Annual death rates in people of different ages, by sex in South Africa
South Africa: Annual death rates in people of different ages, by sex was 26.29 deaths per 1,000 people in 2023. ▼ Falling
Latest (2023)
26.29 deaths per 1,000 people
Change on year
down 6.9%
World rank
51st
of 236 countries
All-time high
145.2 deaths per 1,000 people
in 1950
All-time low
20.51 deaths per 1,000 people
in 2020
Years of data
74
1950–2023
Annual death rates in people of different ages, by sex in South Africa, 1950–2023
Source: Human Mortality Database (2025); UN, World Population Prospects (2024) – with minor processing by Our World in Data. Measured in deaths per 1,000 people.
Analysis
In 2023, annual death rates in people of different ages, by sex in South Africa stood at 26.29 deaths per 1,000 people.
Compared with earlier readings it is down 6.9% on the previous year and down 7.4% over ten years.
Over the whole period, annual death rates in people of different ages, by sex in South Africa peaked at 145.2 deaths per 1,000 people in 1950 and was at its lowest, 20.51 deaths per 1,000 people, in 2020.
South Africa ranks 51st of 236 countries on this measure, in the top quarter.
The long-run direction has been consistently falling across the 74 years of available data.
Annual death rates in people of different ages, by sex in South Africa, year by year
| Year | deaths per 1,000 people | Change |
|---|---|---|
| 1950 | 145.2 deaths per 1,000 people | — |
| 1951 | 140.38 deaths per 1,000 people | -3.3% |
| 1952 | 135.66 deaths per 1,000 people | -3.4% |
| 1953 | 130.77 deaths per 1,000 people | -3.6% |
| 1954 | 125.84 deaths per 1,000 people | -3.8% |
| 1955 | 120.92 deaths per 1,000 people | -3.9% |
| 1956 | 115.75 deaths per 1,000 people | -4.3% |
| 1957 | 110.93 deaths per 1,000 people | -4.2% |
| 1958 | 106.62 deaths per 1,000 people | -3.9% |
| 1959 | 102.98 deaths per 1,000 people | -3.4% |
| 1960 | 99.97 deaths per 1,000 people | -2.9% |
| 1961 | 97.62 deaths per 1,000 people | -2.3% |
| 1962 | 95.78 deaths per 1,000 people | -1.9% |
| 1963 | 94.31 deaths per 1,000 people | -1.5% |
| 1964 | 93.08 deaths per 1,000 people | -1.3% |
| 1965 | 91.97 deaths per 1,000 people | -1.2% |
| 1966 | 90.9 deaths per 1,000 people | -1.2% |
| 1967 | 89.8 deaths per 1,000 people | -1.2% |
| 1968 | 88.65 deaths per 1,000 people | -1.3% |
| 1969 | 87.39 deaths per 1,000 people | -1.4% |
| 1970 | 86 deaths per 1,000 people | -1.6% |
| 1971 | 84.47 deaths per 1,000 people | -1.8% |
| 1972 | 82.8 deaths per 1,000 people | -2.0% |
| 1973 | 81 deaths per 1,000 people | -2.2% |
| 1974 | 79.1 deaths per 1,000 people | -2.3% |
| 1975 | 77.07 deaths per 1,000 people | -2.6% |
| 1976 | 74.94 deaths per 1,000 people | -2.8% |
| 1977 | 72.67 deaths per 1,000 people | -3.0% |
| 1978 | 70.27 deaths per 1,000 people | -3.3% |
| 1979 | 67.74 deaths per 1,000 people | -3.6% |
| 1980 | 65.14 deaths per 1,000 people | -3.8% |
| 1981 | 62.52 deaths per 1,000 people | -4.0% |
| 1982 | 59.85 deaths per 1,000 people | -4.3% |
| 1983 | 57.27 deaths per 1,000 people | -4.3% |
| 1984 | 54.83 deaths per 1,000 people | -4.3% |
| 1985 | 52.53 deaths per 1,000 people | -4.2% |
| 1986 | 50.45 deaths per 1,000 people | -4.0% |
| 1987 | 48.71 deaths per 1,000 people | -3.4% |
| 1988 | 46.92 deaths per 1,000 people | -3.7% |
| 1989 | 45.56 deaths per 1,000 people | -2.9% |
| 1990 | 44.52 deaths per 1,000 people | -2.3% |
| 1991 | 43.69 deaths per 1,000 people | -1.8% |
| 1992 | 43.27 deaths per 1,000 people | -1.0% |
| 1993 | 43.23 deaths per 1,000 people | -0.1% |
| 1994 | 43.49 deaths per 1,000 people | +0.6% |
| 1995 | 44.12 deaths per 1,000 people | +1.4% |
| 1996 | 45.08 deaths per 1,000 people | +2.2% |
| 1997 | 46.25 deaths per 1,000 people | +2.6% |
| 1998 | 47.65 deaths per 1,000 people | +3.0% |
| 1999 | 49.16 deaths per 1,000 people | +3.2% |
| 2000 | 45.02 deaths per 1,000 people | -8.4% |
| 2001 | 46.74 deaths per 1,000 people | +3.8% |
| 2002 | 51.26 deaths per 1,000 people | +9.7% |
| 2003 | 53.04 deaths per 1,000 people | +3.5% |
| 2004 | 49.99 deaths per 1,000 people | -5.8% |
| 2005 | 51.7 deaths per 1,000 people | +3.4% |
| 2006 | 47.95 deaths per 1,000 people | -7.2% |
| 2007 | 46.94 deaths per 1,000 people | -2.1% |
| 2008 | 44.38 deaths per 1,000 people | -5.4% |
| 2009 | 37.72 deaths per 1,000 people | -15.0% |
| 2010 | 34.35 deaths per 1,000 people | -8.9% |
| 2011 | 27.68 deaths per 1,000 people | -19.4% |
| 2012 | 26.35 deaths per 1,000 people | -4.8% |
| 2013 | 28.38 deaths per 1,000 people | +7.7% |
| 2014 | 27.68 deaths per 1,000 people | -2.5% |
| 2015 | 26.73 deaths per 1,000 people | -3.4% |
| 2016 | 24.45 deaths per 1,000 people | -8.5% |
| 2017 | 22.65 deaths per 1,000 people | -7.4% |
| 2018 | 24.35 deaths per 1,000 people | +7.5% |
| 2019 | 26.69 deaths per 1,000 people | +9.6% |
| 2020 | 20.51 deaths per 1,000 people | -23.1% |
| 2021 | 25.99 deaths per 1,000 people | +26.7% |
| 2022 | 28.23 deaths per 1,000 people | +8.6% |
| 2023 | 26.29 deaths per 1,000 people | -6.9% |
Averages by decade
| Decade | Average | Lowest | Highest | Years |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1950s | 123.51 deaths per 1,000 people | 102.98 deaths per 1,000 people | 145.2 deaths per 1,000 people | 10 |
| 1960s | 92.95 deaths per 1,000 people | 87.39 deaths per 1,000 people | 99.97 deaths per 1,000 people | 10 |
| 1970s | 77.61 deaths per 1,000 people | 67.74 deaths per 1,000 people | 86 deaths per 1,000 people | 10 |
| 1980s | 54.38 deaths per 1,000 people | 45.56 deaths per 1,000 people | 65.14 deaths per 1,000 people | 10 |
| 1990s | 45.05 deaths per 1,000 people | 43.23 deaths per 1,000 people | 49.16 deaths per 1,000 people | 10 |
| 2000s | 47.48 deaths per 1,000 people | 37.72 deaths per 1,000 people | 53.04 deaths per 1,000 people | 10 |
| 2010s | 26.93 deaths per 1,000 people | 22.65 deaths per 1,000 people | 34.35 deaths per 1,000 people | 10 |
| 2020s | 25.26 deaths per 1,000 people | 20.51 deaths per 1,000 people | 28.23 deaths per 1,000 people | 4 |
Countries ranked near South Africa
More health data for South Africa
- Un projection of annual infant deaths, annual growth rate -2.2 % change on previous year (2100)
- Heat deaths vs projected death rates, annual growth rate -0.1386 % change on previous year (2090)
- Estimated changes in temperature-related death rates compared to projected death rates 1,152 deaths per 1,000 people (2090)
- Number of infants who die before age 1 3,333 deaths (2100)
- Neonatal tetanus - number of reported cases, gaps filled 0 (2025)
- Population ages 00-04, female, annual growth rate -0.5504 % change on previous year (2025)
- Population ages 00-04, female, per unit of GDP 0 units per US$ of GDP (2025)
- Population ages 00-04, female, per capita 0.045 units per person (2025)
- Population ages 00-04, male, annual growth rate 0.0003 % change on previous year (2025)
- Population ages 00-04, male, per unit of GDP 0 units per US$ of GDP (2025)
Frequently asked questions
- What is annual death rates in people of different ages, by sex in South Africa?
- Annual death rates in people of different ages, by sex in South Africa was 26.29 deaths per 1,000 people in 2023, according to Human Mortality Database (2025); UN, World Population Prospects (2024) – with minor processing by Our World in Data.
- What is the highest annual death rates in people of different ages, by sex recorded in South Africa?
- The highest recorded value was 145.2 deaths per 1,000 people in 1950.
- What is the lowest annual death rates in people of different ages, by sex recorded in South Africa?
- The lowest recorded value was 20.51 deaths per 1,000 people in 2020.
- How does South Africa rank for annual death rates in people of different ages, by sex?
- South Africa ranks 51st out of 236 countries with data for 2023.
- Is annual death rates in people of different ages, by sex rising or falling in South Africa?
- Over the last ten years it is down 7.4%. The long-run trend across the full record is falling.
- Where does this South Africa data come from?
- The figures come from Human Mortality Database (2025); UN, World Population Prospects (2024) – with minor processing by Our World in Data, published as part of Annual death rates in people of different ages, by sex. Statizoid updates them automatically from the source API.
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About this data
Death rate, calculated as the number of deaths divided by the average number of people alive during the interval.