Life expectancy at birth, total (years) (expectancy UNESCO Institute) in Saudi Arabia
Saudi Arabia: Life expectancy at birth, total (years) (expectancy UNESCO Institute) was 78.73 years in 2023. ▲ Rising
Latest (2023)
78.73 years
Change on year
up 1.8%
World rank
57th
of 215 countries
All-time high
78.75 years
in 2018
All-time low
52.73 years
in 1970
Years of data
54
1970–2023
Life expectancy at birth, total in Saudi Arabia, 1970–2023
Source: UNESCO Institute for Statistics. Measured in years.
Analysis
Saudi Arabia recorded 78.73 years for life expectancy at birth, total in 2023.
Compared with earlier readings it is up 1.8% on the previous year and up 2.9% over ten years.
Over the whole period, life expectancy at birth, total in Saudi Arabia peaked at 78.75 years in 2018 and was at its lowest, 52.73 years, in 1970.
That places Saudi Arabia 57th 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 Saudi Arabia, year by year
| Year | years | Change |
|---|---|---|
| 1970 | 52.73 years | — |
| 1971 | 53.73 years | +1.9% |
| 1972 | 54.74 years | +1.9% |
| 1973 | 55.77 years | +1.9% |
| 1974 | 56.78 years | +1.8% |
| 1975 | 57.78 years | +1.8% |
| 1976 | 58.78 years | +1.7% |
| 1977 | 59.75 years | +1.6% |
| 1978 | 60.69 years | +1.6% |
| 1979 | 61.52 years | +1.4% |
| 1980 | 62.44 years | +1.5% |
| 1981 | 63.25 years | +1.3% |
| 1982 | 64.01 years | +1.2% |
| 1983 | 64.72 years | +1.1% |
| 1984 | 65.39 years | +1.0% |
| 1985 | 66.03 years | +1.0% |
| 1986 | 66.65 years | +0.9% |
| 1987 | 67.24 years | +0.9% |
| 1988 | 67.81 years | +0.9% |
| 1989 | 68.36 years | +0.8% |
| 1990 | 68.87 years | +0.8% |
| 1991 | 69.34 years | +0.7% |
| 1992 | 69.8 years | +0.7% |
| 1993 | 70.21 years | +0.6% |
| 1994 | 70.59 years | +0.5% |
| 1995 | 70.94 years | +0.5% |
| 1996 | 71.29 years | +0.5% |
| 1997 | 71.62 years | +0.5% |
| 1998 | 71.96 years | +0.5% |
| 1999 | 72.29 years | +0.5% |
| 2000 | 72.61 years | +0.4% |
| 2001 | 72.95 years | +0.5% |
| 2002 | 73.3 years | +0.5% |
| 2003 | 73.66 years | +0.5% |
| 2004 | 74.03 years | +0.5% |
| 2005 | 74.4 years | +0.5% |
| 2006 | 74.76 years | +0.5% |
| 2007 | 75.07 years | +0.4% |
| 2008 | 75.3 years | +0.3% |
| 2009 | 75.45 years | +0.2% |
| 2010 | 75.62 years | +0.2% |
| 2011 | 75.81 years | +0.3% |
| 2012 | 76.09 years | +0.4% |
| 2013 | 76.52 years | +0.6% |
| 2014 | 77.12 years | +0.8% |
| 2015 | 77.78 years | +0.9% |
| 2016 | 78.35 years | +0.7% |
| 2017 | 78.72 years | +0.5% |
| 2018 | 78.75 years | +0.0% |
| 2019 | 78.31 years | -0.6% |
| 2020 | 77.6 years | -0.9% |
| 2021 | 77.09 years | -0.7% |
| 2022 | 77.31 years | +0.3% |
| 2023 | 78.73 years | +1.8% |
Saudi Arabia compared with similar countries
- Saudi Arabia's 78.73 years is below the median for high income countries, which is 81.17 years, 97% of the median. (85 countries reporting)
- Saudi Arabia's 78.73 years is above the median for Middle East, North Africa, Afghanistan & Pakistan, which is 76.51 years, 1.0× the median. (23 countries reporting)
Averages by decade
| Decade | Average | Lowest | Highest | Years |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1970s | 57.23 years | 52.73 years | 61.52 years | 10 |
| 1980s | 65.59 years | 62.44 years | 68.36 years | 10 |
| 1990s | 70.69 years | 68.87 years | 72.29 years | 10 |
| 2000s | 74.15 years | 72.61 years | 75.45 years | 10 |
| 2010s | 77.31 years | 75.62 years | 78.75 years | 10 |
| 2020s | 77.68 years | 77.09 years | 78.73 years | 4 |
Countries ranked near Saudi Arabia
More population data for Saudi Arabia
- Population regions with projections, annual growth rate 0.6339 % change on previous year (2100)
- Urban and rural population 2050, annual growth rate 0.5774 % change on previous year (2050)
- Population long run with projections, annual growth rate 0.6339 % change on previous year (2100)
- Un population 2024 vs 2022, annual growth rate -0.1019 % change on previous year (2100)
- Africa's Development Dynamics (AfDD) Table 05 - Demographic estimates 48,374 Persons (2050)
- Africa's Development Dynamics (AfDD) Table 03 - Annual population 1.2 Percent per annum (2030)
- Projected population under age 5, annual growth rate 0.5868 % change on previous year (2100)
- Population growth rate 0.629 (2100)
- Population density 33.03 (2100)
- Projected population under age 5 4.10 million (2100)
Frequently asked questions
- What is life expectancy at birth, total in Saudi Arabia?
- Life expectancy at birth, total in Saudi Arabia was 78.73 years in 2023, according to UNESCO Institute for Statistics.
- What is the highest life expectancy at birth, total recorded in Saudi Arabia?
- The highest recorded value was 78.75 years in 2018.
- What is the lowest life expectancy at birth, total recorded in Saudi Arabia?
- The lowest recorded value was 52.73 years in 1970.
- How does Saudi Arabia rank for life expectancy at birth, total?
- Saudi Arabia ranks 57th out of 215 countries with data for 2023.
- Is life expectancy at birth, total rising or falling in Saudi Arabia?
- Over the last ten years it is up 2.9%. The long-run trend across the full record is rising.
- Where does this Saudi Arabia 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