Data for 1961
Life Expectancy at Birth, 1961
Figures for 1961, as UN DESA Population Division published them · stored as published, never rewritten
Life Expectancy at Birth, 1961 covers 222 countries. Norway is highest, at 73.5644; South Sudan is lowest, at 28.2783. The middle country reads 57.2463. Against 1960, 222 values changed (208 up, 14 down), the same countries are covered.
Life Expectancy at Birth · Data for 1961
HighestNorway
73.5644LowestSouth Sudan
28.2783Shaded by value in five groups of equal size, darkest at the better end.
01Position · derived
The table
Every country and every column of Life Expectancy at Birth, 1961, as published. UN DESA Population Division ranks nobody on this measure; the position is derived here by ordering the published values. “=” marks a shared position.
Showing 25 of 222 countries · select a heading to sort
| derived | ||
|---|---|---|
| 1 | NORNorthern Europe | 73.5644 |
| 2 | NLDWestern Europe | 73.5503 |
| 3 | SWENorthern Europe | 73.4885 |
| 4 | ISLNorthern Europe | 73.3901 |
| 5 | SMRSouthern Europe | 73.3749 |
| 6 | FRONorthern Europe | 72.6162 |
| 7 | ANDSouthern Europe | 72.5725 |
| 8 | DNKNorthern Europe | 72.4529 |
| 9 | MCOWestern Europe | 72.1773 |
| 10 | CHEWestern Europe | 71.7428 |
| 11 | CANNorthern America | 71.2153 |
| 12 | AUSAustralia and New Zealand | 71.1348 |
| 13 | LIEWestern Europe | 70.9701 |
| 14 | FRAWestern Europe | 70.9582 |
| 15 | NZLAustralia and New Zealand | 70.9345 |
| 16 | GBRNorthern Europe | 70.7895 |
| 17 | SVKEastern Europe | 70.7894 |
| 18 | CZEEastern Europe | 70.6216 |
| 19 | LVANorthern Europe | 70.5397 |
| 20 | BELWestern Europe | 70.4980 |
| 21 | LTUNorthern Europe | 70.4642 |
| 22 | GRCSouthern Europe | 70.3855 |
| 23 | USANorthern America | 70.2536 |
| 24 | BGREastern Europe | 70.2257 |
| 25 | GIBSouthern Europe | 70.1648 |
| 26 | UKREastern Europe | 70.0438 |
| 27 | BLREastern Europe | 70.0217 |
| 28 | DEUWestern Europe | 69.8370 |
| 29 | ITASouthern Europe | 69.8205 |
| 30 | ISRWestern Asia | 69.8062 |
| 31 | VATSouthern Europe | 69.8022 |
| 32 | AUTWestern Europe | 69.7129 |
| 33 | ESTNorthern Europe | 69.6410 |
| 34 | IRLNorthern Europe | 69.6390 |
| 35 | ESPSouthern Europe | 69.5682 |
| 36 | LUXWestern Europe | 69.1498 |
| 37 | HUNEastern Europe | 69.0169 |
| 38 | FINNorthern Europe | 69.0109 |
| 39 | SVNSouthern Europe | 68.8851 |
| 40 | RUSEastern Europe | 68.5626 |
| 41 | PRICaribbean | 68.5277 |
| 42 | MLTSouthern Europe | 68.4193 |
| 43 | JPNEastern Asia | 68.3705 |
| 44 | MAFCaribbean | 67.9121 |
| 45 | URYSouth America | 67.8104 |
| 46 | POLEastern Europe | 67.7976 |
| 47 | BMUNorthern America | 67.5282 |
| 48 | HKGEastern Asia | 66.8659 |
| 49 | SXMCaribbean | 66.6781 |
| 50 | HRVSouthern Europe | 66.5490 |
| 51 | ROUEastern Europe | 66.4153 |
| 52 | SRBSouthern Europe | 66.3032 |
| 53 | MNESouthern Europe | 66.1027 |
| 54 | CUWCaribbean | 65.7450 |
| 55 | SGPSouth-eastern Asia | 65.6863 |
| 56 | ASMPolynesia | 65.6476 |
| 57 | BRBCaribbean | 65.0326 |
| 58 | ARGSouth America | 64.6314 |
| 59 | MACEastern Asia | 64.4799 |
| 60 | IMNNorthern Europe | 64.4250 |
| 61 | LBNWestern Asia | 64.2670 |
| 62 | JAMCaribbean | 64.2570 |
| 63 | ABWCaribbean | 64.2147 |
| 64 | CYPWestern Asia | 64.0758 |
| 65 | CRICentral America | 63.8599 |
| 66 | CUBCaribbean | 63.7433 |
| 67 | GRDCaribbean | 63.5528 |
| 68 | ATGCaribbean | 63.3352 |
| 69 | VGBCaribbean | 63.2738 |
| 70 | GUMMicronesia | 63.2259 |
| 71 | VIRCaribbean | 63.2255 |
| 72 | TWNEastern Asia | 62.9844 |
| 73 | TTOCaribbean | 62.9652 |
| 74 | BHSCaribbean | 62.8134 |
| 75 | PRTSouthern Europe | 62.8049 |
| 76 | MKDSouthern Europe | 61.7922 |
| 77 | GEOWestern Asia | 61.7201 |
| 78 | MNPMicronesia | 61.6707 |
| 79 | LKASouthern Asia | 61.1582 |
| 80 | DMACaribbean | 61.0224 |
| 81 | AIACaribbean | 60.9241 |
| 82 | PANCentral America | 60.9138 |
| 83 | SYCEastern Africa | 60.5823 |
| 84 | PRYSouth America | 60.5166 |
| 85 | KWTWestern Asia | 59.9525 |
| 86 | NIUPolynesia | 59.9508 |
| 87 | MDAEastern Europe | 59.8564 |
| 88 | PYFPolynesia | 59.8504 |
| 89 | ARMWestern Asia | 59.5666 |
| 90 | MUSEastern Africa | 59.5430 |
| 91 | MSRCaribbean | 59.4797 |
| 92 | PHLSouth-eastern Asia | 59.4689 |
| 93 | CYMCaribbean | 59.4265 |
| 94 | BRNSouth-eastern Asia | 59.3866 |
| 95 | GRLNorthern America | 59.3855 |
| 96 | BIHSouthern Europe | 59.2846 |
| 97 | VCTCaribbean | 59.2719 |
| 98 | VENSouth America | 59.1149 |
| 99 | FJIMelanesia | 59.1019 |
| 100 | LCACaribbean | 59.0950 |
| 101 | TONPolynesia | 58.7574 |
| 102 | QATWestern Asia | 58.5019 |
| 103 | VNMSouth-eastern Asia | 58.4612 |
| 104 | KAZCentral Asia | 58.1687 |
| 105 | MYSSouth-eastern Asia | 58.0150 |
| 106 | NRUMicronesia | 58.0045 |
| 107 | GUYSouth America | 57.9119 |
| 108 | ALBSouthern Europe | 57.4880 |
| 109 | KNACaribbean | 57.3379 |
| 110 | CHLSouth America | 57.3091 |
| 111 | SURSouth America | 57.2900 |
| 112 | COLSouth America | 57.2025 |
| 113 | TCACaribbean | 57.0865 |
| 114 | UZBCentral Asia | 56.8737 |
| 115 | PRKEastern Asia | 56.4079 |
| 116 | WSMPolynesia | 55.7380 |
| 117 | KGZCentral Asia | 55.4099 |
| 118 | PLWMicronesia | 55.0916 |
| 119 | FSMMicronesia | 54.7360 |
| 120 | MHLMicronesia | 54.7252 |
| 121 | KOREastern Asia | 54.4440 |
| 122 | MEXCentral America | 54.4218 |
| 123 | COKPolynesia | 54.0835 |
| 124 | ECUSouth America | 54.0520 |
| 125 | ZWEEastern Africa | 53.9663 |
| 126 | JORWestern Asia | 53.6800 |
| 127 | SYRWestern Asia | 53.6521 |
| 128 | BRASouth America | 53.5944 |
| 129 | NCLMelanesia | 53.0683 |
| 130 | ZAFSouthern Africa | 53.0669 |
| 131 | TJKCentral Asia | 52.9445 |
| 132 | BLZCentral America | 52.9437 |
| 133 | TKMCentral Asia | 52.5097 |
| 134 | DOMCaribbean | 52.4472 |
| 135 | IRQWestern Asia | 52.3388 |
| 136 | BHRWestern Asia | 52.2777 |
| 137 | BWASouthern Africa | 51.7811 |
| 138 | AREWestern Asia | 51.5963 |
| 139 | TURWestern Asia | 51.5584 |
| 140 | AZEWestern Asia | 51.4351 |
| 141 | PERSouth America | 51.1919 |
| 142 | THASouth-eastern Asia | 51.0650 |
| 143 | ZMBEastern Africa | 51.0412 |
| 144 | VUTMelanesia | 50.3839 |
| 145 | LSOSouthern Africa | 50.2745 |
| 146 | SDNNorthern Africa | 49.9636 |
| 147 | XKXSouthern Europe | 49.8830 |
| 148 | PSEWestern Asia | 49.8177 |
| 149 | CPVWestern Africa | 49.4185 |
| 150 | KENEastern Africa | 49.3304 |
| 151 | NAMSouthern Africa | 49.2420 |
| 152 | TUVPolynesia | 49.0201 |
| 153 | SLVCentral America | 48.6332 |
| 154 | KIRMicronesia | 48.4685 |
| 155 | COGMiddle Africa | 48.3510 |
| 156 | SLBMelanesia | 48.3357 |
| 157 | HNDCentral America | 47.7100 |
| 158 | RWAEastern Africa | 47.4581 |
| 159 | IDNSouth-eastern Asia | 47.3853 |
| 160 | NICCentral America | 47.2893 |
| 161 | GHAWestern Africa | 47.1275 |
| 162 | GABMiddle Africa | 47.1152 |
| 163 | SWZSouthern Africa | 46.7499 |
| 164 | PNGMelanesia | 46.4247 |
| 165 | UGAEastern Africa | 46.2707 |
| 166 | GTMCentral America | 46.1201 |
| 167 | SAUWestern Asia | 45.8805 |
| 168 | INDSouthern Asia | 45.8244 |
| 169 | MNGEastern Asia | 45.4075 |
| 170 | STPMiddle Africa | 45.1927 |
| 171 | EGYNorthern Africa | 45.1456 |
| 172 | PAKSouthern Asia | 44.9558 |
| 173 | BGDSouthern Asia | 44.8874 |
| 174 | MMRSouth-eastern Asia | 44.6035 |
| 175 | MRTWestern Africa | 44.3067 |
| 176 | TUNNorthern Africa | 44.2568 |
| 177 | IRNSouthern Asia | 43.9003 |
| 178 | HTICaribbean | 43.8248 |
| 179 | MDGEastern Africa | 43.7900 |
| 180 | DJIEastern Africa | 43.7808 |
| 181 | TGOWestern Africa | 43.7460 |
| 182 | MARNorthern Africa | 43.6945 |
| 183 | SOMEastern Africa | 43.6667 |
| 184 | BOLSouth America | 43.6283 |
| 185 | BDIEastern Africa | 43.3642 |
| 186 | GNQMiddle Africa | 43.0080 |
| 187 | TZAEastern Africa | 42.8413 |
| 188 | KHMSouth-eastern Asia | 42.5882 |
| 189 | LBYNorthern Africa | 42.3619 |
| 190 | MOZEastern Africa | 41.5003 |
| 191 | LAOSouth-eastern Asia | 41.3439 |
| 192 | COMEastern Africa | 41.1574 |
| 193 | DZANorthern Africa | 40.7916 |
| 194 | ETHEastern Africa | 40.1978 |
| 195 | CODMiddle Africa | 40.1611 |
| 196 | CHNEastern Asia | 40.1583 |
| 197 | CAFMiddle Africa | 40.0563 |
| 198 | SENWestern Africa | 39.7154 |
| 199 | TCDMiddle Africa | 39.4211 |
| 200 | BENWestern Africa | 39.2326 |
| 201 | NPLSouthern Asia | 38.9662 |
| 202 | MDVSouthern Asia | 38.6455 |
| 203 | LBRWestern Africa | 38.1039 |
| 204 | CIVWestern Africa | 37.9232 |
| 205 | ERIEastern Africa | 37.9120 |
| 206 | GNBWestern Africa | 37.7882 |
| 207 | NGAWestern Africa | 37.4271 |
| 208 | AGOMiddle Africa | 36.9017 |
| 209 | GINWestern Africa | 36.8157 |
| 210 | BTNSouthern Asia | 36.6537 |
| 211 | OMNWestern Asia | 36.3860 |
| 212 | BFAWestern Africa | 36.3612 |
| 213 | NERWestern Africa | 36.2869 |
| 214 | MWIEastern Africa | 35.2295 |
| 215 | CMRMiddle Africa | 35.1862 |
| 216 | GMBWestern Africa | 35.0632 |
| 217 | YEMWestern Asia | 34.0579 |
| 218 | SLEWestern Africa | 33.6328 |
| 219 | AFGSouthern Asia | 33.2910 |
| 220 | TLSSouth-eastern Asia | 32.8009 |
| 221 | MLIWestern Africa | 30.6366 |
| 222 | SSDEastern Africa | 28.2783 |
02In 1961
At either end
The 5 countries at each end of the headline.
Highest
- 1
Norway73.5644
- 2
Netherlands73.5503
- 3
Sweden73.4885
- 4
Iceland73.3901
- 5
San Marino73.3749
Lowest
- 222
South Sudan28.2783
- 221
Mali30.6366
- 220
Timor-Leste32.8009
- 219
Afghanistan33.2910
- 218
Sierra Leone33.6328
A higher value is the better result. The middle country reads 57.2463. “Shared” marks a value another country also holds.
031960 → 1961
Since 1960
What changed between 1960 and this one: who joined or left, and how far the headline moved.
- +0 / −0countries joined / left
- 222values changed, of 222 in both
- 208 · 14rose · fell
- 0unchanged
Rose most
China33.4190 → 40.1583+6.7393
Anguilla58.8326 → 60.9241+2.0915
Morocco41.7302 → 43.6945+1.9643
Bahrain50.6340 → 52.2777+1.6437
São Tomé and Príncipe43.5639 → 45.1927+1.6288
Changes in value, not in places: a country’s place also moves when others do. Every country’s full history is charted on the statistic page.
04Caveats
Read before you use
What this edition’s numbers are and are not, worked out from the file itself.
The position is ours
UN DESA Population Division publishes values only; the order is this site’s.
Nothing missing
Every one of the 222 countries has every column.
05The files
Download and cite
The table as a file, digit for digit, what this site changed, and a citation for this edition.
- .csv
For a spreadsheet or code
222 rows · 6.5 KB · UTF-8, opens in Excel
Opens with 11 lines of source notes; the table starts on row 13.
Download life-expectancy-1961-nations-inquiry.csv - ↗
The publisher’s original
UN DESA Population Division’s own file, on its own site.
WPP2024_Demographic_Indicators_Medium.csv.gz
What this site changed: Reshaped into one row per country: regional and income-group totals are left out, only the columns listed are kept, each row gets its ISO 3166 code, and some country names are brought to one spelling. No value is recalculated, rescaled or rounded.
Licence: CC BY 3.0 IGO · what it allows, in plain words
Cite this edition
UN DESA Population Division (1961). Life Expectancy at Birth, 1961 [data set], describing 1961. As held by Nations Inquiry, https://nationsinquiry.com/datasets/life-expectancy/1961
0674 held
Other years
‹ The year before
Life Expectancy at Birth, 1960222 countries
The year after ›
Life Expectancy at Birth, 1962222 countries
All of them
Life Expectancy at Birth: every year74 held, with the data dictionary, coverage and licence.
How it has moved, charted by country
07Questions
Life Expectancy at Birth, 1961: questions and answers
Which country has the highest life expectancy in Life Expectancy at Birth, 1961?
Norway, at 73.5644, of the 222 countries in the file.
What year does Life Expectancy at Birth, 1961 describe?
1961.
How many countries does Life Expectancy at Birth, 1961 cover?
222.
Where can I download Life Expectancy at Birth, 1961?
On this page, as a CSV file holding every value exactly as published, or from the publisher’s own site, linked below.
Is Life Expectancy at Birth, 1961 the newest?
No. The newest held here is Life Expectancy at Birth, 2023.