Life expectancy at birth
Life expectancy at birth (years)
https://data.worldbank.org/indicator/SP.DYN.LE00.IN
| Title | Life expectancy at birth |
| Unit of measure | Total (years) |
| Source data | United Nations Population Division; World Population Prospects (2022 revision); or derived from male and female life expectancy at birth from sources, such as census reports and other statistical publications from national statistical offices, Eurostat-Demographic Statistics, United Nations Statistical Division-Population and Vital Statistics Report, U.S. Census Bureau-International Database, Secretariat of the Pacific Community-Statistics and Demography Programme. |
| Original data source | World Bank |
| Statistical concepts and definition | Life expectancy at birth represents the average lifespan a newborn can expect under the mortality rates prevailing at the time of birth. It captures a population's mortality levels by aggregating death rates across all age groups for a specific year, as seen in a period life table that offers a momentary glimpse of mortality patterns. However, it does not account for changes in mortality a person might actually experience over their lifetime, which a cohort life table would show. Early age mortality drastically reduces life expectancy at birth, yet individuals who survive past high-risk childhood years often live significantly longer. For instance, in a society where life expectancy is 50, it is not typical for most to die at 50. The figure is skewed by high child mortality rates, suggesting those who survive past childhood can expect to live well beyond 50 years. |
| Relevance | Mortality rates across different age groups (like infants and adults) and key health indicators (such as life expectancy at birth) serve as crucial measures of a country's health status. In the absence of comprehensive data on disease incidence and prevalence, mortality rates help pinpoint populations at risk. These metrics are also commonly used to gauge and compare countries' socio-economic progress. |
| Time coverage | Annual |
| Sector coverage | Social/Health |
| Data compilation | Weighted average |
| Relationship* | -1 |
* This field expresses the impact on vulnerability. The minus sign indicates that it has a vulnerability-decreasing impact (positive impact on resilience), and the plus sign indicates a vulnerability-increasing impact.