Zambia Life Expectancy
Life expectancy at birth, total SP.DYN.LE00.IN
Zambia's life expectancy was 67.6 in 2025, ranked 171st globally. This represents a 1.8% increase from 2024. Data from World Bank, covering 1960–2025.
Overview
Zambia's life expectancy stood at 67.6 in 2025, a rise of +1.2 from 2023. Based on recent trends, this figure is projected to reach 67.6 by 2025. Zambia ranked 171st globally.
Zambia’s life expectancy has risen steadily over the 65‑year series, moving from 50.65 in 1960 to an all‑time peak of 67.57 in 2025, where it ranks 171st globally. The most pronounced decline occurred in the late 1990s, with the trough falling to 45.71 in 1998, reflecting the health impacts of the HIV/AIDS epidemic and economic instability of that period. Since then, improvements in antiretroviral coverage, expanded primary health services and modest gains in nutrition have propelled the metric upward, surpassing peers such as Micronesia (67.71) and Tuvalu (67.44). Nevertheless, Zambia remains slightly below Malawi’s 67.89, indicating room for further progress. Continued investment in health infrastructure, disease prevention and education is likely to sustain the upward trajectory, while setbacks such as fiscal constraints or new health crises could stall or reverse the gains.
Data & projection
| Year | Life Expectancy | YoY change | Rank |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2026* trend | 68.4 | - | - |
| 2025* trend | 67.6 | - | - |
| 2025 | 67.6 | +1.2 | #171 |
| 2023 | 66.3 | +1.1 | #179 |
| 2022 | 65.3 | +2.9 | #183 |
| 2021 | 62.4 | −1.0 | #188 |
| 2020 | 63.4 | +0.4 | #187 |
| 2019 | 62.9 | +0.8 | #192 |
| 2018 | 62.1 | +0.6 | #192 |
| 2017 | 61.6 | +0.4 | #192 |
| 2016 | 61.1 | +0.4 | #191 |
| 2015 | 60.7 | +0.6 | #192 |
| 2014 | 60.1 | +0.7 | #193 |
| 2013 | 59.4 | +0.7 | #194 |
| 2012 | 58.7 | +0.9 | #194 |
| 2011 | 57.8 | +0.9 | #195 |
| 2010 | 56.9 | +1.0 | #200 |
Detected Pattern
Analysis
Zambia matched the Export Boom Cycle pattern in 2021. Historically, 71% of countries showing this pattern (546 out of 768) saw life expectancy improve within 24 months. View full analysis →
Frequently Asked Questions
Zambia's life expectancy was 67.6 in 2025. Ranked 171st globally. This represents a 1.8% increase from the previous year.
Zambia's life expectancy peaked at 67.6 in 2025.
The lowest life expectancy in Zambia was 45.7 in 1998.
Zambia ranks 171st globally in life expectancy as of 2025.
The World Bank indicator code is SP.DYN.LE00.IN. Data sourced from World Bank.
Zambia's life expectancy is projected to reach 67.6 by 2025 based on trend extrapolation.
The life expectancy of Zambia in 2025 was 67.6. This ranks 171st in the world.
Cite this page
@misc{historysaid_zambia_life-expectancy,
title = {Zambia Life Expectancy},
url = {https://historysaid.com/zambia/life-expectancy/},
publisher = {HistorySaid},
year = {2026}
}