Based on the World Health Organization’s total population data, the overall average life expectancy for the top 100 richest countries in 2020 is 58.8 years. Focusing on what the WHO defines as healthy lives, average life expectancy for those 100 wealthy economies is almost 10 years longer at 68.4 years.
In general, the richer the country the longer lifespans are for its residents.
Consider that the average life expectancies for the top 10 richest countries are greater. For the healthy cohort, the average lifespan is 72.3 years from birth. Similarly, the average 63.5 years for the entire populations of the 10 biggest economies is also longer.
Gender-specific metrics reveal a similar story. Healthy females residing in the 100 richest countries live for 71 years on average, less than the average 75.5 years for the populations of the 10 wealthiest economies. Males categorized as healthy in the top 10 richest countries live for an average 69.2 years, 3.4 years longer than the calculated average lifespan of 65.8 for men residing in the 100 richest countries. See our sortable table entitled Healthy Life Expectancies by Gender near the bottom of this article.
We start this analysis by focusing in on the blended life expectancies for the 100 wealthiest nations.
Overall Life Expectancies for 100 Richest Countries
The searchable table below presents the average life expectancies for the 100 richest countries both in terms of each country’s general population and what the World Health Organization (WHO) considers as healthy residents. The two columns with the suffix “+/-” compares the listed country’s lifespan versus the average life expectancy for the world’s top 10 richest countries.
| Rank | Country | All | All+/- | Healthy | Healthy+/- |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | China | 62.1 | -2.2% | 71 | -1.9% |
| 2 | United States | 67.2 | +5.8% | 76.7 | +6% |
| 3 | India | 52 | -18.1% | 61.3 | -15.3% |
| 4 | Japan | 73.8 | +16.2% | 81.1 | +12.1% |
| 5 | Russia | 55.5 | -12.6% | 65.7 | -9.2% |
| 6 | Germany | 69.4 | +9.3% | 77.5 | +7.1% |
| 7 | Indonesia | 57.4 | -9.6% | 65.4 | -9.6% |
| 8 | Brazil | 57.1 | -10.1% | 68.2 | -5.7% |
| 9 | United Kingdom | 69.9 | +10.1% | 77.4 | +6.9% |
| 10 | France | 70.7 | +11.3% | 79.2 | +9.4% |
| 11 | Mexico | 64.2 | +1.1% | 73.6 | +1.8% |
| 12 | South Korea | 66 | +3.9% | 74.4 | +2.9% |
| 13 | Turkey | 58.7 | -7.6% | 69.7 | -3.7% |
| 14 | Italy | 71.2 | +12.1% | 79.2 | +9.5% |
| 15 | Saudi Arabia | 59.5 | -6.3% | 70.8 | -2.1% |
| 16 | Canada | 70 | +10.2% | 78.8 | +8.9% |
| 17 | Spain | 70.6 | +11.2% | 78.9 | +9% |
| 18 | Egypt | 57.1 | -10.1% | 67.3 | -7% |
| 19 | Iran | 58.8 | -7.4% | 69 | -4.6% |
| 20 | Taiwan | 62.1 | -2.2% | 71 | -1.9% |
| 21 | Thailand | 59.7 | -6% | 69.2 | -4.3% |
| 22 | Australia | 71.5 | +12.6% | 79.4 | +9.7% |
| 23 | Poland | 61.8 | -2.7% | 73.5 | +1.6% |
| 24 | Pakistan | 48.1 | -24.3% | 60.4 | -16.5% |
| 25 | Nigeria | 41.6 | -34.5% | 50.6 | -30% |
| 26 | Malaysia | 61.6 | -3% | 71.2 | -1.6% |
| 27 | Philippines | 59 | -7.1% | 67.9 | -6.2% |
| 28 | Vietnam | 58.9 | -7.3% | 68.9 | -4.8% |
| 29 | Netherlands | 69.7 | +9.7% | 78.2 | +8.1% |
| 30 | Argentina | 63.9 | +0.6% | 74 | +2.3% |
| 31 | Bangladesh | 49.3 | -22.4% | 60.6 | -16.2% |
| 32 | Colombia | 60.9 | -4.1% | 71.2 | -1.6% |
| 33 | South Africa | 43.2 | -32% | 50.9 | -29.7% |
| 34 | UAE | 63.1 | -0.6% | 74.4 | +2.8% |
| 35 | Iraq | 52.6 | -17.2% | 63.2 | -12.6% |
| 36 | Algeria | 58.4 | -8% | 69.7 | -3.7% |
| 37 | Singapore | 67.8 | +6.8% | 77.8 | +7.6% |
| 38 | Belgium | 69.4 | +9.3% | 77.8 | +7.5% |
| 39 | Switzerland | 72.1 | +13.5% | 79.6 | +10.1% |
| 40 | Kazakhstan | 54.3 | -14.5% | 63.2 | -12.6% |
| 41 | Sweden | 71.4 | +12.4% | 79.7 | +10.1% |
| 42 | Romania | 61.7 | -2.8% | 69.9 | -3.4% |
| 43 | Chile | 65.5 | +3.1% | 76 | +5.1% |
| 44 | Hong Kong | 62.1 | -2.2% | 71 | -1.9% |
| 45 | Peru | 58.8 | -7.4% | 69.2 | -4.4% |
| 46 | Austria | 70.3 | +10.7% | 78.2 | +8.1% |
| 47 | Ireland | 69.3 | +9.1% | 76.9 | +6.3% |
| 48 | Czech Republic | 65.6 | +3.3% | 74.9 | +3.5% |
| 49 | Norway | 70.5 | +11% | 78.6 | +8.6% |
| 50 | Ukraine | 56.8 | -10.6% | 68 | -6% |
| 51 | Myanmar | 49.1 | -22.7% | 58.7 | -18.9% |
| 52 | Qatar | 60.6 | -4.6% | 72.7 | +0.5% |
| 53 | Israel | 69.9 | +10.1% | 78.6 | +8.7% |
| 54 | Hungary | 59.9 | -5.7% | 70.8 | -2.2% |
| 55 | Portugal | 66.3 | +4.4% | 75.5 | +4.4% |
| 56 | Morocco | 54.9 | -13.6% | 68.3 | -5.6% |
| 57 | Uzbekistan | 54.3 | -14.5% | 65.1 | -10.1% |
| 58 | Kuwait | 64.7 | +1.9% | 75.5 | +4.4% |
| 59 | Sri Lanka | 61.1 | -3.8% | 71.5 | -1.2% |
| 60 | Denmark | 69.5 | +9.4% | 76.4 | +5.6% |
| 61 | Greece | 71 | +11.8% | 78.1 | +8% |
| 62 | Ethiopia | 35.4 | -44.3% | 43.8 | -39.5% |
| 63 | Finland | 68.8 | +8.3% | 77.3 | +6.9% |
| 64 | Ghana | 46.7 | -26.5% | 56.5 | -21.9% |
| 65 | Oman | 59.7 | -6% | 71.5 | -1.1% |
| 66 | Angola | 36.9 | -41.9% | 46.3 | -36% |
| 67 | Dominican Republic | 56.2 | -11.5% | 68.6 | -5.2% |
| 68 | Tanzania | 38.1 | -40% | 46.5 | -35.7% |
| 69 | New Zealand | 70.8 | +11.5% | 78.4 | +8.4% |
| 70 | Kenya | 40.7 | -35.9% | 48.9 | -32.4% |
| 71 | Ecuador | 60.3 | -5.1% | 71.2 | -1.6% |
| 72 | Slovakia | 62.4 | -1.7% | 73.4 | +1.4% |
| 73 | Belarus | 60.1 | -5.4% | 68 | -6% |
| 74 | Azerbaijan | 55.4 | -12.8% | 65.3 | -9.7% |
| 75 | Bulgaria | 63.4 | -0.2% | 71.2 | -1.6% |
| 76 | Sudan | 45.1 | -29% | 56.6 | -21.7% |
| 77 | Ivory Coast | 39 | -38.6% | 47.4 | -34.5% |
| 78 | Guatemala | 54.7 | -13.9% | 66.1 | -8.7% |
| 79 | Tunisia | 61.4 | -3.3% | 71.3 | -1.4% |
| 80 | Bosnia/Herzegovina | 63.7 | +0.3% | 71.7 | -0.9% |
| 81 | Turkmenistan | 52.1 | -18% | 62.5 | -13.7% |
| 82 | Puerto Rico | 67.2 | +5.8% | 76.7 | +6% |
| 83 | Uganda | 35.7 | -43.8% | 44.1 | -39.1% |
| 84 | Panama | 63.9 | +0.6% | 73.9 | +2.2% |
| 85 | Croatia | 64 | +0.8% | 73.8 | +2% |
| 86 | Cameroon | 40.4 | -36.4% | 49.7 | -31.3% |
| 87 | Nepal | 45.8 | -27.9% | 58.3 | -19.5% |
| 88 | Paraguay | 60.9 | -4.1% | 72.2 | -0.2% |
| 89 | Lithuania | 58.4 | -8% | 72.1 | -0.4% |
| 90 | Jordan | 58.5 | -7.9% | 70.5 | -2.5% |
| 91 | Bolivia | 51.4 | -19.1% | 62.3 | -13.9% |
| 92 | Costa Rica | 65.3 | +2.8% | 76.1 | +5.2% |
| 93 | Dem. Rep. Congo | 34.4 | -45.8% | 42.8 | -40.8% |
| 94 | Uruguay | 64.1 | +0.9% | 74 | +2.2% |
| 95 | Cambodia | 47.1 | -25.8% | 56 | -22.6% |
| 96 | Afghanistan | 33.8 | -46.8% | 44.7 | -38.3% |
| 97 | Bahrain | 62.7 | -1.3% | 73.7 | +1.9% |
| 98 | Lebanon | 60.7 | -4.4% | 71.2 | -1.6% |
| 99 | Zambia | 33 | -48% | 39.4 | -45.6% |
| 100 | Slovenia | 66.9 | +5.3% | 75.7 | +4.6% |
Twelve among the top 100 richest countries have an overall life expectancy exceeding age 70. These are Japan (73.8), Switzerland (72.1), Australia (71.5), Sweden (71.4), Italy (71.2), Greece (71), New Zealand (70.8), France (70.7), Spain (70.6), Norway (70.5), Austria (70.3) and Canada (70).
Zooming in on life expectancy by healthy population only, 14 out of the 100 richest economies share lifespans greater than 78 years: Japan (81.1), Sweden (79.7), Switzerland (79.6), Australia (79.4), France (79.2), Italy (also 79.2), Spain (78.9), Canada (78.8), Norway (78.6), Israel (also 78.6), New Zealand (78.4), Netherlands (78.2), Austria (78.2) then Greece (78.1).
Healthy Life Expectancies by Gender
Use the table below to search country-specific average life expectancies by gender. Showcased is the number of lifespan years for what the World Health Organization considers healthy males and females, plus “+/-” suffixed columns showing the percentage difference compared to the benchmark for the top 10 richest countries.
| Rank | Country | Male | Male+/- | Female | Female+/- |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | China | 68.9 | -0.4% | 73 | -3.3% |
| 2 | United States | 73.9 | +6.8% | 79.5 | +5.3% |
| 3 | India | 59.8 | -13.5% | 62.7 | -16.9% |
| 4 | Japan | 77.5 | +12% | 84.7 | +12.2% |
| 5 | Russia | 59.4 | -14.1% | 72 | -4.6% |
| 6 | Germany | 74.3 | +7.4% | 80.6 | +6.8% |
| 7 | Indonesia | 63.4 | -8.3% | 67.4 | -10.7% |
| 8 | Brazil | 64.5 | -6.8% | 71.9 | -4.7% |
| 9 | United Kingdom | 74.8 | +8.1% | 79.9 | +5.9% |
| 10 | France | 75.2 | +8.7% | 83.1 | +10.1% |
| 11 | Mexico | 71 | +2.6% | 76.2 | +1% |
| 12 | South Korea | 70.5 | +1.9% | 78.3 | +3.7% |
| 13 | Turkey | 66.8 | -3.4% | 72.5 | -3.9% |
| 14 | Italy | 76 | +9.9% | 82.4 | +9.2% |
| 15 | Saudi Arabia | 68.1 | -1.5% | 73.5 | -2.6% |
| 16 | Canada | 76 | +9.9% | 81.5 | +8% |
| 17 | Spain | 75.4 | +9% | 82.3 | +9% |
| 18 | Egypt | 65.4 | -5.5% | 69.1 | -8.5% |
| 19 | Iran | 68.1 | -1.5% | 69.9 | -7.4% |
| 20 | Taiwan | 68.9 | -0.4% | 73 | -3.3% |
| 21 | Thailand | 66 | -4.6% | 72.4 | -4.1% |
| 22 | Australia | 76.6 | +10.7% | 82.1 | +8.8% |
| 23 | Poland | 69.2 | +0.04% | 77.7 | +2.9% |
| 24 | Pakistan | 60.1 | -13.1% | 60.7 | -19.6% |
| 25 | Nigeria | 49.8 | -28% | 51.4 | -31.9% |
| 26 | Malaysia | 68.3 | -1.3% | 74.1 | -1.8% |
| 27 | Philippines | 64.6 | -6.6% | 71.1 | -5.8% |
| 28 | Vietnam | 66.7 | -3.6% | 71 | -5.9% |
| 29 | Netherlands | 75.4 | +9% | 81 | +7.3% |
| 30 | Argentina | 70.2 | +1.5% | 77.8 | +3.1% |
| 31 | Bangladesh | 60.4 | -12.7% | 60.8 | -19.4% |
| 32 | Colombia | 67.2 | -2.8% | 75.1 | -0.5% |
| 33 | South Africa | 49.6 | -28.3% | 52.1 | -31% |
| 34 | UAE | 72.3 | +4.5% | 76.4 | +1.2% |
| 35 | Iraq | 61.7 | -10.8% | 64.7 | -14.3% |
| 36 | Algeria | 68.1 | -1.5% | 71.2 | -5.7% |
| 37 | Singapore | 75.4 | +9% | 80.2 | +6.3% |
| 38 | Belgium | 74.6 | +7.9% | 80.9 | +7.2% |
| 39 | Switzerland | 76.7 | +10.9% | 82.5 | +9.3% |
| 40 | Kazakhstan | 58 | -16.1% | 68.4 | -9.4% |
| 41 | Sweden | 77.3 | +11.8% | 82 | +8.6% |
| 42 | Romania | 66.2 | -4.3% | 73.5 | -2.6% |
| 43 | Chile | 72.5 | +4.8% | 79.5 | +5.3% |
| 44 | Hong Kong | 68.9 | -0.4% | 73 | -3.3% |
| 45 | Peru | 66.7 | -3.6% | 71.6 | -5.1% |
| 46 | Austria | 74.9 | +8.3% | 81.4 | +7.8% |
| 47 | Ireland | 74.1 | +7.1% | 79.7 | +5.6% |
| 48 | Czech Republic | 71.5 | +3.4% | 78.2 | +3.6% |
| 49 | Norway | 75.7 | +9.4% | 81.4 | +7.8% |
| 50 | Ukraine | 62.6 | -9.5% | 73.3 | -2.9% |
| 51 | Myanmar | 56.2 | -18.8% | 61.1 | -19.1% |
| 52 | Qatar | 70.4 | +1.8% | 75 | -0.6% |
| 53 | Israel | 76.6 | +10.7% | 80.6 | +6.8% |
| 54 | Hungary | 66.3 | -4.1% | 75.2 | -0.4% |
| 55 | Portugal | 71.7 | +3.7% | 79.3 | +5.1% |
| 56 | Morocco | 66.1 | -4.4% | 70.4 | -6.7% |
| 57 | Uzbekistan | 62.1 | -10.2% | 68 | -9.9% |
| 58 | Kuwait | 74.2 | +7.3% | 76.8 | +1.7% |
| 59 | Sri Lanka | 67.6 | -2.3% | 75.3 | -0.2% |
| 60 | Denmark | 74.2 | +7.3% | 78.5 | +4% |
| 61 | Greece | 75.4 | +9% | 80.8 | +7% |
| 62 | Ethiopia | 42.8 | -38.1% | 44.7 | -40.8% |
| 63 | Finland | 73.7 | +6.5% | 80.9 | +7.2% |
| 64 | Ghana | 55 | -20.5% | 57.9 | -23.3% |
| 65 | Oman | 69.5 | +0.5% | 73.5 | -2.6% |
| 66 | Angola | 44.3 | -36% | 48.3 | -36% |
| 67 | Dominican Republic | 65.5 | -5.3% | 71.6 | -5.1% |
| 68 | Tanzania | 45.8 | -33.8% | 47.2 | -37.5% |
| 69 | New Zealand | 75.9 | +9.7% | 80.9 | +7.2% |
| 70 | Kenya | 48.2 | -30.3% | 49.6 | -34.3% |
| 71 | Ecuador | 68.2 | -1.4% | 74.2 | -1.7% |
| 72 | Slovakia | 69.2 | +0.04% | 77.5 | +2.7% |
| 73 | Belarus | 62 | -10.4% | 74 | -2% |
| 74 | Azerbaijan | 61.7 | -10.8% | 68.9 | -8.7% |
| 75 | Bulgaria | 67.4 | -2.6% | 74.9 | -0.8% |
| 76 | Sudan | 55.4 | -19.9% | 57.8 | -23.4% |
| 77 | Ivory Coast | 46.4 | -32.9% | 48.4 | -35.9% |
| 78 | Guatemala | 63.5 | -8.2% | 68.6 | -9.1% |
| 79 | Tunisia | 69.2 | +0.04% | 73.4 | -2.8% |
| 80 | Bosnia/Herzegovina | 68.7 | -0.7% | 74.7 | -1% |
| 81 | Turkmenistan | 60 | -13.3% | 64.9 | -14% |
| 82 | Puerto Rico | 73.9 | +6.8% | 79.5 | +5.3% |
| 83 | Uganda | 43.5 | -37.1% | 44.6 | -40.9% |
| 84 | Panama | 71.5 | +3.4% | 76.3 | +1.1% |
| 85 | Croatia | 69.8 | +0.9% | 77.7 | +2.9% |
| 86 | Cameroon | 49 | -29.2% | 50.4 | -33.2% |
| 87 | Nepal | 58.5 | -15.4% | 58 | -23.2% |
| 88 | Paraguay | 70.2 | +1.5% | 74.2 | -1.7% |
| 89 | Lithuania | 66.9 | -3.3% | 77.2 | +2.3% |
| 90 | Jordan | 68.5 | -1% | 72.5 | -3.9% |
| 91 | Bolivia | 60.9 | -12% | 63.6 | -15.7% |
| 92 | Costa Rica | 73.4 | +6.1% | 78.8 | +4.4% |
| 93 | Dem. Rep. Congo | 41.6 | -39.9% | 44 | -41.7% |
| 94 | Uruguay | 70 | +1.2% | 77.9 | +3.2% |
| 95 | Cambodia | 53.4 | -22.8% | 58.5 | -22.5% |
| 96 | Afghanistan | 44.2 | -36.1% | 45.1 | -40.2% |
| 97 | Bahrain | 72.7 | +5.1% | 74.7 | -1% |
| 98 | Lebanon | 69.1 | -0.1% | 73.3 | -2.9% |
| 99 | Zambia | 39.2 | -43.3% | 39.5 | -47.7% |
| 100 | Slovenia | 71.9 | +3.9% | 79.4 | +5.2% |
For the male cohort, 7 among the 100 richest countries can expect an average lifespan of at least 76 years: Japan (77.5), Sweden (77.3), Switzerland (76.7), Australia (76.6), Israel (also 76.6), Italy (76) and Canada (also 76).
Females tend to have longer lifespans, and the latest WHO data bears out that premise.
On average, in 11 of the 100 wealthiest economies, healthy females live to age 81 or beyond: Japan (84.7), France (83.1), Switzerland (82.5), Italy (82.4), Spain (82.3), Australia (82.1), Sweden (82), Canada (81.5), Norway (81.4), Austria (also 81.4) then Netherlands (81).
See also Central Bank Interest Rates, Latest Richest Countries Ranked by GDP per Capita and Exchange Rates for Top 25 Richest Countries.
Research Reference Materials:
Central Intelligence Agency, The World Factbook Country Comparison: GDP (Purchasing Power Parity). Accessed on October 9, 2020
International Monetary Fund, World Economic Outlook Databases. Accessed on October 9, 2020
Investopedia, What Is Purchasing Power Parity?. Accessed on October 9, 2020
The Economist, Guide to Economic Indicators: Making Sense of Economics (7th Edition). Accessed on October 9, 2020
Trading Economics, Economic Indicators by Category. Accessed on October 9, 2020
World Bank, GDP, PPP (current international $). Accessed on October 9, 2020
World Health Organization (WHO), Estimates of healthy life expectancy for 191 countries in the year 2000: methods and results. Accessed on October 9, 2020
