Life expectancy at birth, total (years) (expectancy UNESCO Institute) in Zimbabwe
Zimbabwe: Life expectancy at birth, total (years) (expectancy UNESCO Institute) was 62.77 years in 2023. ▬ Flat
Latest (2023)
62.77 years
Change on year
up 0.7%
World rank
198th
of 215 countries
All-time high
62.77 years
in 2023
All-time low
44.52 years
in 2001
Years of data
54
1970–2023
Life expectancy at birth, total in Zimbabwe, 1970–2023
Source: UNESCO Institute for Statistics. Measured in years.
Analysis
The most recent figure for life expectancy at birth, total in Zimbabwe is 62.77 years, measured in 2023. That is the highest value across all 54 years on record.
That represents a change of up 0.7% on the previous year and up 10.4% over ten years.
Over the whole period, life expectancy at birth, total in Zimbabwe peaked at 62.77 years in 2023 and was at its lowest, 44.52 years, in 2001.
Zimbabwe ranks 198th of 215 countries on this measure, in the bottom quarter.
Life expectancy at birth, total (years) (expectancy UNESCO Institute) in Zimbabwe, year by year
| Year | years | Change |
|---|---|---|
| 1970 | 57.76 years | — |
| 1971 | 58 years | +0.4% |
| 1972 | 58.17 years | +0.3% |
| 1973 | 58.09 years | -0.2% |
| 1974 | 58.19 years | +0.2% |
| 1975 | 58.25 years | +0.1% |
| 1976 | 57.63 years | -1.1% |
| 1977 | 57 years | -1.1% |
| 1978 | 54.73 years | -4.0% |
| 1979 | 54.92 years | +0.3% |
| 1980 | 59.06 years | +7.5% |
| 1981 | 59.45 years | +0.7% |
| 1982 | 59.86 years | +0.7% |
| 1983 | 59.99 years | +0.2% |
| 1984 | 60.62 years | +1.1% |
| 1985 | 60.9 years | +0.5% |
| 1986 | 60.98 years | +0.1% |
| 1987 | 60.72 years | -0.4% |
| 1988 | 60.24 years | -0.8% |
| 1989 | 59.45 years | -1.3% |
| 1990 | 58.32 years | -1.9% |
| 1991 | 57.04 years | -2.2% |
| 1992 | 55.6 years | -2.5% |
| 1993 | 53.98 years | -2.9% |
| 1994 | 52.54 years | -2.7% |
| 1995 | 51.14 years | -2.7% |
| 1996 | 48.98 years | -4.2% |
| 1997 | 48.54 years | -0.9% |
| 1998 | 47.55 years | -2.0% |
| 1999 | 46.38 years | -2.5% |
| 2000 | 46.03 years | -0.7% |
| 2001 | 44.52 years | -3.3% |
| 2002 | 45.94 years | +3.2% |
| 2003 | 45.37 years | -1.2% |
| 2004 | 46.04 years | +1.5% |
| 2005 | 46.57 years | +1.1% |
| 2006 | 47.06 years | +1.0% |
| 2007 | 47.58 years | +1.1% |
| 2008 | 48.46 years | +1.8% |
| 2009 | 49.75 years | +2.7% |
| 2010 | 51.92 years | +4.4% |
| 2011 | 53.91 years | +3.8% |
| 2012 | 55.39 years | +2.7% |
| 2013 | 56.84 years | +2.6% |
| 2014 | 58.11 years | +2.2% |
| 2015 | 58.99 years | +1.5% |
| 2016 | 59.76 years | +1.3% |
| 2017 | 60.26 years | +0.8% |
| 2018 | 60.91 years | +1.1% |
| 2019 | 61.06 years | +0.3% |
| 2020 | 61.53 years | +0.8% |
| 2021 | 60.13 years | -2.3% |
| 2022 | 62.36 years | +3.7% |
| 2023 | 62.77 years | +0.7% |
Zimbabwe compared with similar countries
- Zimbabwe's 62.77 years is below the median for lower middle income countries, which is 67.65 years, 93% of the median. (47 countries reporting)
- Zimbabwe's 62.77 years is below the median for Sub-Saharan Africa, which is 64.1 years, 98% of the median. (48 countries reporting)
Averages by decade
| Decade | Average | Lowest | Highest | Years |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1970s | 57.27 years | 54.73 years | 58.25 years | 10 |
| 1980s | 60.13 years | 59.06 years | 60.98 years | 10 |
| 1990s | 52.01 years | 46.38 years | 58.32 years | 10 |
| 2000s | 46.73 years | 44.52 years | 49.75 years | 10 |
| 2010s | 57.71 years | 51.92 years | 61.06 years | 10 |
| 2020s | 61.7 years | 60.13 years | 62.77 years | 4 |
Countries ranked near Zimbabwe
More population data for Zimbabwe
- Population regions with projections, annual growth rate 0.1887 % change on previous year (2100)
- Urban and rural population 2050, annual growth rate -0.0209 % change on previous year (2050)
- Population long run with projections, annual growth rate 0.1887 % change on previous year (2100)
- Un population 2024 vs 2022, annual growth rate 0.0944 % change on previous year (2100)
- Africa's Development Dynamics (AfDD) Table 05 - Demographic estimates 26,439 Persons (2050)
- Africa's Development Dynamics (AfDD) Table 03 - Annual population 1.94 Percent per annum (2030)
- Projected population under age 5, annual growth rate -0.5219 % change on previous year (2100)
- Population growth rate 0.188 (2100)
- Population density 96.07 (2100)
- Projected population under age 5 2.49 million (2100)
Frequently asked questions
- What is life expectancy at birth, total in Zimbabwe?
- Life expectancy at birth, total in Zimbabwe was 62.77 years in 2023, according to UNESCO Institute for Statistics.
- What is the highest life expectancy at birth, total recorded in Zimbabwe?
- The highest recorded value was 62.77 years in 2023.
- What is the lowest life expectancy at birth, total recorded in Zimbabwe?
- The lowest recorded value was 44.52 years in 2001.
- How does Zimbabwe rank for life expectancy at birth, total?
- Zimbabwe ranks 198th out of 215 countries with data for 2023.
- Is life expectancy at birth, total rising or falling in Zimbabwe?
- Over the last ten years it is up 10.4%. The long-run trend across the full record is flat.
- Where does this Zimbabwe 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