Life expectancy at birth, total (years) (expectancy UNESCO Institute) in India
India: Life expectancy at birth, total (years) (expectancy UNESCO Institute) was 72 years in 2023. ▲ Rising
Latest (2023)
72 years
Change on year
up 0.4%
World rank
135th
of 215 countries
All-time high
72 years
in 2023
All-time low
48.59 years
in 1970
Years of data
54
1970–2023
Life expectancy at birth, total in India, 1970–2023
Source: UNESCO Institute for Statistics. Measured in years.
Analysis
In 2023, life expectancy at birth, total in India stood at 72 years. That is the highest value across all 54 years on record.
Compared with earlier readings it is up 0.4% on the previous year and up 5.1% over ten years.
Over the whole period, life expectancy at birth, total in India peaked at 72 years in 2023 and was at its lowest, 48.59 years, in 1970.
India ranks 135th of 215 countries on this measure, 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 India, year by year
| Year | years | Change |
|---|---|---|
| 1970 | 48.59 years | — |
| 1971 | 48.9 years | +0.7% |
| 1972 | 49.21 years | +0.6% |
| 1973 | 49.64 years | +0.9% |
| 1974 | 50.26 years | +1.2% |
| 1975 | 50.76 years | +1.0% |
| 1976 | 51.3 years | +1.1% |
| 1977 | 51.82 years | +1.0% |
| 1978 | 52.42 years | +1.2% |
| 1979 | 53.01 years | +1.1% |
| 1980 | 53.59 years | +1.1% |
| 1981 | 54.17 years | +1.1% |
| 1982 | 54.73 years | +1.0% |
| 1983 | 55.28 years | +1.0% |
| 1984 | 55.81 years | +1.0% |
| 1985 | 56.32 years | +0.9% |
| 1986 | 56.82 years | +0.9% |
| 1987 | 57.29 years | +0.8% |
| 1988 | 57.74 years | +0.8% |
| 1989 | 58.2 years | +0.8% |
| 1990 | 58.62 years | +0.7% |
| 1991 | 59.03 years | +0.7% |
| 1992 | 59.45 years | +0.7% |
| 1993 | 59.82 years | +0.6% |
| 1994 | 60.24 years | +0.7% |
| 1995 | 60.63 years | +0.7% |
| 1996 | 61.03 years | +0.7% |
| 1997 | 61.44 years | +0.7% |
| 1998 | 61.85 years | +0.7% |
| 1999 | 62.28 years | +0.7% |
| 2000 | 62.75 years | +0.7% |
| 2001 | 63.16 years | +0.7% |
| 2002 | 63.65 years | +0.8% |
| 2003 | 64.09 years | +0.7% |
| 2004 | 64.48 years | +0.6% |
| 2005 | 64.94 years | +0.7% |
| 2006 | 65.37 years | +0.7% |
| 2007 | 65.8 years | +0.7% |
| 2008 | 66.25 years | +0.7% |
| 2009 | 66.7 years | +0.7% |
| 2010 | 67.16 years | +0.7% |
| 2011 | 67.62 years | +0.7% |
| 2012 | 68.08 years | +0.7% |
| 2013 | 68.5 years | +0.6% |
| 2014 | 68.93 years | +0.6% |
| 2015 | 69.33 years | +0.6% |
| 2016 | 69.71 years | +0.6% |
| 2017 | 70.07 years | +0.5% |
| 2018 | 70.42 years | +0.5% |
| 2019 | 70.75 years | +0.5% |
| 2020 | 70.16 years | -0.8% |
| 2021 | 67.28 years | -4.1% |
| 2022 | 71.7 years | +6.6% |
| 2023 | 72 years | +0.4% |
India compared with similar countries
- India's 72 years is above the median for lower middle income countries, which is 67.65 years, 1.1× the median. (47 countries reporting)
- India's 72 years is below the median for South Asia, which is 73.82 years, 98% of the median. (6 countries reporting)
Averages by decade
| Decade | Average | Lowest | Highest | Years |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1970s | 50.59 years | 48.59 years | 53.01 years | 10 |
| 1980s | 56 years | 53.59 years | 58.2 years | 10 |
| 1990s | 60.44 years | 58.62 years | 62.28 years | 10 |
| 2000s | 64.72 years | 62.75 years | 66.7 years | 10 |
| 2010s | 69.06 years | 67.16 years | 70.75 years | 10 |
| 2020s | 70.28 years | 67.28 years | 72 years | 4 |
Countries ranked near India
More population data for India
- Population regions with projections, annual growth rate -0.5076 % change on previous year (2100)
- Urban and rural population 2050, annual growth rate -0.2494 % change on previous year (2050)
- Population long run with projections, annual growth rate -0.5076 % change on previous year (2100)
- Un population 2024 vs 2022, annual growth rate -0.4607 % change on previous year (2100)
- Africa's Development Dynamics (AfDD) Table 05 - Demographic estimates 1.67 million Persons (2050)
- Africa's Development Dynamics (AfDD) Table 03 - Annual population 0.7665 Percent per annum (2030)
- Projected population under age 5, annual growth rate -0.7604 % change on previous year (2100)
- Population growth rate -0.512 (2100)
- Population density 506.27 (2100)
- Projected population under age 5 66.77 million (2100)
Frequently asked questions
- What is life expectancy at birth, total in India?
- Life expectancy at birth, total in India was 72 years in 2023, according to UNESCO Institute for Statistics.
- What is the highest life expectancy at birth, total recorded in India?
- The highest recorded value was 72 years in 2023.
- What is the lowest life expectancy at birth, total recorded in India?
- The lowest recorded value was 48.59 years in 1970.
- How does India rank for life expectancy at birth, total?
- India ranks 135th out of 215 countries with data for 2023.
- Is life expectancy at birth, total rising or falling in India?
- Over the last ten years it is up 5.1%. The long-run trend across the full record is rising.
- Where does this India 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