Life expectancy ranking 1961 — the top 20 economies
The twenty largest economies by Life Expectancy at Birth in 1961, ranked by the exact World Bank figures. The leader: Netherlands (73.65). A total of 216 economies reported a value that year.
The leader, Netherlands, stood at 73.65. The twentieth economy, Czechia, reported 70.51 — a 1× spread inside the top 20 alone. Of 216 economies reporting that year, these twenty are the ones usually quoted.
| # | Country | years (1961) |
|---|---|---|
| 1 | Netherlands | 73.65 |
| 2 | Norway | 73.55 |
| 3 | Iceland | 73.5 |
| 4 | Sweden | 73.47 |
| 5 | San Marino | 73.38 |
| 6 | Faroe Islands | 72.71 |
| 7 | Andorra | 72.57 |
| 8 | Denmark | 72.44 |
| 9 | Monaco | 72.18 |
| 10 | Israel | 72.01 |
| 11 | Switzerland | 71.64 |
| 12 | Channel Islands | 71.6 |
| 13 | Canada | 71.35 |
| 14 | New Zealand | 70.99 |
| 15 | Australia | 70.97 |
| 16 | Liechtenstein | 70.96 |
| 17 | United Kingdom | 70.88 |
| 18 | Slovakia | 70.72 |
| 19 | Belgium | 70.52 |
| 20 | Czechia | 70.51 |
Where are they now?
The top five of 1961 and their rank in the latest published year:
| Country | Rank in 1961 | Rank today |
|---|---|---|
| Netherlands | #37 | #37 |
| Norway | #19 | #19 |
| Iceland | #26 | #26 |
| Sweden | #9 | #9 |
| San Marino | #2 | #2 |
Other years
Frequently asked questions
Which country had the largest Life expectancy in 1961?
Netherlands, with 73.65 (years).
How many countries are included?
216 economies reported a value for SP.DYN.LE00.IN in 1961. Coverage widens over time — earlier years include fewer reporting economies.