DeathDate

Life Expectancy in Rwanda

A baby born in Rwanda in 2024 can expect to live 68.0 years on average — 5.5 years less than the world average of 73.5.

Overall68.0years
Men65.7world: 71.1
Women70.1world: 76.0
World rank#167of 217
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Life expectancy in Rwanda since 1960

010203040506070801960197019801990200020102020
  • Women
  • Men

Since 1960, life expectancy in Rwanda has risen by 21.0 years, from 47.0 to 68.0. Women live 4.4 years longer than men (70.1 vs 65.7).

Expected age at death in Rwanda by age

Life expectancy at birth includes deaths in childhood. Once people reach adulthood they can expect to live longer — here is the average expected age at death for people who have already reached each age:

Current ageBirth20406080
Men65.768.869.973.483.5
Women70.173.474.376.985.1

Birth: World Bank. Other ages: our survival model calibrated to Rwanda’s figures (method).

How people die in Rwanda

  • Chronic diseases: 50.8%
  • Infections, maternal & nutritional: 39%
  • Injuries: 10.2%

In 2019, 51% of deaths in Rwanda were caused by chronic diseases such as heart disease, stroke, cancer and diabetes (world: 74%). A Rwanda man has a 22% chance and a woman 19% of dying of one of these diseases between the ages of 30 and 70 (world: 21% and 16%). Road traffic accidents kill 29.4 people per 100,000 each year (world: 16.7).

See which causes of death are most likely for you →

Child mortality

Out of every 1,000 babies born in Rwanda, about 37.7 die before their fifth birthday (world: 37.4). This is one of the main reasons life expectancy at birth differs so much between countries.

Rwanda compared with its region

Rwanda is in the World Bank’s Sub-Saharan Africa region, where the average life expectancy is 64.8 years. It ranks #11 of 48 countries there.

#CountryOverallMenWomen
7Senegal68.967.071.0
8Mauritania68.766.770.7
9Gabon68.566.171.2
10Uganda68.565.571.4
11Rwanda68.065.770.1
12Ethiopia67.664.471.0
13Malawi67.664.370.8
14Namibia67.563.571.5
15Tanzania67.264.470.0

See all 217 countries ranked →

Frequently asked questions

What is the life expectancy in Rwanda?

68.0 years in 2024: 65.7 for men and 70.1 for women, according to the World Bank.

Do women live longer than men in Rwanda?

Yes. Women in Rwanda live about 4.4 years longer than men. Worldwide the gap is 4.9 years in favour of women.

How does Rwanda rank for life expectancy?

Rwanda ranks #167 out of 217 countries and territories with data. That is 5.5 years below the world average of 73.5.

What is the average age of death in Rwanda?

Life expectancy at birth (68.0) is pulled down by deaths in childhood. Adults live longer: a 40-year-old man in Rwanda can expect to live to about 69.9, and a 40-year-old woman to about 74.3.

Sources

  • World Bank, World Development Indicators: life expectancy at birth (SP.DYN.LE00.IN, SP.DYN.LE00.MA.IN, SP.DYN.LE00.FE.IN), under-5 mortality (SH.DYN.MORT), causes of death (SH.DTH.NCOM.ZS, SH.DTH.INJR.ZS), mortality from major chronic diseases (SH.DYN.NCOM.MA.ZS, SH.DYN.NCOM.FE.ZS) and road traffic deaths (SH.STA.TRAF.P5). Licensed under CC BY 4.0. Link

Data updated October 25, 2026.

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