82.68 years | +0.1% |
| 2019 | 82.83 years | +0.2% |
| 2020 | 82.18 years | -0.8% |
| 2021 | 82.32 years | +0.2% |
| 2022 | 82.13 years | -0.2% |
| 2023 | 82.93 years | +1.0% |
France compared with similar countries
- France's 82.93 years is above the median for high income countries, which is 81.17 years, 1.0× the median. (85 countries reporting)
- France's 82.93 years is above the median for Europe & Central Asia, which is 79.74 years, 1.0× the median. (56 countries reporting)
Averages by decade
| Decade | Average | Lowest | Highest | Years |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1970s | 72.74 years | 71.66 years | 73.85 years | 10 |
| 1980s | 75.18 years | 74.05 years | 76.35 years | 10 |
| 1990s | 77.69 years | 76.6 years | 78.76 years | 10 |
| 2000s | 80.15 years | 79.06 years | 81.41 years | 10 |
| 2010s | 82.37 years | 81.66 years | 82.83 years | 10 |
| 2020s | 82.39 years | 82.13 years | 82.93 years | 4 |
Countries ranked near France
More population data for France
- Population regions with projections, annual growth rate -0.028 % change on previous year (2100)
- Urban and rural population 2050, annual growth rate -3.58 % change on previous year (2050)
- Population long run with projections, annual growth rate -0.028 % change on previous year (2100)
- Un population 2024 vs 2022, annual growth rate -0.1885 % change on previous year (2100)
- Africa's Development Dynamics (AfDD) Table 05 - Demographic estimates 65,827 Persons (2050)
- Africa's Development Dynamics (AfDD) Table 03 - Annual population 0.1504 Percent per annum (2030)
- Projected population under age 5, annual growth rate 0.1075 % change on previous year (2100)
- Population growth rate -0.033 (2100)
- Population density 125.07 (2100)
- Projected population under age 5 3.16 million (2100)
Frequently asked questions
- What is life expectancy at birth, total in France?
- Life expectancy at birth, total in France was 82.93 years in 2023, according to UNESCO Institute for Statistics.
- What is the highest life expectancy at birth, total recorded in France?
- The highest recorded value was 82.93 years in 2023.
- What is the lowest life expectancy at birth, total recorded in France?
- The lowest recorded value was 71.66 years in 1970.
- How does France rank for life expectancy at birth, total?
- France ranks 23rd out of 215 countries with data for 2023.
- Is life expectancy at birth, total rising or falling in France?
- Over the last ten years it is up 0.9%. The long-run trend across the full record is rising.
- Where does this France 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