Life expectancy varies considerably across Europe, with Switzerland recording the highest figure in the supplied United Nations data and Moldova at the opposite end of the ranking.

The figures provide a broad picture of how long people born in different European countries can be expected to live on average. They also reveal a substantial difference between the countries at the top and bottom of the list.

Switzerland leads the ranking with a life expectancy at birth of 84.8 years, narrowly ahead of Italy at 84.6 years and Spain at 84.5 years.

Switzerland Takes the Top Position

Switzerland sits at the summit with 84.8 years, making it the only country in the supplied ranking above 84.7 years.

Italy follows extremely closely at 84.6 years, while Spain records 84.5 years.

The next positions are occupied by Sweden at 84.1 years and Norway at 84.0 years. France rounds out the leading group with 83.8 years.

The narrow differences among these countries show that several European nations have reached similarly high levels of longevity.

Northern and Western Europe Remain Strong Performers

A large number of countries in Northern and Western Europe appear near the upper portion of the table.

Iceland records 83.4 years, followed by Ireland at 83.3, Luxembourg at 83.2, Austria at 83.1 and Finland at 83.0.

The United Kingdom and Germany are both listed at 82.7 years, while Greece stands at 82.6 years.

Cyprus and Denmark each record 82.5 years in the supplied figures.

These numbers illustrate that high life expectancy is not confined to one particular part of Europe. Several different European regions feature prominently among the countries with the longest expected lifespans.

Central and Southern Europe Show More Variation

The middle section of the ranking contains a diverse group of countries.

Albania records 80.7 years, followed by Czechia at 80.3 years. Croatia stands at 79.9 years, while Estonia is listed at 79.8 years.

Türkiye records 79.3 years, with Poland at 79.1 years and Slovakia at 78.9 years.

Bosnia and Herzegovina and North Macedonia are both reported at 78.4 years, while Montenegro records 78.3 years.

Serbia, Romania and Hungary occupy the next positions, with figures of 77.9, 77.6 and 77.6 years, respectively.

Eastern Europe Records Lower Figures

The lower portion of the ranking is dominated by several Eastern European countries.

Lithuania has a reported life expectancy of 77.3 years, followed by Latvia at 76.5 years and Bulgaria at 76.2 years.

Ukraine records 75.8 years, while Belarus stands at 75.6 years.

Russia is listed at 75.0 years.

Moldova occupies the final position in the supplied European ranking, with life expectancy at birth of 71.9 years.

A Difference of Nearly 13 Years

One of the clearest findings from the figures is the distance between the highest and lowest entries.

The difference between Switzerland’s 84.8 years and Moldova’s 71.9 years is 12.9 years.

That is a considerable gap within a single continent.

Life expectancy is influenced by numerous factors, including healthcare access, living conditions, economic circumstances, education, working environments, lifestyle, disease patterns and public-health policies. A ranking by itself therefore cannot explain why one country performs better or worse than another.

What the Ranking Tells Us

The European picture is far from uniform.

Some countries have life expectancy exceeding 84 years, while others remain below 76 years. The contrast becomes particularly visible when comparing the leading Western and Northern European countries with several nations toward the lower end of the table.

At the same time, the rankings should be interpreted carefully. Life expectancy is a population-level statistical measure rather than a prediction of exactly how long an individual will live.

It also does not capture every aspect of health. A country can have a high average lifespan while still facing major challenges involving chronic illness, disability or inequalities between different population groups.

Europe’s Longevity Divide

The figures nevertheless provide a useful snapshot of demographic differences across Europe.

Switzerland, Italy and Spain occupy the top three places, while Sweden, Norway and France are also among the continent’s strongest performers.

At the other end, Ukraine, Belarus, Russia and Moldova appear near the bottom of the supplied list.

The nearly 13-year difference separating Switzerland from Moldova demonstrates that longevity remains uneven across Europe.

Understanding that gap requires looking beyond the numbers to the social, economic, environmental and healthcare conditions that shape people’s lives.

Europe Life Expectancy Ranking

1. 🇨🇭 Switzerland — 84.8 years
2. 🇮🇹 Italy — 84.6 years
3. 🇪🇸 Spain — 84.5 years
4. 🇸🇪 Sweden — 84.1 years
5. 🇳🇴 Norway — 84.0 years
6. 🇫🇷 France — 83.8 years
7. 🇮🇸 Iceland — 83.4 years
8. 🇮🇪 Ireland — 83.3 years
9. 🇱🇺 Luxembourg — 83.2 years
10. 🇦🇹 Austria — 83.1 years
11. 🇫🇮 Finland — 83.0 years
12. 🇳🇱 Netherlands — 82.0 years
13. 🇵🇹 Portugal — 82.9 years
14. 🇧🇪 Belgium — 82.9 years
15. 🇸🇮 Slovenia — 82.8 years
16. 🇬🇧 United Kingdom — 82.7 years
17. 🇩🇪 Germany — 82.7 years
18. 🇬🇷 Greece — 82.6 years
19. 🇨🇾 Cyprus — 82.5 years
20. 🇩🇰 Denmark — 82.5 years
21. 🇦🇱 Albania — 80.7 years
22. 🇨🇿 Czechia — 80.3 years
23. 🇭🇷 Croatia — 79.9 years
24. 🇪🇪 Estonia — 79.8 years
25. 🇹🇷 Türkiye — 79.3 years
26. 🇵🇱 Poland — 79.1 years
27. 🇸🇰 Slovakia — 78.9 years
28. 🇧🇦 Bosnia and Herzegovina — 78.4 years
29. 🇲🇰 North Macedonia — 78.4 years
30. 🇲🇪 Montenegro — 78.3 years
31. 🇷🇸 Serbia — 77.9 years
32. 🇷🇴 Romania — 77.6 years
33. 🇭🇺 Hungary — 77.6 years
34. 🇱🇹 Lithuania — 77.3 years
35. 🇱🇻 Latvia — 76.5 years
36. 🇧🇬 Bulgaria — 76.2 years
37. 🇺🇦 Ukraine — 75.8 years
38. 🇧🇾 Belarus — 75.6 years
39. 🇷🇺 Russia — 75.0 years
40. 🇲🇩 Moldova — 71.9 years