World 8.2bn peopleGDP $118tnLife expectancy 73.5 yrsOnline 73.6%
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Health · World Bank region

Health in Sub-Saharan Africa: how the countries rank

Life expectancy, child and maternal mortality, health spending, water and sanitation. 18 indicators for the 48 economies of Sub-Saharan Africa, ranked within the group; the group figure is the World Bank aggregate.

Life expectancy62.8 yrsSub-Saharan Africa, 2024 · world 73.5 yrsLife expectancy, women65.0 yrsSub-Saharan Africa, 2024 · world 76.0 yrsLife expectancy, men60.7 yrsSub-Saharan Africa, 2024 · world 71.1 yrsInfant mortality47.1Sub-Saharan Africa, 2024 · world 27.7Under-5 mortality71.2Sub-Saharan Africa, 2024 · world 37.4Neonatal mortality26.6Sub-Saharan Africa, 2024 · world 17.2Maternal mortality448Sub-Saharan Africa, 2023 · world 197Measles vaccination69%Sub-Saharan Africa, 2024 · world 84%
Life expectancy
Sub-Saharan AfricaWorldEast Asia & PacificEurope & Central AsiaLatin America & Caribbean
50607080199520002005201020152020Sub-Saharan Africa62.8 yrsWorldEast Asia & PacificEurope & Central AsiaLatin America & Caribbean
Life expectancy, women
Sub-Saharan AfricaWorldEast Asia & PacificEurope & Central AsiaLatin America & Caribbean
5060708090199520002005201020152020Sub-Saharan Africa65.0 yrsWorldEast Asia & PacificEurope & Central AsiaLatin America & Caribbean
countries

All 48 economies, health

Latest value and rank within the group (small figure). Click a column to sort; the country name opens its health profile.

48 shown
CountryLife expectancyLife expectancy, womenLife expectancy, menInfant mortalityUnder-5 mortalityNeonatal mortalityMaternal mortalityMeasles vaccination
Seychelles76.3 yrs#1 · 202480.7 yrs#1 · 202472.1 yrs#2 · 202412.9#46 · 202414.0#46 · 20248.3#46 · 202442#47 · 202397%#4 · 2024
Cabo Verde76.2 yrs#2 · 202479.4 yrs#2 · 202473.0 yrs#1 · 202410.6#47 · 202411.1#48 · 20248.0#47 · 202440#48 · 202395%#5 · 2024
Mauritius73.8 yrs#3 · 202477.4 yrs#3 · 202470.3 yrs#3 · 202413.8#45 · 202415.4#45 · 20249.6#45 · 202466#46 · 202398%#1 · 2024
São Tomé and Príncipe69.9 yrs#4 · 202473.9 yrs#4 · 202466.4 yrs#8 · 20249.2#48 · 202413.6#47 · 20246.4#48 · 202475#45 · 202387%#17 · 2024
Botswana69.3 yrs#5 · 202471.9 yrs#5 · 202466.8 yrs#5 · 202432.1#34 · 202433.3#43 · 202417.6#39 · 2024155#38 · 202397%#2 · 2024
Senegal68.9 yrs#6 · 202471.0 yrs#10 · 202467.0 yrs#4 · 202428.9#38 · 202436.5#39 · 202420.9#32 · 2024237#28 · 202387%#18 · 2024
Eritrea68.9 yrs#7 · 202470.9 yrs#11 · 202466.8 yrs#6 · 202424.7#43 · 202434.3#42 · 202415.6#43 · 2024291#22 · 202393%#6 · 2024
Mauritania68.7 yrs#8 · 202470.7 yrs#13 · 202466.7 yrs#7 · 202430.2#36 · 202436.9#38 · 202420.8#33 · 2024381#14 · 202393%#7 · 2024
Gabon68.5 yrs#9 · 202471.2 yrs#8 · 202466.1 yrs#9 · 202425.9#42 · 202432.6#44 · 202416.3#42 · 2024233#30 · 202357%#40 · 2024
Uganda68.5 yrs#10 · 202471.4 yrs#7 · 202465.5 yrs#11 · 202435.9#26 · 202448.7#26 · 202421.3#31 · 2024170#37 · 202390%#11 · 2024
Rwanda68.0 yrs#11 · 202470.1 yrs#14 · 202465.7 yrs#10 · 202429.4#37 · 202437.7#36 · 202417.4#40 · 2024229#31 · 202397%#3 · 2024
Ethiopia67.6 yrs#12 · 202471.0 yrs#9 · 202464.4 yrs#14 · 202434.5#30 · 202444.5#30 · 202425.2#17 · 2024195#33 · 202372%#29 · 2024
Malawi67.6 yrs#13 · 202470.8 yrs#12 · 202464.3 yrs#17 · 202438.0#24 · 202448.8#25 · 202423.6#24 · 2024225#32 · 202389%#13 · 2024
Namibia67.5 yrs#14 · 202471.5 yrs#6 · 202463.5 yrs#19 · 202436.4#25 · 202439.5#32 · 202421.4#29 · 2024139#40 · 202379%#26 · 2024
Tanzania67.2 yrs#15 · 202470.0 yrs#15 · 202464.4 yrs#13 · 202428.7#39 · 202437.0#37 · 202419.9#35 · 2024276#23 · 202384%#21 · 2024
Comoros67.0 yrs#16 · 202469.2 yrs#18 · 202465.0 yrs#12 · 202435.0#27 · 202439.0#34 · 202422.1#28 · 2024179#35 · 202370%#34 · 2024
Zambia66.5 yrs#17 · 202468.9 yrs#19 · 202464.1 yrs#18 · 202434.6#29 · 202448.4#27 · 202421.4#30 · 202485#44 · 202388%#16 · 2024
Sudan66.5 yrs#18 · 202469.8 yrs#16 · 202463.4 yrs#20 · 202442.9#20 · 202461.6#20 · 202423.7#22 · 2024256#25 · 202346%#46 · 2024
South Africa66.3 yrs#19 · 202469.8 yrs#17 · 202462.8 yrs#22 · 202424.2#44 · 202435.1#41 · 202412.4#44 · 2024118#42 · 202376%#27 · 2024
The Gambia66.1 yrs#20 · 202467.8 yrs#21 · 202464.3 yrs#15 · 202432.7#32 · 202442.4#31 · 202423.0#26 · 2024354#19 · 202383%#22 · 2024
Republic of the Congo66.0 yrs#21 · 202467.7 yrs#22 · 202464.3 yrs#16 · 202427.0#41 · 202439.1#33 · 202416.5#41 · 2024241#27 · 202372%#31 · 2024
Ghana65.7 yrs#22 · 202468.2 yrs#20 · 202463.3 yrs#21 · 202427.5#40 · 202435.9#40 · 202418.1#38 · 2024234#29 · 202390%#8 · 2024
Angola64.8 yrs#23 · 202467.3 yrs#23 · 202462.3 yrs#24 · 202432.1#33 · 202449.0#24 · 202418.1#37 · 2024183#34 · 202353%#43 · 2024
Eswatini64.3 yrs#24 · 202467.1 yrs#24 · 202461.3 yrs#31 · 202442.2#21 · 202445.1#29 · 202425.0#19 · 2024118#41 · 202385%#20 · 2024
Guinea-Bissau64.3 yrs#25 · 202466.5 yrs#26 · 202461.8 yrs#27 · 202442.1#22 · 202467.3#15 · 202432.0#7 · 2024505#8 · 202365%#36 · 2024
Cameroon64.0 yrs#26 · 202466.2 yrs#27 · 202461.8 yrs#28 · 202440.2#23 · 202464.8#16 · 202424.8#20 · 2024258#24 · 202371%#33 · 2024
Equatorial Guinea63.9 yrs#27 · 202465.9 yrs#29 · 202462.2 yrs#25 · 202447.6#13 · 202468.0#14 · 202426.3#16 · 2024174#36 · 202353%#44 · 2024
Madagascar63.8 yrs#28 · 202465.6 yrs#31 · 202462.1 yrs#26 · 202443.0#19 · 202462.4#19 · 202423.1#25 · 2024445#11 · 202346%#45 · 2024
Kenya63.8 yrs#29 · 202466.1 yrs#28 · 202461.6 yrs#30 · 202434.2#31 · 202438.8#35 · 202420.7#34 · 2024149#39 · 202388%#15 · 2024
Burundi63.8 yrs#30 · 202465.9 yrs#30 · 202461.8 yrs#29 · 202430.5#35 · 202447.1#28 · 202419.1#36 · 2024392#13 · 202386%#19 · 2024
Mozambique63.8 yrs#31 · 202466.7 yrs#25 · 202460.5 yrs#35 · 202443.7#17 · 202459.4#22 · 202425.1#18 · 202499#43 · 202365%#37 · 2024
Zimbabwe63.1 yrs#32 · 202465.3 yrs#32 · 202460.5 yrs#33 · 202462.4#6 · 202464.7#17 · 202433.7#4 · 2024358#17 · 202390%#12 · 2024
Togo62.9 yrs#33 · 202463.2 yrs#38 · 202462.7 yrs#23 · 202434.8#28 · 202456.1#23 · 202422.6#27 · 2024349#21 · 202381%#25 · 2024
Liberia62.3 yrs#34 · 202463.6 yrs#36 · 202461.0 yrs#32 · 202463.2#5 · 202486.4#10 · 202432.9#5 · 2024628#5 · 202382%#23 · 2024
Côte d'Ivoire62.1 yrs#35 · 202464.3 yrs#33 · 202460.2 yrs#37 · 202444.8#16 · 202464.5#18 · 202427.4#14 · 2024359#16 · 202375%#28 · 2024
Democratic Republic of the Congo62.1 yrs#36 · 202464.2 yrs#34 · 202460.0 yrs#38 · 202456.4#9 · 202489.7#9 · 202423.6#23 · 2024427#12 · 202355%#42 · 2024
Sierra Leone62.0 yrs#37 · 202463.7 yrs#35 · 202460.2 yrs#36 · 202454.6#12 · 202490.5#7 · 202428.3#12 · 2024354#18 · 202390%#10 · 2024
Niger61.4 yrs#38 · 202462.4 yrs#40 · 202460.5 yrs#34 · 202465.6#3 · 2024110.7#2 · 202432.8#6 · 2024350#20 · 202381%#24 · 2024
Burkina Faso61.3 yrs#39 · 202463.4 yrs#37 · 202459.1 yrs#42 · 202443.6#18 · 202474.9#11 · 202423.8#21 · 2024242#26 · 202388%#14 · 2024
Benin61.0 yrs#40 · 202462.4 yrs#39 · 202459.5 yrs#40 · 202445.2#15 · 202474.7#12 · 202427.2#15 · 2024518#7 · 202344%#47 · 2024
Guinea60.9 yrs#41 · 202462.1 yrs#42 · 202459.7 yrs#39 · 202459.8#7 · 202492.1#6 · 202429.8#10 · 2024494#9 · 202360%#39 · 2024
Mali60.7 yrs#42 · 202462.1 yrs#41 · 202459.3 yrs#41 · 202447.5#14 · 202473.0#13 · 202428.0#13 · 2024367#15 · 202372%#30 · 2024
Somalia59.0 yrs#43 · 202461.6 yrs#43 · 202456.5 yrs#43 · 202465.4#4 · 2024101.1#3 · 202434.2#3 · 2024563#6 · 202364%#38 · 2024
Lesotho57.8 yrs#44 · 202460.4 yrs#45 · 202455.0 yrs#45 · 202456.3#11 · 202460.0#21 · 202428.5#11 · 2024478#10 · 202390%#9 · 2024
South Sudan57.7 yrs#45 · 202460.7 yrs#44 · 202454.8 yrs#46 · 202471.9#1 · 202496.7#5 · 202439.5#1 · 2024692#4 · 202372%#32 · 2024
Central African Republic57.7 yrs#46 · 202459.6 yrs#46 · 202455.5 yrs#44 · 202458.8#8 · 202489.7#8 · 202429.9#9 · 2024692#3 · 202341%#48 · 2024
Chad55.2 yrs#47 · 202457.2 yrs#47 · 202453.4 yrs#48 · 202456.3#10 · 202497.3#4 · 202430.4#8 · 2024748#2 · 202366%#35 · 2024
Nigeria54.6 yrs#48 · 202454.9 yrs#48 · 202454.3 yrs#47 · 202469.8#2 · 2024115.6#1 · 202439.0#2 · 2024993#1 · 202357%#41 · 2024
Source: World Bank, World Development Indicators (CC BY 4.0)Ranks count group members with a value in the recent window.
within the group

Highest and lowest, indicator by indicator

Life expectancy48 countries
  1. 1Seychelles76.3 yrs2024
  2. 2Cabo Verde76.2 yrs2024
  3. 3Mauritius73.8 yrs2024
Lowest
  1. 48Nigeria54.6 yrs2024
  2. 47Chad55.2 yrs2024
  3. 46Central African Republic57.7 yrs2024
Median country 64.3 yrs · group 62.8 yrs
Life expectancy, women48 countries
  1. 1Seychelles80.7 yrs2024
  2. 2Cabo Verde79.4 yrs2024
  3. 3Mauritius77.4 yrs2024
Lowest
  1. 48Nigeria54.9 yrs2024
  2. 47Chad57.2 yrs2024
  3. 46Central African Republic59.6 yrs2024
Median country 66.9 yrs · group 65.0 yrs
Life expectancy, men48 countries
  1. 1Cabo Verde73.0 yrs2024
  2. 2Seychelles72.1 yrs2024
  3. 3Mauritius70.3 yrs2024
Lowest
  1. 48Chad53.4 yrs2024
  2. 47Nigeria54.3 yrs2024
  3. 46South Sudan54.8 yrs2024
Median country 62.2 yrs · group 60.7 yrs
Infant mortality48 countries
  1. 1South Sudan71.92024
  2. 2Nigeria69.82024
  3. 3Niger65.62024
Lowest
  1. 48São Tomé and Príncipe9.22024
  2. 47Cabo Verde10.62024
  3. 46Seychelles12.92024
Median country 37.2 · group 47.1
Under-5 mortality48 countries
  1. 1Nigeria115.62024
  2. 2Niger110.72024
  3. 3Somalia101.12024
Lowest
  1. 48Cabo Verde11.12024
  2. 47São Tomé and Príncipe13.62024
  3. 46Seychelles14.02024
Median country 48.9 · group 71.2
Neonatal mortality48 countries
  1. 1South Sudan39.52024
  2. 2Nigeria39.02024
  3. 3Somalia34.22024
Lowest
  1. 48São Tomé and Príncipe6.42024
  2. 47Cabo Verde8.02024
  3. 46Seychelles8.32024
Median country 23.4 · group 26.6
Maternal mortality48 countries
  1. 1Nigeria9932023
  2. 2Chad7482023
  3. 3Central African Republic6922023
Lowest
  1. 48Cabo Verde402023
  2. 47Seychelles422023
  3. 46Mauritius662023
Median country 257 · group 448
Measles vaccination48 countries
  1. 1Mauritius98%2024
  2. 2Botswana97%2024
  3. 3Rwanda97%2024
Lowest
  1. 48Central African Republic41%2024
  2. 47Benin44%2024
  3. 46Sudan46%2024
Median country 81% · group 69%
HIV prevalence44 countries
  1. 1Eswatini23.4%2024
  2. 2South Africa17.2%2024
  3. 3Lesotho17.1%2024
Lowest
  1. 44Somalia0.1%2024
  2. 43Mauritania0.1%2024
  3. 42Comoros0.1%2024
Median country 1.5% · group 3.0%
Tuberculosis48 countries
  1. 1Lesotho5482024
  2. 2Namibia4222024
  3. 3Central African Republic4192024
Lowest
  1. 48Mauritius132024
  2. 47Seychelles172024
  3. 46Comoros222024
Median country 147 · group 205
Health spending48 countries
  1. 1Liberia13.0%2023
  2. 2Lesotho12.6%2023
  3. 3South Sudan11.6%2023
Lowest
  1. 48Angola2.5%2023
  2. 47Ethiopia2.8%2023
  3. 46Sudan2.9%2023
Median country 4.4% · group 4.9%
Out-of-pocket spending48 countries
  1. 1Nigeria71.9%2023
  2. 2Cameroon67.7%2023
  3. 3Equatorial Guinea66.0%2023
Lowest
  1. 48Rwanda4.1%2023
  2. 47Botswana4.3%2023
  3. 46South Africa6.7%2023
Median country 32.4% · group 30.4%
Physicians46 countries
  1. 1Seychelles6.602022
  2. 2Mauritius1.442022
  3. 3South Africa0.792022
Lowest
  1. 46Niger0.042023
  2. 45South Sudan0.042022
  3. 44Malawi0.052022
Median country 0.18 · group 0.25
Hospital beds40 countries
  1. 1Mauritius3.82023
  2. 2São Tomé and Príncipe2.92019
  3. 3Namibia2.72009
Lowest
  1. 40Chad0.12020
  2. 39Burkina Faso0.22020
  3. 38Mali0.22018
Median country 1.0
Basic water46 countries
  1. 1Mauritius99.9%2024
  2. 2Seychelles97.7%2024
  3. 3Cabo Verde92.3%2024
Lowest
  1. 46Democratic Republic of the Congo35.7%2024
  2. 45Central African Republic36.5%2024
  3. 44South Sudan39.7%2024
Median country 73.2% · group 67.5%
Basic sanitation46 countries
  1. 1Seychelles99.7%2024
  2. 2Mauritius97.4%2024
  3. 3Cabo Verde83.1%2024
Lowest
  1. 46Ethiopia10.4%2024
  2. 45Chad13.1%2024
  3. 44Central African Republic14.0%2024
Median country 40.6% · group 37.1%
Tobacco use39 countries
  1. 1Lesotho28.0%2024
  2. 2Madagascar25.6%2024
  3. 3South Africa23.7%2024
Lowest
  1. 39Nigeria3.1%2024
  2. 38Ghana3.3%2024
  3. 37Liberia5.2%2024
Median country 9.9% · group 8.9%
Road deaths48 countries
  1. 1Zimbabwe41.22019
  2. 2Liberia38.92019
  3. 3Eritrea37.92019
Lowest
  1. 48Seychelles11.32019
  2. 47Mauritius12.22019
  3. 46Zambia20.52019
Median country 28.9 · group 27.4
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