Life expectancy is increasing globally thanks to improved healthcare and hygiene, medical technology advances, and poverty reduction. In fact, the human race is steadily edging towards the ultimate lifespan of 150 years, according to recent research.
There's still a very long way to go to reach that milestone, and even by 2050, massive life expectancy disparities between countries are predicted to persist. While the global average is expected to rise to 78.1 years by 2050, according to a Global Burden of Disease study published in 2024, some countries are projected to fall way short of that figure.
Read on to discover the predicted life expectancy by 2050 of people in 25 selected countries, based on data collated by database.earth and ranked from the lowest to the highest. All dollar amounts in US dollars.
Nigeria has the world's lowest life expectancy of just 54.8 years in 2025. Although this number is expected to rise to 58.5 years by 2050, this won't be enough to push the nation out of bottom place.
South Africa is also expected to maintain its place in the rankings (204th out of 237 countries), though life expectancy should rise from 66.5 to 70.3 years. The HIV epidemic precipitated a pronounced drop in life expectancy in South Africa during the 1990s and 2000s, when the figure dipped from around 63 years to under 54. Effective antiretroviral therapy has since pretty much reversed the decline.
Though the numbers are trending upwards, huge disparities may endure. For instance, the wealthier minority white population tend to live far longer than the poorer majority Black population.
India has made great strides since 1950, when life expectancy in the nation stood at just 41.7 years. The average is now over 72 and is expected to rise to 77.5 by 2050.
Medical advances, broader access to healthcare, better nutrition, and improved sanitation have contributed to the impressive increase in longevity. It's worth noting however that diarrhoeal diseases, which are relatively easy to prevent, remain a major cause of death in India, especially among females. Vast disparities also present a critical challenge going forward, with studies finding that marginalised groups tend to die much younger than higher-caste Hindus.
Russia's life expectancy is currently 73.5 years, but women live significantly longer than men in the country. The figure for females is 79.3 today, compared to just 67.7 for males. In fact, Russia's life expectancy gender gap is the largest in the world.
This is because deaths arising from preventable causes such as lifestyle factors, traffic accidents, and crime are far higher among men than women in the nation. Moreover, Russian deaths related to the war in Ukraine have been disproportionately among young men. While life expectancy for both sexes in Russia is projected to increase to 77.9 by 2050, the life expectancy gender gap is predicted to remain, merely narrowing from over 11 years to 9.4.
Life expectancy in Mexico is forecast to brush the 80-year mark by 2050, up from just over 75 today and a lowly 44 in 1950. The rise has mainly been attributed to striking improvements in living standards and healthcare during the latter half of the 20th century.
That said, the jaw-dropping rise in murder rates this century, connected mainly to drug cartel violence, has caused the increase to slow. This is particularly true for males in the country, who saw their average life expectancy dip in the mid-2010s.
Life expectancy in Brazil has been on a strong upward trajectory over the last 70 years, aside from a COVID-related blip, rocketing from 48.1 years in 1950 to 76.2 today. It's set to rise further to 80.3 by 2050.
However, the average figure does hide shocking polarities in a nation with some of the world's largest economic and health inequalities. For example, life expectancy for residents of São Paulo's poorest neighbourhood, Cidade Tiradentes, was just 58.3 in 2021, while for the well-heeled denizens of Alto de Pinheiros – the city's most affluent locale – it was pegged at 80.9. On the bright side, inequality has actually been falling this century, and the gap between rich and poor will likely narrow further in the future.
It's a similar story in neighbouring Argentina, though life expectancy was 61.3 in 1950 compared to Brazil's 48.1. It's currently 77.7, and this number is expected to climb to 81.4 by 2050. However, the impact of President Milei's healthcare cuts could stunt this growth.
Since December 2023, Javier Milei has slashed the nation's healthcare budget in half, leaving patients – including those living with cancer and HIV – waiting months for potentially life-saving treatment. What's more, drastic austerity measures have affected pensions, forcing Argentinian retirees to take to the streets in protest. This man's sign reads: "Milei, it bothers you when we block roads. It bothers us pensioners that you rob us of money, food and medicine".
Today, the average Colombian is expected to live to 78, a fraction longer than the average Argentinian. By 2050, life expectancy is forecast to hit 82.4, with women predicted to live around five years longer than men.
Various factors can explain the rise. The nation's GDP per capita has rocketed since the start of the century, while both homicide and infant mortality rates have fallen dramatically in the past few decades.
US life expectancy has risen from 68.1 years in 1950 and is projected to hit 83.2 by 2050. These numbers are decidedly unimpressive compared to other high-income countries. America has much higher maternal and infant mortality rates than its peers, not to mention higher death rates among young people.
Health inequalities are stark, and the US has one of the world's highest obesity rates. Impoverished Black Americans are especially disadvantaged, while a recent study has shown low-income Americans over the age of 60 die a staggering nine years earlier than their wealthy compatriots. Much of this can be attributed to a lack of universal healthcare – the US is the only industrialised country in the world that doesn't provide universal health coverage. However, it spends more on healthcare than any other nation.
Life expectancy in China stood at 43.8 years in 1950 but plummeted to 33.3 in 1960 as a consequence of the man-made Great Chinese Famine. Brought about by Chairman Mao's disastrous Great Leap Forward, it killed an estimated 30 million people.
Since then, the figure has steadily risen. Life expectancy is currently 78.4 and is expected to reach 83.4 by 2050. However, the forecasts for the Special Administrative Regions of Macau and Hong Kong are much higher at 87.1 and 89.1 respectively, which places them in the 14th and second positions globally. This impressive longevity can be attributed to a host of factors, from excellent public healthcare to wholesome diets and low violent crime rates.
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Life expectancy in the UK is lower than that of many of its counterparts in Western Europe. It stood at 68.6 in 1950 and is now 81.6, with the figure projected to increase to 85 by 2050.
In recent decades, growth in life expectancy in the UK has trailed other G7 countries. Studies have put this down to increasing economic inequality and insufficient funding for the National Health Service (NHS).
Germany's life expectancy is 81.7 today, up from 66.8 in 1950. The number is expected to rise to 85.2 by 2050.
As in the UK, Germany's life expectancy is low compared to the Western European average. According to a study by the Federal Institute for Population Research (BiB) and Max Planck Institute for Demographic Research, this can mostly be pinned on poor heart disease prevention. Although the German government announced plans in 2023 for a new federal institute tasked with boosting life expectancy in the country, a report published by the Robert Koch Institute in March suggests inequality is rife and the life expectancy gap between Germany's richest and poorest residents is widening.
Life expectancy in New Zealand is 82.4 today, up from 69.3 in 1950. The figure is predicted to hit 85.7 in 2050.
New Zealanders live relatively long lives for a number of reasons, from decent healthcare and education about preventable diseases to an excellent work-life balance. But life expectancy for Māori and Pacific Island New Zealanders is significantly lower than that of white New Zealanders, though the gap has narrowed. One of the ways the country is seeking to close this is by prioritising Māori and Pacific Island people on elective surgery waiting lists.
Belgian life expectancy hit 80 for the first time in 2010. Today it's 82.4, and by 2050 it's expected to reach 85.9.
Typically, people live longest in the Flemish region of Belgium. Three of the country's richest municipalities are located in Flemish Brabant, according to figures published in The Brussels Times last November. Interestingly, the leading cause of death in Belgium in 2022 (the most recent year referenced by Belgium.be) was cerebrovascular diseases such as strokes, while in the richer area of Flanders, the leading cause of death was Alzheimer's disease and dementia.
Though research shows living in poverty can increase your risk of developing Alzheimer's, people in lower socio-economic groups are significantly more at risk of strokes than those in higher socio-economic groups.
Austria's life expectancy is currently 82.3 years, up from 64.8 in 1950. By 2050, the typical lifespan in the country will be 85.9 years, the same figure projected for Belgium.
Health spending per capita is robust, as is the country's health system. However, Austria falters when it comes to several public health factors, and the nation's population is expected to decrease by 4.4% between 2023 and 2050, according to the World Health Organization (WHO).
Ireland, which is wealthier now in terms of GDP per capita than its neighbour the UK, also surpasses the country in life expectancy. Back in 1950, the Irish typically died three years younger than the British. But they now live more than a year longer, with Irish men boasting the longest life expectancy in the EU, according to the Central Statistics Office (CSO). The average across genders is currently 82.7, and this is poised to reach 86.2 by 2050.
In addition to a wealthy general population – higher income is strongly correlated to longer life expectancy – other factors such as healthier lifestyles and better healthcare, which have led to a fall in deaths from preventable diseases, are behind the improved longevity of the Irish people. Additionally, Ireland has some of Europe's lowest pollution levels and violent crime rates.
Canada's average life expectancy stands at just under 82.9 years. In 1950 the figure was 68.2, and by 2050, as in Ireland, it's expected to reach 86.2.
On average, Canadians live significantly longer than Americans. Research indicates that Canada's universal healthcare, and America's lack of it, is the key factor behind the life expectancy gap between the two countries. Other factors that contribute to the gap include Canada's lower level of income inequality and much lower number of gun-related deaths per capita.
The United Arab Emirates (UAE) has seen a dramatic increase in life expectancy since 1950 when the figure was 41.1. It's now grown to 83.2 and is projected to rise to 86.6 in 2050.
But the increase in average lifespan in the country has stagnated in recent years despite a superior and free healthcare system for citizens, with experts attributing this to poor lifestyle choices among the general population. To accelerate a life expectancy increase in the nation, more emphasis is needed on educating the public about the risks of sedentary behaviours, poor diets, and other lifestyle factors.
France's Jeanne Calment lived to 122, making her the oldest person ever. The country is noted for the long life expectancy of its citizens, with the current figure standing at 83.6 years, up from 66.4 in 1950. The average is predicted to hit 86.6 in 2050.
An excellent healthcare system, a lower retirement age than many countries, low obesity rates, and the nation's joie de vivre mentality have all been cited as factors behind the impressive longevity of the French. Life expectancy is even higher in the overseas department of Martinique, which is considered a new so-called Blue Zone where people live exceptionally long lives.
Southern Europeans tend to live longer than their northern counterparts, but this wasn't always the case. Spain's life expectancy was a relatively poor 61.8 years in 1950 but has since shot up, particularly during the economic miracle of the 1960s and following the end of the Francoist dictatorship in 1975.
Spain's life expectancy now stands at just under 84 and is forecast to hit 87.1 in 2050. The reasons cited for the longer lifespans enjoyed by Spanish people are plentiful, with the nation's first-rate universal healthcare, warm climate, Mediterranean diet, and emphasis on family life that promotes wellbeing among older people all in the mix.
Life expectancy in Australia is currently 84.2 years, up from 69 years in 1950. By 2050, Aussies will be living to 87.2 on average. Interestingly, according to the country's official statistics agency, Australia is one of the few countries that saw life expectancy increase during the COVID-19 pandemic due to its effective early containment of the disease.
The nation boasts high living standards and excellent universal healthcare. Marked disparities do exist, however. For example, Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander people die nine years earlier than non-Indigenous Australians on average, while the poorest Australians are 1.5 times more likely to die early than the richest.
Life expectancy in Italy has soared from 65.7 years in 1950 to 84 years today. But since 2010, the rate of increase has slowed, with factors such as rising poverty, less healthy lifestyle choices among the population, a lack of screening for preventable diseases, and poorer healthcare all suggested as possible drivers.
Italy still ranks among the world's longest-living countries, and life expectancy is forecast to hit 87.2 by 2050. Italy also boasts one of the world's original Blue Zones. The Ogliastra region of Sardinia has the highest number of centenarian men in the world, with its low-protein, vegetable-rich diet identified as the key to its inhabitants' longevity.
In 1950, when South Korea was in the midst of a civil war, life expectancy in the young nation was a mere 21.3 years. Fast-forward to 2025 and the figure stands at 84.5. No other country has seen a more significant rise since the middle of the 20th century, and by 2050, the number is projected to reach 87.3. North Koreans die around 10 years earlier on average.
South Korea's high life expectancy can be attributed to several factors. The country has the best healthcare system in the world after Taiwan, according to the 2023 edition of the CEOWORLD Health Care Index, and there are few health disparities among the population. Other reasons include the country's wholesome traditional diet and a low obesity rate.
Switzerland's life expectancy has risen from 68.9 years in 1950 to 84.2 years today and is projected to increase to 87.3 by 2050.
The Swiss pride themselves on their active lifestyles. Healthy eating is de rigueur in the country, while obesity levels are among the lowest in Europe. Switzerland is an exceedingly rich country and as we've mentioned, wealth correlates with long life, while the nation's healthcare system is also first class.
Life expectancy in Japan is currently 85 years, up from 59.2 in 1950. It's set to reach 88.4 by 2050.
Japanese people tend to live long lives because rates of heart disease and cancer are relatively low. This is mainly due to the nation's extremely low obesity rate and traditional diet, which eschews red meat for fish and is rich in plant-based foods. Unsurprisingly, Japan has the highest number of centenarians per capita and Okinawa, one of the original five Blue Zones, is located in the country.
The super-rich principality of Monaco has the highest life expectancy in the world right now at 86.6 years. It stood at 66.5 in 1950 and is projected to rise to the ripe old age of 89.5 in 2050.
Needless to say, the abundant wealth of the tiny country's inhabitants is a fundamental factor. Poverty in Monaco is almost non-existent. Healthcare is excellent, and the billionaires' playground has the second-highest number of doctors per capita in the world. Other factors include the Mediterranean diet and climate, very low rates of violent crime, and a focus on inclusive community activities that keep seniors active and engaged.
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