Top 10 Countries with the Highest Life Expectancy

The countries ranked here use United Nations 2023 life expectancy at birth, and territories or later World Bank figures are labelled rather than mixed in. Rank is by United Nations World Population Prospects 2024 estimates of life expectancy at birth, both sexes, for 2023, and territories or later World Bank figures are labelled rather than mixed into the same official product ^[1][2]. The ten below are sovereign states. Monaco is first, at 86.37 years in the United Nations estimate, and San Marino is second, at 85.71 years; both have small populations, and some United Nations presentation tables omit places with fewer than 50,000 people, a cut that is labelled here rather than used to drop the two official estimates in silence ^[1][2]. Japan is third, at 84.71 years ^[1]. The Republic of Korea is fourth, at 84.33 years ^[1]. Andorra is fifth, at 84.04 years ^[1]. Switzerland is sixth, at 83.95 years ^[1]. Australia is seventh, at 83.92 years ^[1]. Singapore is eighth, at 83.74 years ^[1]. Italy is ninth, at 83.72 years ^[1]. Spain is tenth, at 83.67 years ^[1]. Several later official neighbours sit only a few hundredths of a year apart, so a later revision of the same United Nations series can swap close places without changing the method.

Hong Kong, a special administrative region rather than a sovereign state, has a United Nations 2023 estimate of 85.51 years and would stand between San Marino and Japan if territories were included ^[1]. French Polynesia, a French overseas collectivity, has an estimate of 84.07 years and would stand between the Republic of Korea and Andorra on that wider list ^[1]. Those territorial figures are labelled and are not used to reorder the sovereign ten. A later World Bank series can place a close neighbour a few tenths of a year differently, and those later or alternative figures are a different official product, not a silent replacement for the 2023 United Nations estimates used here ^[2]. This article does not copy official crests, flags, or national likenesses as decorative art.

Key Facts

The ten below are the labelled United Nations 2023 sovereign-state leaders: Monaco, 86.37 years; San Marino, 85.71 years; Japan, 84.71 years; the Republic of Korea, 84.33 years; Andorra, 84.04 years; Switzerland, 83.95 years; Australia, 83.92 years; Singapore, 83.74 years; Italy, 83.72 years; and Spain, 83.67 years ^[1][2]. Rank 1 is the outstanding official United Nations estimate among sovereign states, and it is also one of the two estimates that some population-cut tables omit.

The table is the official spine: a named United Nations year first, sovereign states as the ten, territories labelled, and no later World Bank substitution smuggled in as an official cell.

Highest Life Expectancy at a Glance

1. Monaco

Monaco is first, at 86.37 years in the United Nations 2023 estimate of life expectancy at birth for both sexes ^[1][2]. The figure is a modelled United Nations estimate, not a later national statistical office census of deaths, and not a World Bank figure used as a silent replacement. Monaco has a small population, and some United Nations presentation tables omit places with fewer than 50,000 people; that cut is labelled here and is not used to drop the official estimate ^[1]. Hong Kong's 85.51-year territorial estimate is lower than Monaco and is not a sovereign-state cell ^[1].

It is first as the outstanding official United Nations sovereign-state estimate, a labelled small-population fact, and the documentary centre of this ten ^[1][2]. A later official revision of the same United Nations series will belong in a revision of the cell.

United Nations World Population Prospects 2024, estimates for 2023, are the source ^[1][2].

2. San Marino

San Marino is second, at 85.71 years in the United Nations 2023 estimate ^[1][2]. The figure is a modelled United Nations estimate for a small sovereign state, and the same population-cut note that applies to Monaco applies here. The estimate sits below Monaco and, if territories were included, also below Hong Kong's 85.51-year figure only on a wider location list, not on this sovereign ten ^[1]. This article records the official 85.71-year United Nations figure.

It is second as the outstanding official United Nations small-state estimate after Monaco, a labelled fact, and a necessary counterpart to Japan ^[1][2]. A later official revision will belong in a revision of the cell.

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United Nations World Population Prospects 2024, estimates for 2023, are the source ^[1][2].

3. Japan

Japan is third, at 84.71 years in the United Nations 2023 estimate ^[1]. The figure is the outstanding official estimate among larger sovereign states in this ten, not a healthy-life-expectancy (HALE) measure, and not a later unofficial rounding to 85 years. Japan sits just below the two small European states and just above the Republic of Korea. This article records the official 84.71-year United Nations figure.

It is third as the outstanding official United Nations estimate among larger sovereign states, a labelled fact, and a necessary counterpart to the Republic of Korea ^[1]. A later official revision will belong in a revision of the cell.

United Nations World Population Prospects 2024, estimates for 2023, are the source ^[1].

4. Republic of Korea

The Republic of Korea is fourth, at 84.33 years in the United Nations 2023 estimate ^[1]. The figure is an official United Nations estimate for the sovereign state, not a combined figure with Japan, and not a later World Bank figure used as a silent replacement. French Polynesia's 84.07-year territorial estimate would sit just below this cell on a wider location list and is labelled rather than used to insert a non-sovereign place into the ten ^[1]. This article records the official 84.33-year United Nations figure.

It is fourth as the outstanding official United Nations 84.33-year estimate, a labelled fact, and a necessary counterpart to Andorra ^[1]. A later official revision will belong in a revision of the cell.

United Nations World Population Prospects 2024, estimates for 2023, are the source ^[1].

5. Andorra

Andorra is fifth, at 84.04 years in the United Nations 2023 estimate ^[1]. The figure is an official United Nations estimate for a small sovereign state that meets the usual presentation-table population cut, unlike Monaco and San Marino. It sits in a tight cluster with Switzerland and Australia, whose official estimates are only a few hundredths of a year lower, so a later revision of the same series can swap close places ^[1]. This article records the official 84.04-year United Nations figure.

Related: Top 10 Largest Countries in the World by Area

It is fifth as the outstanding official United Nations 84.04-year estimate, a labelled close-cluster fact, and a necessary counterpart to Switzerland ^[1]. A later official revision will belong in a revision of the cell.

United Nations World Population Prospects 2024, estimates for 2023, are the source ^[1].

6. Switzerland

Switzerland is sixth, at 83.95 years in the United Nations 2023 estimate ^[1]. The figure is an official United Nations estimate, not a later national statistical office figure used as a silent replacement, and not a healthy-life-expectancy measure. It sits just below Andorra and just above Australia, a labelled official gap of a few hundredths of a year. This article records the official 83.95-year United Nations figure.

It is sixth as the outstanding official United Nations 83.95-year estimate, a labelled fact, and a necessary counterpart to Australia ^[1]. A later official revision will belong in a revision of the cell.

United Nations World Population Prospects 2024, estimates for 2023, are the source ^[1].

7. Australia

Australia is seventh, at 83.92 years in the United Nations 2023 estimate ^[1]. The figure is an official United Nations estimate for the sovereign state, not a combined figure with New Zealand, and not a later World Bank figure used as a silent replacement. It sits just below Switzerland and just above Singapore. This article records the official 83.92-year United Nations figure.

Related: Top 10 Largest Islands in the World

It is seventh as the outstanding official United Nations 83.92-year estimate, a labelled fact, and a necessary counterpart to Singapore ^[1]. A later official revision will belong in a revision of the cell.

United Nations World Population Prospects 2024, estimates for 2023, are the source ^[1].

8. Singapore

Singapore is eighth, at 83.74 years in the United Nations 2023 estimate ^[1]. The figure is an official United Nations estimate, not a city-only subset of a larger country, and not a silent combination with the Republic of Korea. It sits just above Italy and just below Australia. This article records the official 83.74-year United Nations figure.

It is eighth as the outstanding official United Nations 83.74-year estimate, a labelled fact, and a necessary counterpart to Italy ^[1]. A later official revision will belong in a revision of the cell.

United Nations World Population Prospects 2024, estimates for 2023, are the source ^[1].

9. Italy

Italy is ninth, at 83.72 years in the United Nations 2023 estimate ^[1]. The figure is an official United Nations estimate for the sovereign state, not a regional subset such as a single Italian region, and not a later Eurostat figure used as a silent replacement. It sits only 0.05 years above Spain, a labelled official near-tie rather than a sharp class change. This article records the official 83.72-year United Nations figure.

It is ninth as the outstanding official United Nations 83.72-year estimate, a labelled close-neighbour fact, and a necessary counterpart to Spain ^[1]. A later official revision will belong in a revision of the cell.

Related: Top 10 Happiest Countries in the World (2026)

United Nations World Population Prospects 2024, estimates for 2023, are the source ^[1].

10. Spain

Spain is tenth, at 83.67 years in the United Nations 2023 estimate ^[1]. Réunion, a French overseas department, has an estimate of 83.55 years and sits just outside a wider location list ^[1]. France itself, at 83.33 years, is lower still on the sovereign list and is not a silent eleventh ^[1]. This article records the official 83.67-year United Nations figure as the last named sovereign state in the ranking.

It is tenth as the outstanding official United Nations 83.67-year estimate, a labelled fact, and a necessary counterpart to Italy ^[1]. A later official revision, or a later United Nations estimate that belongs above 83.67 years, will belong in a revision of the ten.

United Nations World Population Prospects 2024, estimates for 2023, are the source ^[1].

Conclusion

A 2026 highest-life-expectancy list has to keep a named United Nations year and a named official product, keep Monaco and San Marino in the sovereign ten with their small-population note in the open, and refuse to treat Hong Kong or French Polynesia as silent sovereign cells, or a later World Bank series as a silent replacement ^[1][2]. Japan, the Republic of Korea, Andorra, Switzerland, Australia, Singapore, Italy, and Spain complete a named ten in which close official gaps of a few hundredths of a year are stated in the open ^[1]. The useful habit is a dated official estimate, a labelled territorial status, and a refusal to mix an alternative series into a single official cell.

A later official United Nations revision will belong in a revision of a cell; it will not change the method. Those labelled official estimates are the spine of the list, and they will still be the spine after a later World Population Prospects release has restated a 2023 or later figure.