Life expectancy at birth, total (years) (expectancy UNESCO Institute) in Jamaica
Jamaica: Life expectancy at birth, total (years) (expectancy UNESCO Institute) was 71.48 years in 2023. ▲ Rising
Latest (2023)
71.48 years
Change on year
down 0.0%
World rank
140th
of 215 countries
All-time high
72.44 years
in 2013
All-time low
66.73 years
in 1970
Years of data
54
1970–2023
Life expectancy at birth, total in Jamaica, 1970–2023
Source: UNESCO Institute for Statistics. Measured in years.
Analysis
The most recent figure for life expectancy at birth, total in Jamaica is 71.48 years, measured in 2023.
That represents a change of down 1.3% over ten years.
Over the whole period, life expectancy at birth, total in Jamaica peaked at 72.44 years in 2013 and was at its lowest, 66.73 years, in 1970.
That places Jamaica 140th 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 Jamaica, year by year
| Year | years | Change |
|---|---|---|
| 1970 | 66.73 years | — |
| 1971 | 67 years | +0.4% |
| 1972 | 67.3 years | +0.5% |
| 1973 | 67.61 years | +0.5% |
| 1974 | 67.91 years | +0.5% |
| 1975 | 68.17 years | +0.4% |
| 1976 | 68.41 years | +0.4% |
| 1977 | 68.59 years | +0.3% |
| 1978 | 68.74 years | +0.2% |
| 1979 | 68.81 years | +0.1% |
| 1980 | 68.99 years | +0.3% |
| 1981 | 69.12 years | +0.2% |
| 1982 | 69.25 years | +0.2% |
| 1983 | 69.55 years | +0.4% |
| 1984 | 69.81 years | +0.4% |
| 1985 | 70.1 years | +0.4% |
| 1986 | 70.45 years | +0.5% |
| 1987 | 70.87 years | +0.6% |
| 1988 | 71.16 years | +0.4% |
| 1989 | 71.51 years | +0.5% |
| 1990 | 71.7 years | +0.3% |
| 1991 | 71.79 years | +0.1% |
| 1992 | 71.82 years | +0.0% |
| 1993 | 71.76 years | -0.1% |
| 1994 | 71.62 years | -0.2% |
| 1995 | 71.49 years | -0.2% |
| 1996 | 71.33 years | -0.2% |
| 1997 | 71.22 years | -0.2% |
| 1998 | 71.17 years | -0.1% |
| 1999 | 71.19 years | +0.0% |
| 2000 | 71.28 years | +0.1% |
| 2001 | 71.29 years | +0.0% |
| 2002 | 71.48 years | +0.3% |
| 2003 | 71.58 years | +0.1% |
| 2004 | 71.54 years | -0.1% |
| 2005 | 71.49 years | -0.1% |
| 2006 | 71.39 years | -0.1% |
| 2007 | 71.41 years | +0.0% |
| 2008 | 71.5 years | +0.1% |
| 2009 | 71.72 years | +0.3% |
| 2010 | 71.98 years | +0.4% |
| 2011 | 72.25 years | +0.4% |
| 2012 | 72.41 years | +0.2% |
| 2013 | 72.44 years | +0.0% |
| 2014 | 72.36 years | -0.1% |
| 2015 | 72.21 years | -0.2% |
| 2016 | 72.05 years | -0.2% |
| 2017 | 71.88 years | -0.2% |
| 2018 | 71.61 years | -0.4% |
| 2019 | 71.53 years | -0.1% |
| 2020 | 71.45 years | -0.1% |
| 2021 | 69.08 years | -3.3% |
| 2022 | 71.48 years | +3.5% |
| 2023 | 71.48 years | -0.0% |
Jamaica compared with similar countries
- Jamaica's 71.48 years is below the median for upper middle income countries, which is 74.01 years, 97% of the median. (58 countries reporting)
- Jamaica's 71.48 years is below the median for Latin America & Caribbean, which is 75.53 years, 95% of the median. (42 countries reporting)
Averages by decade
| Decade | Average | Lowest | Highest | Years |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1970s | 67.93 years | 66.73 years | 68.81 years | 10 |
| 1980s | 70.08 years | 68.99 years | 71.51 years | 10 |
| 1990s | 71.51 years | 71.17 years | 71.82 years | 10 |
| 2000s | 71.47 years | 71.28 years | 71.72 years | 10 |
| 2010s | 72.07 years | 71.53 years | 72.44 years | 10 |
| 2020s | 70.87 years | 69.08 years | 71.48 years | 4 |
Countries ranked near Jamaica
More population data for Jamaica
- Population regions with projections, annual growth rate -1.76 % change on previous year (2100)
- Urban and rural population 2050, annual growth rate -4.7 % change on previous year (2050)
- Population long run with projections, annual growth rate -1.76 % change on previous year (2100)
- Un population 2024 vs 2022, annual growth rate -3.12 % change on previous year (2100)
- Africa's Development Dynamics (AfDD) Table 05 - Demographic estimates 2,494 Persons (2050)
- Africa's Development Dynamics (AfDD) Table 03 - Annual population -0.1905 Percent per annum (2030)
- Projected population under age 5, annual growth rate -1.66 % change on previous year (2100)
- Population growth rate -1.76 (2100)
- Population density 98.5 (2100)
- Projected population under age 5 35,987 (2100)
Frequently asked questions
- What is life expectancy at birth, total in Jamaica?
- Life expectancy at birth, total in Jamaica was 71.48 years in 2023, according to UNESCO Institute for Statistics.
- What is the highest life expectancy at birth, total recorded in Jamaica?
- The highest recorded value was 72.44 years in 2013.
- What is the lowest life expectancy at birth, total recorded in Jamaica?
- The lowest recorded value was 66.73 years in 1970.
- How does Jamaica rank for life expectancy at birth, total?
- Jamaica ranks 140th out of 215 countries with data for 2023.
- Is life expectancy at birth, total rising or falling in Jamaica?
- Over the last ten years it is down 1.3%. The long-run trend across the full record is rising.
- Where does this Jamaica 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