Life expectancy at birth, total (years) (expectancy UNESCO Institute) in Somalia
Somalia: Life expectancy at birth, total (years) (expectancy UNESCO Institute) was 58.82 years in 2023. ▲ Rising
Life expectancy at birth, total in Somalia, 1970–2023
Source: UNESCO Institute for Statistics. Measured in years.
Analysis
In 2023, life expectancy at birth, total in Somalia stood at 58.82 years. That is the highest value across all 54 years on record.
That represents a change of up 9.1% on the previous year and up 8.9% over ten years.
Over the whole period, life expectancy at birth, total in Somalia peaked at 58.82 years in 2023 and was at its lowest, 25.03 years, in 1992.
That places Somalia 210th out of 215 countries with data for 2023, putting it in the bottom 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 Somalia, year by year
| Year | years | Change |
|---|---|---|
| 1970 | 45.64 years | — |
| 1971 | 45.84 years | +0.4% |
| 1972 | 46.03 years | +0.4% |
| 1973 | 46.22 years | +0.4% |
| 1974 | 44.26 years | -4.3% |
| 1975 | 44.49 years | +0.5% |
| 1976 | 44.73 years | +0.5% |
| 1977 | 47 years | +5.1% |
| 1978 | 47.01 years | +0.0% |
| 1979 | 47.41 years | +0.8% |
| 1980 | 47.61 years | +0.4% |
| 1981 | 47.82 years | +0.4% |
| 1982 | 48.02 years | +0.4% |
| 1983 | 48.23 years | +0.4% |
| 1984 | 48.44 years | +0.4% |
| 1985 | 48.28 years | -0.3% |
| 1986 | 48.43 years | +0.3% |
| 1987 | 49 years | +1.2% |
| 1988 | 43.93 years | -10.3% |
| 1989 | 46.65 years | +6.2% |
| 1990 | 46.9 years | +0.5% |
| 1991 | 25.42 years | -45.8% |
| 1992 | 25.03 years | -1.5% |
| 1993 | 50.55 years | +101.9% |
| 1994 | 50.3 years | -0.5% |
| 1995 | 50.65 years | +0.7% |
| 1996 | 50.52 years | -0.2% |
| 1997 | 50.28 years | -0.5% |
| 1998 | 50.76 years | +0.9% |
| 1999 | 50.61 years | -0.3% |
| 2000 | 50.75 years | +0.3% |
| 2001 | 50.83 years | +0.2% |
| 2002 | 50.82 years | -0.0% |
| 2003 | 50.72 years | -0.2% |
| 2004 | 50.69 years | -0.1% |
| 2005 | 50.89 years | +0.4% |
| 2006 | 50.91 years | +0.0% |
| 2007 | 50.88 years | -0.1% |
| 2008 | 51.46 years | +1.1% |
| 2009 | 52.1 years | +1.3% |
| 2010 | 48.9 years | -6.1% |
| 2011 | 32.45 years | -33.6% |
| 2012 | 49.14 years | +51.4% |
| 2013 | 54.02 years | +9.9% |
| 2014 | 54.44 years | +0.8% |
| 2015 | 55.06 years | +1.1% |
| 2016 | 55.28 years | +0.4% |
| 2017 | 52.19 years | -5.6% |
| 2018 | 54.77 years | +4.9% |
| 2019 | 57.25 years | +4.5% |
| 2020 | 57.09 years | -0.3% |
| 2021 | 55.7 years | -2.4% |
| 2022 | 53.93 years | -3.2% |
| 2023 | 58.82 years | +9.1% |
Somalia compared with similar countries
- Somalia's 58.82 years is below the median for low income countries, which is 63.65 years, 92% of the median. (25 countries reporting)
- Somalia's 58.82 years is below the median for Sub-Saharan Africa, which is 64.1 years, 92% of the median. (48 countries reporting)
Biggest year-on-year movements
Years where Life expectancy at birth, total (years) (expectancy UNESCO Institute) in Somalia changed far more than this series normally does. A large move can be a real event or a change in how the figure was measured — the source note below says who published it.
| Year | Change | From | To |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1993 | +101.9% | 25.03 years | 50.55 years |
| 2012 | +51.4% | 32.45 years | 49.14 years |
| 1991 | -45.8% | 46.9 years | 25.42 years |
| 2011 | -33.6% | 48.9 years | 32.45 years |
Averages by decade
| Decade | Average | Lowest | Highest | Years |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1970s | 45.86 years | 44.26 years | 47.41 years | 10 |
| 1980s | 47.64 years | 43.93 years | 49 years | 10 |
| 1990s | 45.1 years | 25.03 years | 50.76 years | 10 |
| 2000s | 51.01 years | 50.69 years | 52.1 years | 10 |
| 2010s | 51.35 years | 32.45 years | 57.25 years | 10 |
| 2020s | 56.39 years | 53.93 years | 58.82 years | 4 |
Countries ranked near Somalia
More population data for Somalia
- Population regions with projections, annual growth rate 0.4652 % change on previous year (2100)
- Urban and rural population 2050, annual growth rate 1.96 % change on previous year (2050)
- Population long run with projections, annual growth rate 0.4652 % change on previous year (2100)
- Un population 2024 vs 2022, annual growth rate 0.4952 % change on previous year (2100)
- Africa's Development Dynamics (AfDD) Table 05 - Demographic estimates 36,463 Persons (2050)
- Africa's Development Dynamics (AfDD) Table 03 - Annual population 2.89 Percent per annum (2030)
- Projected population under age 5, annual growth rate -0.3207 % change on previous year (2100)
- Population growth rate 0.424 (2100)
- Population density 107.38 (2100)
- Projected population under age 5 5.14 million (2100)
Frequently asked questions
- What is life expectancy at birth, total in Somalia?
- Life expectancy at birth, total in Somalia was 58.82 years in 2023, according to UNESCO Institute for Statistics.
- What is the highest life expectancy at birth, total recorded in Somalia?
- The highest recorded value was 58.82 years in 2023.
- What is the lowest life expectancy at birth, total recorded in Somalia?
- The lowest recorded value was 25.03 years in 1992.
- How does Somalia rank for life expectancy at birth, total?
- Somalia ranks 210th out of 215 countries with data for 2023.
- Is life expectancy at birth, total rising or falling in Somalia?
- Over the last ten years it is up 8.9%. The long-run trend across the full record is rising.
- Where does this Somalia 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