Life expectancy at birth, total (years) (expectancy UNESCO Institute) in Guatemala
Guatemala: Life expectancy at birth, total (years) (expectancy UNESCO Institute) was 72.6 years in 2023. ▲ Rising
Latest (2023)
72.6 years
Change on year
up 2.0%
World rank
126th
of 215 countries
All-time high
72.6 years
in 2023
All-time low
47.62 years
in 1976
Years of data
54
1970–2023
Life expectancy at birth, total in Guatemala, 1970–2023
Source: UNESCO Institute for Statistics. Measured in years.
Analysis
In 2023, life expectancy at birth, total in Guatemala stood at 72.6 years. That is the highest value across all 54 years on record.
That represents a change of up 2.0% on the previous year and up 2.4% over ten years.
Over the whole period, life expectancy at birth, total in Guatemala peaked at 72.6 years in 2023 and was at its lowest, 47.62 years, in 1976.
That places Guatemala 126th out of 215 countries with data for 2023, putting it in the middle of the range.
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 Guatemala, year by year
| Year | years | Change |
|---|---|---|
| 1970 | 48.51 years | — |
| 1971 | 50.28 years | +3.6% |
| 1972 | 51.82 years | +3.1% |
| 1973 | 52.85 years | +2.0% |
| 1974 | 53.02 years | +0.3% |
| 1975 | 52.83 years | -0.4% |
| 1976 | 47.62 years | -9.9% |
| 1977 | 55.18 years | +15.9% |
| 1978 | 56.41 years | +2.2% |
| 1979 | 56.6 years | +0.3% |
| 1980 | 55.3 years | -2.3% |
| 1981 | 54.71 years | -1.1% |
| 1982 | 48.86 years | -10.7% |
| 1983 | 57.91 years | +18.5% |
| 1984 | 59.07 years | +2.0% |
| 1985 | 59.79 years | +1.2% |
| 1986 | 60.34 years | +0.9% |
| 1987 | 60.99 years | +1.1% |
| 1988 | 61.54 years | +0.9% |
| 1989 | 61.74 years | +0.3% |
| 1990 | 61.77 years | +0.0% |
| 1991 | 61.93 years | +0.3% |
| 1992 | 61.99 years | +0.1% |
| 1993 | 62.44 years | +0.7% |
| 1994 | 63.03 years | +0.9% |
| 1995 | 63.66 years | +1.0% |
| 1996 | 64.54 years | +1.4% |
| 1997 | 65.25 years | +1.1% |
| 1998 | 65.97 years | +1.1% |
| 1999 | 66.63 years | +1.0% |
| 2000 | 67.1 years | +0.7% |
| 2001 | 67.44 years | +0.5% |
| 2002 | 67.83 years | +0.6% |
| 2003 | 68.2 years | +0.5% |
| 2004 | 68.25 years | +0.1% |
| 2005 | 68.17 years | -0.1% |
| 2006 | 68.79 years | +0.9% |
| 2007 | 69.3 years | +0.7% |
| 2008 | 69.49 years | +0.3% |
| 2009 | 69.68 years | +0.3% |
| 2010 | 69.89 years | +0.3% |
| 2011 | 70.32 years | +0.6% |
| 2012 | 70.72 years | +0.6% |
| 2013 | 70.88 years | +0.2% |
| 2014 | 70.94 years | +0.1% |
| 2015 | 70.92 years | -0.0% |
| 2016 | 71.22 years | +0.4% |
| 2017 | 71.58 years | +0.5% |
| 2018 | 71.5 years | -0.1% |
| 2019 | 71.64 years | +0.2% |
| 2020 | 69.97 years | -2.3% |
| 2021 | 67.86 years | -3.0% |
| 2022 | 71.21 years | +4.9% |
| 2023 | 72.6 years | +2.0% |
Guatemala compared with similar countries
- Guatemala's 72.6 years is below the median for upper middle income countries, which is 74.01 years, 98% of the median. (58 countries reporting)
- Guatemala's 72.6 years is below the median for Latin America & Caribbean, which is 75.53 years, 96% of the median. (42 countries reporting)
Averages by decade
| Decade | Average | Lowest | Highest | Years |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1970s | 52.51 years | 47.62 years | 56.6 years | 10 |
| 1980s | 58.03 years | 48.86 years | 61.74 years | 10 |
| 1990s | 63.72 years | 61.77 years | 66.63 years | 10 |
| 2000s | 68.42 years | 67.1 years | 69.68 years | 10 |
| 2010s | 70.96 years | 69.89 years | 71.64 years | 10 |
| 2020s | 70.41 years | 67.86 years | 72.6 years | 4 |
Countries ranked near Guatemala
- 123 Honduras 72.88 years compare
- 124 American Samoa 72.85 years compare
- 125 Saint Lucia 72.7 years compare
- 127 Venezuela 72.51 years compare
- 128 Uzbekistan 72.39 years compare
- 129 Iraq 72.32 years compare
More population data for Guatemala
- Population regions with projections, annual growth rate -0.3404 % change on previous year (2100)
- Urban and rural population 2050, annual growth rate 0.3709 % change on previous year (2050)
- Population long run with projections, annual growth rate -0.3404 % change on previous year (2100)
- Un population 2024 vs 2022, annual growth rate -0.3291 % change on previous year (2100)
- Africa's Development Dynamics (AfDD) Table 05 - Demographic estimates 24,601 Persons (2050)
- Africa's Development Dynamics (AfDD) Table 03 - Annual population 1.37 Percent per annum (2030)
- Projected population under age 5, annual growth rate -0.6834 % change on previous year (2100)
- Population growth rate -0.345 (2100)
- Population density 241.81 (2100)
- Projected population under age 5 1.24 million (2100)
Frequently asked questions
- What is life expectancy at birth, total in Guatemala?
- Life expectancy at birth, total in Guatemala was 72.6 years in 2023, according to UNESCO Institute for Statistics.
- What is the highest life expectancy at birth, total recorded in Guatemala?
- The highest recorded value was 72.6 years in 2023.
- What is the lowest life expectancy at birth, total recorded in Guatemala?
- The lowest recorded value was 47.62 years in 1976.
- How does Guatemala rank for life expectancy at birth, total?
- Guatemala ranks 126th out of 215 countries with data for 2023.
- Is life expectancy at birth, total rising or falling in Guatemala?
- Over the last ten years it is up 2.4%. The long-run trend across the full record is rising.
- Where does this Guatemala 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