Which Countries Have the Lowest Life Expectancy?

What We're Showing

The countries with the lowest life expectancy at birth, broken down by overall and gender-wise life expectancy.

The data comes from the UN's World Population Prospects portal.

Key Takeaways

• Overall, 24 of the 25 countries on the list are located on the African continent, divided between East and West Africa.
• Nigeria, the fourth-largest economy in Africa, has the lowest average life expectancy in the world at 54.6 years.
• Women outlive men in nearly every country on the list. South Sudan (6-year gap) and Mozambique (6.2-year gap) have the biggest gender gaps in life expectancy.
• Nauru, an island country in Oceania, is the only non-African nation on the list.