WHO Global Health Observatory · 2023 data
Life Expectancy in China
Life expectancy at birth in China was 77.9 years in 2023 according to WHO: 75.0 for men and 81.1 for women. A 40-year-old man in China has on average about 37 more years, a woman about 42.
- At birth, both sexes
- 77.9 years
- Men
- 75.0 years
- Women
- 81.1 years
- World rank
- 55 of 185
- Women minus men
- +6.1 years
Data year 2023 · Source: WHO Global Health Observatory (accessed 2026-10-06), CC BY 4.0 · Last updated 2026-10-17
China · male · age 40
Years ahead, on average
At 40 in China, the average man has about 36.9 more years, to around age 77.
- Years ahead
- 36.9
- Weeks ahead
- 1,924
- Days ahead
- 13,470
Same age and sex, compared
Statistical average for everyone your age and sex in that country in 2023, not a forecast for you. Source: WHO Global Health Observatory life tables, 2023.
For entertainment and statistics only – not a medical prediction.
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Life expectancy by age in China (2023)
| Age | Men: years ahead | Men: expected age | Women: years ahead | Women: expected age | Both: years ahead |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 0 | 75.0 | 75.0 | 81.1 | 81.1 | 77.9 |
| 1 | 74.3 | 75.3 | 80.5 | 81.5 | 77.3 |
| 5 | 70.5 | 75.5 | 76.6 | 81.6 | 73.4 |
| 10 | 65.5 | 75.5 | 71.6 | 81.6 | 68.5 |
| 15 | 60.6 | 75.6 | 66.7 | 81.7 | 63.5 |
| 20 | 55.8 | 75.8 | 61.8 | 81.8 | 58.7 |
| 25 | 51.1 | 76.1 | 56.9 | 81.9 | 53.9 |
| 30 | 46.3 | 76.3 | 52.0 | 82.0 | 49.0 |
| 35 | 41.6 | 76.6 | 47.1 | 82.1 | 44.2 |
| 40 | 36.9 | 76.9 | 42.2 | 82.2 | 39.5 |
| 45 | 32.3 | 77.3 | 37.4 | 82.4 | 34.8 |
| 50 | 27.8 | 77.8 | 32.7 | 82.7 | 30.2 |
| 55 | 23.5 | 78.5 | 28.1 | 83.1 | 25.8 |
| 60 | 19.5 | 79.5 | 23.6 | 83.6 | 21.5 |
| 65 | 15.7 | 80.7 | 19.3 | 84.3 | 17.5 |
| 70 | 12.3 | 82.3 | 15.2 | 85.2 | 13.8 |
| 75 | 9.3 | 84.3 | 11.6 | 86.6 | 10.5 |
| 80 | 6.6 | 86.6 | 8.3 | 88.3 | 7.6 |
| 85+ | 4.6 | 89.6 | 5.9 | 90.9 | 5.4 |
The calculator above interpolates between these rows for your exact age. 85+ is an open age group.
China compared with its neighbors and the world
| Country | At birth | Women | Men | Women at 65: years ahead | Men at 65: years ahead |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| China | 77.9 | 81.1 | 75.0 | 19.3 | 15.7 |
| Japan | 83.9 | 86.5 | 81.2 | 23.6 | 19.6 |
| South Korea | 83.6 | 86.5 | 80.6 | 23.6 | 19.3 |
| Vietnam | 74.3 | 78.5 | 70.1 | 17.9 | 14.0 |
| World average | 73.3 | 76.1 | 70.6 | 18.8 | 16.0 |
How long people live in China
In 2023, a baby born in China could expect to live 77.9 years on average: 81.1 for girls and 75.0 for boys. That is 4.6 years above the world average of 73.3 and puts China at number 55 of the 185 countries in the WHO data. Within the WHO Western Pacific region, China ranks 6 of 22 countries. It is ahead of Vietnam; it is behind Japan and South Korea.
Why the number grows as you get older
Life expectancy at birth includes the risks of the first years of life. Someone who has reached 65 in China has already come through them, so the average expected age for 65-year-olds is 82.5, not 77.9. Men of 65 have 15.7 years ahead on average and women 19.3. Enter your own age in the calculator to see the number for people like you, or use the life expectancy clock to watch your time ahead tick.
More countries
See all 185 countries in the life expectancy by country ranking, browse the country pages, or read how the numbers are calculated.
Frequently asked questions
What is the life expectancy in China?
According to the WHO, life expectancy at birth in China was 77.9 years in 2023 for both sexes combined. That ranks China 55 of 185 countries in the WHO data; the world average was 73.3.
What is the life expectancy for men in China?
75.0 years at birth in 2023 (WHO). A man who has reached 40 has on average 36.9 more years, and a man of 65 has 15.7 more years, to about age 80.7.
What is the life expectancy for women in China?
81.1 years at birth in 2023 (WHO). A woman of 40 has on average 42.2 more years, and a woman of 65 has 19.3 more years, to about age 84.3.
How many more years at 40, 50 and 65?
For both sexes combined in China, the WHO 2023 life table gives 39.5 more years at 40, 30.2 at 50 and 17.5 at 65. The full table by age for men and women is above.
Why do women live longer than men in China?
The gap in China is 6.1 years at birth. Across the world, women live longer on average because of a mix of biology and behavior, such as higher smoking, alcohol use and accident rates among men.
Is this a prediction for me?
No. These are averages for the whole population of China in 2023, if the chances at every age stayed as they were that year. Your own health, habits and luck can put you years above or below them.