Female life expectancy at birth and GNI per capita, 2026.
Higher national income is strongly associated with longer lives. Female life expectancy generally rises with income, reflecting the many advantages associated with greater resources, from health care and nutrition to education, sanitation, and living conditions.
Note: GNI per capita is shown on a log scale.
Some countries achieve much more with limited resources. Malawi and Nicaragua outperform the broader income-life expectancy pattern, with women living longer than might be expected based on national income alone. Their position suggests that income creates opportunities for better health, but it does not set an absolute limit on what countries can achieve.
Similar incomes do not guarantee similar health outcomes. Nigeria and Nicaragua make the contrast especially stark. Despite comparable income levels, women in Nicaragua live many years longer on average (80 years) compared to women in Nigeria (62 years). The gap points to the importance of looking beyond economic resources to the health and social conditions that shape survival.