EU countries by healthy life expectancy at birth

Luxembourg had the highest healthy life expectancy at birth of 27 EU countries in 2017, at 71.4 years. Bulgaria had the lowest, at 65.4 years. The median was 69.8 years. Source: World Health Organization.

Highest71.4Luxembourg
Lowest65.4Bulgaria
Median69.827 EU countries

All EU countries, 2017

Luxembourg: 71.4 yearsLuxembourg71.4Spain: 71.4 yearsSpain71.4Malta: 71.1 yearsMalta71.1Italy: 71.1 yearsItaly71.1Sweden: 71 yearsSweden71Cyprus: 70.9 yearsCyprus70.9Netherlands: 70.5 yearsNetherlands70.5France: 70.5 yearsFrance70.5Austria: 70.2 yearsAustria70.2Ireland: 70.2 yearsIreland70.2Denmark: 70.1 yearsDenmark70.1Finland: 70 yearsFinland70Portugal: 69.9 yearsPortugal69.9Slovenia: 69.8 yearsSlovenia69.8Belgium: 69.7 yearsBelgium69.7Greece: 69.7 yearsGreece69.7Germany: 69.3 yearsGermany69.3Czechia: 68.2 yearsCzechia68.2Croatia: 68 yearsCroatia68Estonia: 67.9 yearsEstonia67.9Poland: 67.5 yearsPoland67.5Slovakia: 67.1 yearsSlovakia67.1Hungary: 66.2 yearsHungary66.2Romania: 65.9 yearsRomania65.9Lithuania: 65.6 yearsLithuania65.6Latvia: 65.5 yearsLatvia65.5Bulgaria: 65.4 yearsBulgaria65.4
years. Source: World Health Organization, Healthy life expectancy at birth (years), both sexes (WHOSIS_000002). Retrieved 2026-10-12.

Full ranking

RankEU countries2017
years
Change on 2016
1Luxembourg71.4+0.1
2Spain71.4-0
3Malta71.1+0.1
4Italy71.1-0.3
5Sweden710
6Cyprus70.9+0.1
7Netherlands70.5+0.1
8France70.5+0.1
9Austria70.20
10Ireland70.2+0.2
11Denmark70.1+0.2
12Finland70+0.2
13Portugal69.9+0.2
14Slovenia69.8+0.1
15Belgium69.7+0.1
16Greece69.7-0
17Germany69.3+0.1
18Czechia68.20
19Croatia68-0.1
20Estonia67.9+0.4
21Poland67.5-0.1
22Slovakia67.1-0
23Hungary66.2-0.1
24Romania65.9+0.1
25Lithuania65.6+0.6
26Latvia65.50
27Bulgaria65.4-0

Other periods

About this ranking

Average number of years a newborn can expect to live in full health (HALE), counting years lived with disease or injury as partly lost. Both sexes. WHO Global Health Estimates, calculated with Sullivan's method from life tables and the rate of years lived with disability.

Modelled WHO estimates, not a national survey measure, so they differ from Eurostat's healthy life years, which come from self-reported limitations. Values are served with every decimal WHO publishes. WHO revises these series, past years included, when new national reports or estimates come in, so values can change between retrievals.

Every value in the ranking comes from the same publisher and the same period, so the EU countries are compared on one definition. Equal values share a rank.

How to cite

World Health Organization, data.who.int. Healthy life expectancy at birth (years), both sexes (WHOSIS_000002) [Indicator]. https://data.who.int/indicators/i/48D9B0C/C64284D (Accessed on 2026-10-12). Licensed under CC BY 4.0. No changes made to source values. WHO does not endorse Invokely or this use of the data.

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Questions

Which EU country has the highest healthy life expectancy at birth?

Luxembourg, with 71.4 years in 2017, according to World Health Organization.

Which EU country has the lowest healthy life expectancy at birth?

Bulgaria, with 65.4 years in 2017.

Where does this ranking come from?

Every value comes from one source and one period, so the places are comparable: World Health Organization, Healthy life expectancy at birth (years), both sexes (WHOSIS_000002). Retrieved 2026-10-12.

Healthy life expectancy at birth: other rankings

EU countries: more rankings