Life expectancy, 1770 to 2021 Our World in Data Oceania Europe Americas Asia 70 years World Africa 60 years 50 years 40 years 30 years 1770 1800 1850 1900 1950 2021 Source: UN WPP (2022); Zijdeman et al. (2015); Riley (2005) OurWorldInData.org/life-expectancy . CC BY Note: Shown is the 'period life expectancy'. This is the average number of years a newborn would live if age-specific mortality rates in the current year were to stay the same throughout its life