Life expectancy in France was below thirty in the late 1700s, but over the course of the next two and a half centuries it is expected to reach 82.5 by the year 2020. Although life expectancy has generally increased throughout France's history, there were several times where the rate deviated from its previous trajectory. The most noticeable changes were because of smallpox and influenza epidemics in the 1700s, medical advancements (such as vaccination and pasteurization) saw life expectancy increase in the 1800s, and then both World Wars and the epidemics that followed caused brief drops in the first half of the twentieth century.
Life expectancy (from birth) in France from 1765 to 2020*
Characteristic
Life expectancy in years
2020
82.46
2015
81.94
2010
80.95
2005
79.6
2000
78.45
1995
77.35
1990
76.13
1985
74.77
1980
73.66
1975
72.43
1970
71.46
1965
70.75
1960
69.39
Created with Highcharts 7.2.2Life expectancy in years1765177017751780178517901795180018051810181518201825183018351840184518501855186018651870187518801885189018951900190519101915192019251930193519401945195019551960196519701975198019851990199520002005201020152020
2030405060708090
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UN DESA, & Gapminder. (June 17, 2019). Life expectancy (from birth) in France from 1765 to 2020* [Graph]. In Statista. Retrieved February 20, 2025, from https://www.statista.com/statistics/1041105/life-expectancy-france-all-time/
UN DESA, und Gapminder. "Life expectancy (from birth) in France from 1765 to 2020*." Chart. June 17, 2019. Statista. Accessed February 20, 2025. https://www.statista.com/statistics/1041105/life-expectancy-france-all-time/
UN DESA, Gapminder. (2019). Life expectancy (from birth) in France from 1765 to 2020*. Statista. Statista Inc.. Accessed: February 20, 2025. https://www.statista.com/statistics/1041105/life-expectancy-france-all-time/
UN DESA, and Gapminder. "Life Expectancy (from Birth) in France from 1765 to 2020*." Statista, Statista Inc., 17 Jun 2019, https://www.statista.com/statistics/1041105/life-expectancy-france-all-time/
UN DESA & Gapminder, Life expectancy (from birth) in France from 1765 to 2020* Statista, https://www.statista.com/statistics/1041105/life-expectancy-france-all-time/ (last visited February 20, 2025)
Life expectancy (from birth) in France from 1765 to 2020* [Graph], UN DESA, & Gapminder, June 17, 2019. [Online]. Available: https://www.statista.com/statistics/1041105/life-expectancy-france-all-time/
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