Ireland — Life expectancy
Life Expectancy at Birth for Ireland, 1960–2024.
Life expectancy for Ireland was 83.0 in 2024, according to the latest World Bank data. The series covers 65 years, from 1960 to 2024. The latest year is also the highest value on record for this series. The lowest was 69.7 in 1961 (about 1.2× the low point). Across that span the compound annual growth rate works out to 0.26% per year.
Ireland ranks 23 of 217 economies on this measure (1 = highest), putting it in the top 11%. The median for Europe & Central Asia is 80.0, so Ireland sits above it. Over the last decade (2014–2024) the figure moved up 2%. Within Europe & Central Asia it ranks 13 of 58 economies; France (83.0) is just below it.
Data highlights
World ranking. Slipped: 21st of 215 in 1960 → 28th of 216 in 1970 → 36th of 216 in 1980 → 33rd of 217 in 1990 → 41st of 217 in 2000 → 25th of 217 in 2010 → 16th of 217 in 2020 → 23rd of 217 in 2024.
Key figures
Full history — 1960 to 2024
| Year | years | Change |
|---|---|---|
| 2024 | 83.01 | +0.2% |
| 2023 | 82.81 | +0.4% |
| 2022 | 82.51 | +0.3% |
| 2021 | 82.25 | -0.2% |
| 2020 | 82.46 | -0.3% |
| 2019 | 82.7 | +0.6% |
| 2018 | 82.2 | +0.1% |
| 2017 | 82.16 | +0.6% |
| 2016 | 81.65 | +0.2% |
| 2015 | 81.45 | +0.1% |
| 2014 | 81.35 | +0.5% |
| 2013 | 80.95 | +0.1% |
| 2012 | 80.85 | +0.1% |
| 2011 | 80.75 | +0.0% |
| 2010 | 80.74 | +0.7% |
| 2009 | 80.19 | +0.1% |
| 2008 | 80.1 | +0.6% |
| 2007 | 79.64 | +0.5% |
| 2006 | 79.24 | +0.4% |
| 2005 | 78.94 | +0.5% |
| 2004 | 78.54 | +0.5% |
| 2003 | 78.14 | +0.7% |
| 2002 | 77.63 | +0.6% |
| 2001 | 77.13 | +0.8% |
| 2000 | 76.54 | +0.6% |
| 1999 | 76.08 | -0.1% |
| 1998 | 76.18 | +0.3% |
| 1997 | 75.99 | +0.2% |
| 1996 | 75.83 | +0.5% |
| 1995 | 75.47 | -0.4% |
| 1994 | 75.79 | +0.7% |
| 1993 | 75.29 | -0.2% |
| 1992 | 75.42 | +0.5% |
| 1991 | 75.03 | +0.2% |
| 1990 | 74.85 | +0.5% |
| 1989 | 74.46 | +0.0% |
| 1988 | 74.44 | +0.0% |
| 1987 | 74.43 | +1.0% |
| 1986 | 73.67 | +0.1% |
| 1985 | 73.62 | -0.1% |
| 1984 | 73.66 | +0.6% |
| 1983 | 73.24 | +0.0% |
| 1982 | 73.21 | +0.4% |
| 1981 | 72.95 | +0.5% |
| 1980 | 72.6 | +0.5% |
| 1979 | 72.27 | +0.4% |
| 1978 | 72 | -0.0% |
| 1977 | 72 | +0.2% |
| 1976 | 71.86 | +0.1% |
| 1975 | 71.75 | +0.8% |
| 1974 | 71.18 | -0.1% |
| 1973 | 71.24 | +0.3% |
| 1972 | 71.02 | -0.9% |
| 1971 | 71.68 | +1.1% |
| 1970 | 70.9 | +0.1% |
| 1969 | 70.85 | -0.1% |
| 1968 | 70.94 | -0.4% |
| 1967 | 71.25 | +1.5% |
| 1966 | 70.22 | -0.7% |
| 1965 | 70.69 | +0.3% |
| 1964 | 70.49 | +0.4% |
| 1963 | 70.23 | +0.3% |
| 1962 | 69.99 | +0.4% |
| 1961 | 69.68 | -0.7% |
| 1960 | 70.19 | — |
Frequently asked questions
What was Ireland’s Life expectancy in 1961?
69.68 (1961). The full year-by-year table above lists every published year, most recent first.
Are Ireland’s Life expectancy figures nominal or inflation-adjusted?
They are exactly as the World Bank publishes them — years — with no inflation restatement and no PPP conversion. Years the source does not report are omitted rather than interpolated.
Is Ireland’s Life expectancy growing or shrinking?
Between 1960 and 2024 the series was growing overall: +18.3% in total — about 0.3% a year compounded.
Where does this data come from?
World Bank Open Data (CC BY-4.0), indicator SP.DYN.LE00.IN. Values are reproduced as published; this page only computes summary statistics such as change, CAGR and extremes.
What are the most recent published figures?
The last five published years: 2024: 83.01; 2023: 82.81; 2022: 82.51; 2021: 82.25; 2020: 82.46. Earlier years are in the full-history table below.
Related data
SP.DYN.LE00.IN — Life Expectancy at Birth. Data licensed under CC BY 4.0. Values are reproduced as published; this page computes the summary statistics (change, CAGR, extremes) from the underlying annual series. View the original dataset on data.worldbank.org.