Life expectancy ranking 1981 — the top 20 economies
The twenty largest economies by Life Expectancy at Birth in 1981, ranked by the exact World Bank figures. The leader: Andorra (77.39). A total of 216 economies reported a value that year.
The leader, Andorra, stood at 77.39. The twentieth economy, Denmark, reported 74.23 — a 1× spread inside the top 20 alone. Of 216 economies reporting that year, these twenty are the ones usually quoted.
| # | Country | years (1981) |
|---|---|---|
| 1 | Andorra | 77.39 |
| 2 | San Marino | 76.58 |
| 3 | Iceland | 76.52 |
| 4 | Japan | 76.39 |
| 5 | Sweden | 76.03 |
| 6 | Faroe Islands | 75.94 |
| 7 | Netherlands | 75.93 |
| 8 | Norway | 75.87 |
| 9 | Switzerland | 75.69 |
| 10 | Spain | 75.53 |
| 11 | Canada | 75.5 |
| 12 | Hong Kong | 75.35 |
| 13 | Monaco | 74.95 |
| 14 | Greece | 74.92 |
| 15 | Liechtenstein | 74.83 |
| 16 | Australia | 74.66 |
| 17 | Italy | 74.35 |
| 18 | France | 74.3 |
| 19 | Israel | 74.26 |
| 20 | Denmark | 74.23 |
Where are they now?
The top five of 1981 and their rank in the latest published year:
| Country | Rank in 1981 | Rank today |
|---|---|---|
| Andorra | #8 | #8 |
| San Marino | #2 | #2 |
| Iceland | #26 | #26 |
| Japan | #10 | #10 |
| Sweden | #9 | #9 |
Other years
Frequently asked questions
Which country had the largest Life expectancy in 1981?
Andorra, with 77.39 (years).
How many countries are included?
216 economies reported a value for SP.DYN.LE00.IN in 1981. Coverage widens over time — earlier years include fewer reporting economies.