South Africa vs World: Prevalence of HIV among adults aged 15 to 49
South Africa
15.9%
in 2025
World
0.7%
in 2025
South Africa rank
3rd
World rank
2nd
Prevalence of HIV among adults aged 15 to 49 over time
- South Africa
- World
How they compare
South Africa currently reports 15.9% against 0.7% in World, a difference of 15.2%.
That makes South Africa's figure about 22.7 times World's.
Across all 26 years both countries report, South Africa has been ahead every year.
South Africa ranks 3rd and World ranks 2nd of 143 countries.
South Africa has averaged higher in every one of the 3 decades both report.
Head to head by decade
| Decade | South Africa | World | Difference | Ahead |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2000s | 14.9% | 0.7% | 14.2% | South Africa |
| 2010s | 17.7% | 0.8% | 16.9% | South Africa |
| 2020s | 16.9% | 0.7% | 16.2% | South Africa |
Averages of every year both report within each decade.
Frequently asked questions
- Which has higher prevalence of hiv among adults aged 15 to 49, South Africa or World?
- South Africa, at 15.9% against 0.7% in World as of 2025.
- What is the difference in prevalence of hiv among adults aged 15 to 49 between South Africa and World?
- 15.2%, with South Africa ahead.
- How many years of comparable data are there for South Africa and World?
- 26 years are reported by both, from 2000 to 2025.
- How do South Africa and World rank globally for prevalence of hiv among adults aged 15 to 49?
- South Africa ranks 3rd and World ranks 2nd of 143 countries.
- Where does this data come from?
- World Health Organization, Global Health Observatory, published as Prevalence of HIV among adults aged 15 to 49 (%). Statizoid refreshes it automatically from the source and publishes the full history for both places.