10 Countries With The Shortest Average In The World 2025

Illustration of Nigerian children (Freepic)

JAKARTA - Life expectations or life expectations are the average age that one expects from birth. This figure is influenced by many factors, ranging from economic conditions, quality of health services, education, to political stability.

Unfortunately, in some countries, the life expectancy is still relatively low. Data from the UN's World Population Prospects portal shows 25 countries with the lowest life expectancy in the world, calculated since birth. Of the 25 countries, 24 of them are in Africa. Many of these countries are also categorized as the country most lagging in the world.

Reporting from the Visual Capitalist website, Nigeria, which has the largest economy in Africa, recorded a life expectancy of only 54.6 years, a difference of about 32 years compared to Monaco, the country with the highest life expectancy in the world. The main causes are high disease, poverty, and infrastructure limitations.

Chad, who is in Central Africa, also recorded low figures with 55.2 years. Other countries such as the Central African Republic and South Sudan are still struggling to deal with political conflicts and lack of access to basic health services. The only country outside Africa on the list is Nauru, a small island nation in Oceania.

Interestingly, women generally live longer than men in almost all countries on this list. The biggest gap is in Mozambique, where women live on average 6.2 years longer than men.

Although the figure is still low, the average life expectancy in Africa increased from 53.7 years in 2000 to 63.8 years in 2023.

Africa is also home to some of the world's fastest-growing economies, such as South Sudan and Niger, although life expectancy in these countries is still low. Here are the top 10 countries with the lowest hopes of life.

1. Nigeria - 54.6 years

2. Chad - 55.2 years

3. South Sudan - 57.7 years

4. Central African Republic - 57.7 years old

5. Lesotho - 57.8 years

6. Somalia - 59.0 years

7. Mali - 60.7 years

8. Guinea - 60.9 years old

9. Benin - 61.0 years

10. Burkina Faso - 61.3 years

With the prospect of economic growth and infrastructure development, life expectancy on the continent is expected to rise to 66 years by 2035, and surpass 68 years by 2050, although it is still below the global average.