Papua New Guinea Life Expectancy
Life expectancy at birth, total SP.DYN.LE00.IN
Papua New Guinea's life expectancy was 66.0 in 2025, ranked 186th globally. This represents a 0.3% decrease from 2024. Data from World Bank, covering 1960–2025.
Overview
Papua New Guinea's life expectancy stood at 66.0 in 2025, a decline of +0.2 from 2023. Based on recent trends, this figure is projected to reach 66.0 by 2025. Papua New Guinea ranked 186th globally.
Papua New Guinea's life expectancy has experienced a moderate increase over the past 65 years, from a trough of 45.80 years in 1960 to a peak of 66.13 years in 2023. In 2025, the country's life expectancy stands at 65.96 years, ranking 186 globally. This trend is comparable to other developing nations, such as Ghana, which also boasts a life expectancy of 65.97 years. Despite this progress, Papua New Guinea's life expectancy remains below the regional average. The country's life expectancy has increased steadily over the years, reflecting improvements in healthcare infrastructure and access to medical services. However, Papua New Guinea still faces significant challenges in reducing infant mortality rates and combating infectious diseases. To change the trajectory, the country would need to address these underlying issues and invest in its healthcare system to achieve a more significant increase in life expectancy, potentially aligning it with that of its peer countries.
Data & projection
| Year | Life Expectancy | YoY change | Rank |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2026* trend | 66.1 | - | - |
| 2025* trend | 66.0 | - | - |
| 2025 | 66.0 | −0.2 | #186 |
| 2023 | 66.1 | +0.9 | #182 |
| 2022 | 65.3 | +0.9 | #184 |
| 2021 | 64.4 | −0.7 | #176 |
| 2020 | 65.1 | −0.3 | #180 |
| 2019 | 65.3 | +0.2 | #180 |
| 2018 | 65.1 | +0.2 | #180 |
| 2017 | 64.9 | +0.2 | #180 |
| 2016 | 64.7 | +0.2 | #176 |
| 2015 | 64.5 | +0.3 | #174 |
| 2014 | 64.2 | +0.3 | #174 |
| 2013 | 63.9 | +0.3 | #174 |
| 2012 | 63.6 | +0.3 | #174 |
| 2011 | 63.4 | +0.3 | #174 |
| 2010 | 63.1 | +0.3 | #173 |
Detected Pattern
Analysis
Papua New Guinea matched the Export Boom Cycle pattern in 2022. Historically, 71% of countries showing this pattern (546 out of 768) saw life expectancy improve within 24 months. View full analysis →
Frequently Asked Questions
Papua New Guinea's life expectancy was 66.0 in 2025. Ranked 186th globally. This represents a 0.3% decrease from the previous year.
Papua New Guinea's life expectancy peaked at 66.1 in 2023.
The lowest life expectancy in Papua New Guinea was 45.8 in 1960.
Papua New Guinea ranks 186th globally in life expectancy as of 2025.
The World Bank indicator code is SP.DYN.LE00.IN. Data sourced from World Bank.
Papua New Guinea's life expectancy is projected to reach 66.0 by 2025 based on trend extrapolation.
The life expectancy of Papua New Guinea in 2025 was 66.0. This ranks 186th in the world.
Cite this page
@misc{historysaid_papua-new-guinea_life-expectancy,
title = {Papua New Guinea Life Expectancy},
url = {https://historysaid.com/papua-new-guinea/life-expectancy/},
publisher = {HistorySaid},
year = {2026}
}