The latest data from the United Nations shows that life expectancy has increased globally which is a significant indicator of overall health and living standards within a region or a community. Below are the top 10 African countries with the highest life expectancy.
Global increase in life expectancy
In Africa the average life expectancy has increased by about 10 years per person in the last 20 years. This indicates significant progress.
Globally, life expectancy at birth reached 73.3 years in 2024, an increase of 8.4 years since 1995. Further reductions in mortality are projected to result in an average longevity of around 77.4 years globally by 2054. Since 2022, life expectancy has returned to pre-COVID levels in nearly all countries and areas, as reported by Reliefweb.
United Nations report
The latest United Nations World Population report presents population estimates from 1950 for 237 countries or areas, underpinned by analyses of historical demographic trends. This latest assessment considers the results of 1 910 national population censuses conducted between 1950 and 2023, as well as information from vital registration systems and from 3 189 nationally representative sample surveys. The 2024 revision also presents population projections to the year 2100 that reflect a range of plausible outcomes at the global, regional and national levels.
Top 10 countries with highest life expectancy in Africa
The current life expectancy for Africa in 2024 is 64.38 years, a 0.41% increase from 2023. The top 10 African countries with the highest life expectancy are as follows:
| Rank | Country |
| 1 | Algeria |
| 2 | Cabo Verde |
| 3 | Tunisia |
| 4 | Mauritius |
| 5 | Morocco |
| 6 | Seychelles |
| 7 | Libya |
| 8 | Western Sahara |
| 9 | Egypt |
| 10 | Senegal |
South Africa’s statistics
Earlier this year, Times Live reported that life expectancy in South Africa has increased significantly. This reflects advances in medicine, public health, and socioeconomic development.
Both Aids and Covid have significantly impacted South Africa’s overall life expectancy statistics.
According to the report, life expectancy at birth is now 66.5 years. This is a significant increase from the estimated 53.6 years in 2005, reflecting improvements in the overall health and living conditions of the population.
What do you think the biggest contributors are in terms of life expectancy in Africa?
Let us know by clicking on the comment tab below this article.
You can also email info@thesouthafrican.com or send a WhatsApp to 060 011 021 1.
Also, follow @TheSAnews on X and The South African on Facebook for the latest news.
