South Korea vs Switzerland
South Korea vs Switzerland: Life expectancy
Life expectancy in 2023: 84.3 years in South Korea and 84 years in Switzerland, by UN estimates. In 2023 the value was higher in South Korea, by 0.4 years, or 1 times that in Switzerland.
years · UN
What the numbers say
- South Korea has been higher since 2023, when it overtook Switzerland.
- In 2023, South Korea ranked 5 and Switzerland ranked 9 of 229 countries, counting from the highest.
- The UN projection (medium variant) puts South Korea at 93.1 years and Switzerland at 92.8 years in 2100.
- The world as a whole: 73.2 years in 2023.
Every year
years · UN
| Year | South Korea | Switzerland | World |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2023 | 84.3 | 84 | 73.2 |
| 2022 | 82.7 | 83.2 | 72.6 |
| 2021 | 83.9 | 83.7 | 70.9 |
| 2020 | 83.7 | 83.1 | 71.9 |
| 2019 | 83.7 | 83.8 | 72.6 |
| 2018 | 83.3 | 83.6 | 72.4 |
| 2017 | 83.3 | 83.4 | 72.1 |
| 2016 | 82.9 | 83.5 | 71.9 |
| 2015 | 82.5 | 82.9 | 71.6 |
| 2014 | 82.4 | 83.1 | 71.4 |
| 2013 | 81.8 | 82.7 | 71.1 |
| 2012 | 81.3 | 82.6 | 70.8 |
| 2011 | 81.2 | 82.6 | 70.4 |
| 2010 | 80.7 | 82.3 | 70.1 |
| 2009 | 80.6 | 82 | 69.7 |
| 2008 | 80 | 82 | 69.3 |
| 2007 | 79.4 | 81.7 | 69 |
| 2006 | 79 | 81.6 | 68.6 |
| 2005 | 78.5 | 81.2 | 68.1 |
| 2004 | 78 | 81.1 | 67.7 |
| 2003 | 77.5 | 80.5 | 67.4 |
| 2002 | 77.2 | 80.4 | 67.1 |
| 2001 | 76.9 | 80.3 | 66.8 |
| 2000 | 76.2 | 79.8 | 66.4 |
| 1999 | 75.6 | 79.7 | 66 |
| 1998 | 75 | 79.5 | 65.7 |
| 1997 | 74.5 | 79.2 | 65.5 |
| 1996 | 74 | 79.1 | 65.2 |
| 1995 | 73.4 | 78.6 | 64.9 |
| 1994 | 72.9 | 78.5 | 64.3 |
| 1993 | 72.8 | 78.2 | 64.4 |
| 1992 | 72.2 | 77.9 | 64.3 |
| 1991 | 71.4 | 77.7 | 64.1 |
| 1990 | 71 | 77.4 | 64 |
| 1989 | 70.7 | 77.6 | 63.8 |
| 1988 | 70.2 | 77.4 | 63.4 |
| 1987 | 69.3 | 77.3 | 63.2 |
| 1986 | 69 | 77 | 62.7 |
| 1985 | 68.4 | 76.9 | 62.2 |
| 1984 | 68.1 | 76.8 | 61.9 |
| 1983 | 66.7 | 76.2 | 61.5 |
| 1982 | 67.1 | 76.2 | 61.3 |
| 1981 | 67.1 | 75.8 | 60.9 |
| 1980 | 64.9 | 75.6 | 60.5 |
| 1979 | 66.1 | 75.6 | 60.2 |
| 1978 | 65 | 75.3 | 59.5 |
| 1977 | 64.6 | 75.4 | 59.2 |
| 1976 | 65 | 74.9 | 58.6 |
| 1975 | 64.7 | 74.8 | 58.3 |
| 1974 | 64.2 | 74.4 | 58.1 |
| 1973 | 63.8 | 74.1 | 57.7 |
| 1972 | 63.2 | 73.8 | 57.2 |
| 1971 | 62.7 | 73.2 | 56 |
| 1970 | 62.2 | 73.1 | 56.3 |
| 1969 | 61.4 | 72.7 | 56 |
| 1968 | 60.9 | 72.7 | 55.6 |
| 1967 | 60.9 | 72.7 | 55.1 |
| 1966 | 55.4 | 72.5 | 54.6 |
| 1965 | 55.8 | 72.3 | 54 |
| 1964 | 55.3 | 72.2 | 54.3 |
| 1963 | 55 | 71.3 | 53.7 |
| 1962 | 55 | 71.3 | 53.2 |
| 1961 | 54.4 | 71.7 | 50.4 |
| 1960 | 53.8 | 71.4 | 47.8 |
| 1959 | 52.9 | 71.5 | 49.6 |
| 1958 | 51.8 | 71.3 | 51.6 |
| 1957 | 51.6 | 70.5 | 51.1 |
| 1956 | 50.2 | 70.2 | 50.7 |
| 1955 | 48.4 | 70.1 | 50.2 |
| 1954 | 46.1 | 70 | 49.7 |
| 1953 | 40.5 | 69.5 | 48.8 |
| 1952 | 36.6 | 69.6 | 48.2 |
| 1951 | 26.6 | 68.7 | 47.1 |
| 1950 | 22.2 | 68.9 | 46.4 |
| 1949 | – | 68 | – |
| 1948 | – | 67.3 | – |
| 1947 | – | 66.2 | – |
| 1946 | – | 66.1 | – |
| 1945 | – | 65.4 | – |
| 1944 | – | 64.9 | – |
| 1943 | – | 65.8 | – |
| 1942 | 44.9 | 65.6 | – |
| 1941 | – | 64.9 | – |
| 1940 | – | 63.5 | – |
| 1939 | – | 64 | – |
| 1938 | 42.6 | 63.8 | – |
| 1937 | – | 63.5 | – |
| 1936 | – | 63.1 | – |
| 1935 | – | 62.1 | – |
| 1934 | – | 62.8 | – |
| 1933 | 37.4 | 62.4 | – |
| 1932 | – | 61.2 | – |
| 1931 | – | 61.2 | – |
| 1930 | – | 61.4 | – |
| 1929 | – | 60.1 | – |
| 1928 | 33.6 | 60.4 | – |
| 1927 | – | 60.1 | – |
| 1926 | – | 60.6 | – |
| 1925 | – | 59.9 | – |
| 1924 | – | 59.5 | – |
| 1923 | 29.5 | 60 | – |
| 1922 | – | 58.5 | – |
| 1921 | – | 57.8 | – |
| 1920 | – | 54.5 | – |
| 1919 | – | 54.8 | – |
| 1918 | 27 | 46.3 | – |
| 1917 | – | 55.8 | – |
| 1916 | – | 56.5 | – |
| 1915 | – | 55.9 | – |
| 1914 | – | 55.1 | – |
| 1913 | 25 | 54.2 | – |
| 1912 | – | 54.4 | – |
| 1911 | – | 51.8 | – |
| 1910 | – | 52.9 | – |
| 1909 | – | 51.7 | – |
| 1908 | 23.5 | 52.3 | – |
| 1907 | – | 51.2 | – |
| 1906 | – | 50.8 | – |
| 1905 | – | 49.7 | – |
| 1904 | – | 49.2 | – |
| 1903 | – | 50.1 | – |
| 1902 | – | 50.4 | – |
| 1901 | – | 49 | – |
| 1900 | – | 47.6 | – |
| 1899 | – | 49.3 | – |
| 1898 | – | 48.3 | – |
| 1897 | – | 49.1 | – |
| 1896 | – | 48.9 | – |
| 1895 | – | 46.9 | – |
| 1894 | – | 45.9 | – |
| 1893 | – | 46.1 | – |
| 1892 | – | 47.2 | – |
| 1891 | – | 44.8 | – |
| 1890 | – | 45 | – |
| 1889 | – | 45.2 | – |
| 1888 | – | 46 | – |
| 1887 | – | 45.5 | – |
| 1886 | – | 44.8 | – |
| 1885 | – | 43.9 | – |
| 1884 | – | 45.1 | – |
| 1883 | – | 45 | – |
| 1882 | – | 43 | – |
| 1881 | – | 41.9 | – |
| 1880 | – | 42.5 | – |
| 1879 | – | 41.8 | – |
| 1878 | – | 40.6 | – |
| 1877 | – | 40 | – |
| 1876 | – | 40.2 | – |
- 12.3Estimates, Our World in Data
UN projection (medium variant) · 2024–2100
| Year | South Korea | Switzerland | World |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2024 | 84.483.5–85.3 | 84.183.2–85 | 73.3 |
| 2025 | 84.583.2–85.9 | 84.283.1–85.5 | 73.5 |
| 2026 | 84.683.1–86.2 | 84.482.8–85.9 | 73.8 |
| 2027 | 84.783–86.6 | 84.582.8–86.3 | 73.9 |
| 2028 | 84.982.9–86.9 | 84.682.8–86.5 | 74.1 |
| 2029 | 8582.8–87.2 | 84.882.7–86.9 | 74.2 |
| 2030 | 85.182.8–87.5 | 84.982.6–87.2 | 74.4 |
| 2031 | 85.282.8–87.8 | 8582.7–87.5 | 74.5 |
| 2032 | 85.382.8–88.1 | 85.282.7–87.8 | 74.7 |
| 2033 | 85.482.7–88.4 | 85.382.6–88 | 74.8 |
| 2034 | 85.582.8–88.6 | 85.482.7–88.2 | 75 |
| 2035 | 85.682.8–88.9 | 85.582.6–88.6 | 75.1 |
| 2036 | 85.782.7–88.9 | 85.782.6–88.8 | 75.3 |
| 2037 | 85.882.8–89.2 | 85.882.6–89.2 | 75.4 |
| 2038 | 8682.8–89.5 | 85.982.7–89.3 | 75.5 |
| 2039 | 86.182.8–89.7 | 8682.7–89.6 | 75.7 |
| 2040 | 86.282.8–90 | 86.182.7–89.8 | 75.8 |
| 2041 | 86.382.8–90.2 | 86.382.7–90 | 75.9 |
| 2042 | 86.482.8–90.3 | 86.482.8–90.2 | 76.1 |
| 2043 | 86.582.9–90.5 | 86.582.8–90.5 | 76.2 |
| 2044 | 86.682.9–90.8 | 86.682.9–90.6 | 76.3 |
| 2045 | 86.882.8–90.8 | 86.783.1–90.8 | 76.5 |
| 2046 | 86.983–91 | 86.883.1–91.1 | 76.6 |
| 2047 | 8782.9–91.3 | 8783.1–91.3 | 76.7 |
| 2048 | 87.182.9–91.5 | 87.183–91.5 | 76.8 |
| 2049 | 87.282.8–91.9 | 87.283–91.6 | 76.9 |
| 2050 | 87.382.8–91.9 | 87.383.2–91.9 | 77 |
| 2051 | 87.582.9–92.1 | 87.483.2–92.1 | 77.1 |
| 2052 | 87.682.9–92.3 | 87.583.2–92.3 | 77.2 |
| 2053 | 87.783–92.5 | 87.783.2–92.6 | 77.3 |
| 2054 | 87.882.9–92.5 | 87.883.3–92.9 | 77.4 |
| 2055 | 87.983–92.9 | 87.983.3–93 | 77.6 |
| 2056 | 8883.1–93.1 | 8883.4–93.1 | 77.7 |
| 2057 | 88.183.1–93.2 | 88.183.3–93.2 | 77.8 |
| 2058 | 88.383.3–93.7 | 88.283.5–93.3 | 77.9 |
| 2059 | 88.483.3–93.7 | 88.383.4–93.5 | 78 |
| 2060 | 88.583.3–93.9 | 88.583.6–93.6 | 78.1 |
| 2061 | 88.683.3–94.1 | 88.683.7–93.9 | 78.2 |
| 2062 | 88.783.2–94.3 | 88.783.6–94.1 | 78.3 |
| 2063 | 88.883.4–94.3 | 88.883.7–94.2 | 78.4 |
| 2064 | 88.983.5–94.7 | 88.983.7–94.3 | 78.5 |
| 2065 | 8983.5–94.8 | 8983.8–94.5 | 78.6 |
| 2066 | 89.283.7–95.2 | 89.183.7–94.7 | 78.7 |
| 2067 | 89.383.7–95.4 | 89.283.7–94.9 | 78.8 |
| 2068 | 89.483.9–95.4 | 89.383.8–95.1 | 78.9 |
| 2069 | 89.583.8–95.7 | 89.484–95.3 | 79 |
| 2070 | 89.683.8–95.9 | 89.583.9–95.5 | 79.1 |
| 2071 | 89.783.8–96 | 89.784–95.5 | 79.2 |
| 2072 | 89.883.9–96.4 | 89.884.1–95.8 | 79.3 |
| 2073 | 9084–96.5 | 89.984.2–96 | 79.4 |
| 2074 | 90.183.8–96.7 | 9084.2–96.1 | 79.4 |
| 2075 | 90.283.7–96.9 | 90.184.2–96.1 | 79.5 |
| 2076 | 90.383.9–97.2 | 90.284.2–96.1 | 79.6 |
| 2077 | 90.483.9–97.2 | 90.384.5–96.4 | 79.7 |
| 2078 | 90.583.8–97.3 | 90.484.4–96.5 | 79.8 |
| 2079 | 90.683.8–97.5 | 90.584.5–96.7 | 79.9 |
| 2080 | 90.783.9–97.7 | 90.684.7–97.1 | 80 |
| 2081 | 90.984–97.9 | 90.884.6–97.3 | 80.1 |
| 2082 | 9183.8–98.1 | 90.984.7–97.3 | 80.2 |
| 2083 | 91.184–98.3 | 9184.7–97.5 | 80.3 |
| 2084 | 91.284–98.5 | 91.184.8–97.7 | 80.3 |
| 2085 | 91.384–98.6 | 91.284.8–97.7 | 80.4 |
| 2086 | 91.484.2–98.7 | 91.385–97.9 | 80.5 |
| 2087 | 91.684.4–98.9 | 91.485.2–98.2 | 80.6 |
| 2088 | 91.784.3–99 | 91.585.3–98.4 | 80.7 |
| 2089 | 91.884.4–99.4 | 91.685.3–98.6 | 80.8 |
| 2090 | 91.984.4–99.5 | 91.785.3–98.7 | 80.9 |
| 2091 | 92.184.5–99.8 | 91.885.5–99.1 | 81 |
| 2092 | 92.284.8–99.8 | 9285.4–99.1 | 81 |
| 2093 | 92.384.9–100.1 | 92.185.5–99.3 | 81.1 |
| 2094 | 92.484.9–100.4 | 92.285.6–99.5 | 81.2 |
| 2095 | 92.584.9–100.8 | 92.385.6–99.6 | 81.3 |
| 2096 | 92.785.1–100.9 | 92.485.7–99.9 | 81.4 |
| 2097 | 92.885.2–101.1 | 92.585.8–99.9 | 81.5 |
| 2098 | 92.985.3–101.4 | 92.685.9–100 | 81.6 |
| 2099 | 9385.3–101.5 | 92.786–100.1 | 81.7 |
| 2100 | 93.185.4–101.6 | 92.886.1–100.2 | 81.7 |
Each country on its own
Good to know
- How long a newborn would live on average if the year’s death rates held all its life.
- Source: UN DESA, World Population Prospects 2024.
- Before 1950: Our World in Data, long-run life expectancy.
- The dashed line is the UN projection (medium variant), a scenario rather than a forecast; the band is its 95% prediction interval.
- Ranks count the 229 countries with a value in 2023, highest first.
- The faint line is the world as a whole, as the same source counts it.
How the layers work, where their data comes from and what they can’t tell you: Countries through time
South Korea vs Switzerland
Health
- Child mortalitySouth Korea: 0.3 per 100 live births in 2024Switzerland: 0.4 per 100 live births in 2024
- Infant mortalitySouth Korea: 2.1 per 1,000 live births in 2023Switzerland: 3.2 per 1,000 live births in 2023
- Safe drinking waterSouth Korea: 99.3% in 2022Switzerland: 96.7% in 2022
- DepressionSouth Korea: 3.17% in 2017Switzerland: 3.71% in 2017
- Suicide rateSouth Korea: 20.8 per 100,000 people in 2017Switzerland: 9.3 per 100,000 people in 2017
People
- PopulationSouth Korea: 51.8 million people in 2023Switzerland: 8.87 million people in 2023
- Population growthSouth Korea: -0.04% a year in 2023Switzerland: 0.62% a year in 2023
- Fertility rateSouth Korea: 0.72 births per woman in 2023Switzerland: 1.43 births per woman in 2023
- Urban populationSouth Korea: 81.2% in 2025Switzerland: 85.7% in 2025
- Median ageSouth Korea: 44.5 years in 2023Switzerland: 42.3 years in 2023
- People aged 65 and overSouth Korea: 18.3% in 2023Switzerland: 19.6% in 2023
- Net migration rateSouth Korea: 1.7 per 1,000 people in 2023Switzerland: 5.1 per 1,000 people in 2023
Economy
Education
Politics
Conflict
Military
- Military spendingSouth Korea: 2.6% of GDP in 2025Switzerland: 0.76% of GDP in 2025
- Military spending in US dollarsSouth Korea: $48.9B in 2025Switzerland: $7.15B in 2025
- Military spending per personSouth Korea: $924 in 2025Switzerland: $849 in 2025
- Military share of state spendingSouth Korea: 10.8% of government spending in 2025Switzerland: 2.4% of government spending in 2025
- Armed forces personnelSouth Korea: 569,000 people in 2020Switzerland: 20,000 people in 2020
- National powerSouth Korea: 2% of world capability in 2022Switzerland: 0.12% of world capability in 2022
- Armed forces, share of workersSouth Korea: 2.01% of the labour force in 2020Switzerland: 0.4% of the labour force in 2020
- Arms importsSouth Korea: 222 million TIV in 2025Switzerland: 33 million TIV in 2023
- Arms exportsSouth Korea: 2.02 billion TIV in 2025Switzerland: 129 million TIV in 2025