Annual death rates at different ages in males in South Africa
South Africa: Annual death rates at different ages in males was 30.73 deaths per 1,000 people in 2023. ▼ Falling
Latest (2023)
30.73 deaths per 1,000 people
Change on year
down 8.5%
World rank
55th
of 236 countries
All-time high
161.33 deaths per 1,000 people
in 1950
All-time low
23.84 deaths per 1,000 people
in 2020
Years of data
74
1950–2023
Annual death rates at different ages in males 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 at different ages in males in South Africa stood at 30.73 deaths per 1,000 people.
That represents a change of down 8.5% on the previous year and down 5.1% over ten years.
Over the whole period, annual death rates at different ages in males in South Africa peaked at 161.33 deaths per 1,000 people in 1950 and was at its lowest, 23.84 deaths per 1,000 people, in 2020.
That places South Africa 55th out of 236 countries with data for 2023, putting it in the top quarter.
The long-run direction has been consistently falling across the 74 years of available data.
Annual death rates at different ages in males in South Africa, year by year
| Year | deaths per 1,000 people | Change |
|---|---|---|
| 1950 | 161.33 deaths per 1,000 people | — |
| 1951 | 156.43 deaths per 1,000 people | -3.0% |
| 1952 | 151.54 deaths per 1,000 people | -3.1% |
| 1953 | 146.5 deaths per 1,000 people | -3.3% |
| 1954 | 141.17 deaths per 1,000 people | -3.6% |
| 1955 | 135.6 deaths per 1,000 people | -3.9% |
| 1956 | 130.44 deaths per 1,000 people | -3.8% |
| 1957 | 125.52 deaths per 1,000 people | -3.8% |
| 1958 | 121.1 deaths per 1,000 people | -3.5% |
| 1959 | 117.32 deaths per 1,000 people | -3.1% |
| 1960 | 114.14 deaths per 1,000 people | -2.7% |
| 1961 | 111.59 deaths per 1,000 people | -2.2% |
| 1962 | 109.54 deaths per 1,000 people | -1.8% |
| 1963 | 107.86 deaths per 1,000 people | -1.5% |
| 1964 | 106.42 deaths per 1,000 people | -1.3% |
| 1965 | 105.13 deaths per 1,000 people | -1.2% |
| 1966 | 103.89 deaths per 1,000 people | -1.2% |
| 1967 | 102.63 deaths per 1,000 people | -1.2% |
| 1968 | 101.32 deaths per 1,000 people | -1.3% |
| 1969 | 99.91 deaths per 1,000 people | -1.4% |
| 1970 | 98.38 deaths per 1,000 people | -1.5% |
| 1971 | 96.74 deaths per 1,000 people | -1.7% |
| 1972 | 94.99 deaths per 1,000 people | -1.8% |
| 1973 | 93.14 deaths per 1,000 people | -1.9% |
| 1974 | 91.21 deaths per 1,000 people | -2.1% |
| 1975 | 89.15 deaths per 1,000 people | -2.3% |
| 1976 | 86.99 deaths per 1,000 people | -2.4% |
| 1977 | 84.67 deaths per 1,000 people | -2.7% |
| 1978 | 82.2 deaths per 1,000 people | -2.9% |
| 1979 | 79.59 deaths per 1,000 people | -3.2% |
| 1980 | 76.85 deaths per 1,000 people | -3.4% |
| 1981 | 74.06 deaths per 1,000 people | -3.6% |
| 1982 | 71.21 deaths per 1,000 people | -3.9% |
| 1983 | 68.42 deaths per 1,000 people | -3.9% |
| 1984 | 65.78 deaths per 1,000 people | -3.9% |
| 1985 | 63.26 deaths per 1,000 people | -3.8% |
| 1986 | 60.94 deaths per 1,000 people | -3.7% |
| 1987 | 58.97 deaths per 1,000 people | -3.2% |
| 1988 | 56.96 deaths per 1,000 people | -3.4% |
| 1989 | 55.39 deaths per 1,000 people | -2.8% |
| 1990 | 54.15 deaths per 1,000 people | -2.2% |
| 1991 | 53.13 deaths per 1,000 people | -1.9% |
| 1992 | 52.54 deaths per 1,000 people | -1.1% |
| 1993 | 52.33 deaths per 1,000 people | -0.4% |
| 1994 | 52.47 deaths per 1,000 people | +0.3% |
| 1995 | 52.97 deaths per 1,000 people | +1.0% |
| 1996 | 53.79 deaths per 1,000 people | +1.5% |
| 1997 | 54.77 deaths per 1,000 people | +1.8% |
| 1998 | 55.98 deaths per 1,000 people | +2.2% |
| 1999 | 57.28 deaths per 1,000 people | +2.3% |
| 2000 | 50.05 deaths per 1,000 people | -12.6% |
| 2001 | 51.54 deaths per 1,000 people | +3.0% |
| 2002 | 56.81 deaths per 1,000 people | +10.2% |
| 2003 | 58.59 deaths per 1,000 people | +3.1% |
| 2004 | 56.59 deaths per 1,000 people | -3.4% |
| 2005 | 56.42 deaths per 1,000 people | -0.3% |
| 2006 | 55.27 deaths per 1,000 people | -2.0% |
| 2007 | 53.46 deaths per 1,000 people | -3.3% |
| 2008 | 49.71 deaths per 1,000 people | -7.0% |
| 2009 | 44.37 deaths per 1,000 people | -10.7% |
| 2010 | 38.54 deaths per 1,000 people | -13.1% |
| 2011 | 30.73 deaths per 1,000 people | -20.3% |
| 2012 | 30.15 deaths per 1,000 people | -1.9% |
| 2013 | 32.38 deaths per 1,000 people | +7.4% |
| 2014 | 32.1 deaths per 1,000 people | -0.9% |
| 2015 | 30.51 deaths per 1,000 people | -5.0% |
| 2016 | 29.01 deaths per 1,000 people | -4.9% |
| 2017 | 25.87 deaths per 1,000 people | -10.8% |
| 2018 | 28.96 deaths per 1,000 people | +12.0% |
| 2019 | 30.3 deaths per 1,000 people | +4.6% |
| 2020 | 23.84 deaths per 1,000 people | -21.3% |
| 2021 | 30.48 deaths per 1,000 people | +27.9% |
| 2022 | 33.57 deaths per 1,000 people | +10.1% |
| 2023 | 30.73 deaths per 1,000 people | -8.5% |
Averages by decade
| Decade | Average | Lowest | Highest | Years |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1950s | 138.69 deaths per 1,000 people | 117.32 deaths per 1,000 people | 161.33 deaths per 1,000 people | 10 |
| 1960s | 106.24 deaths per 1,000 people | 99.91 deaths per 1,000 people | 114.14 deaths per 1,000 people | 10 |
| 1970s | 89.7 deaths per 1,000 people | 79.59 deaths per 1,000 people | 98.38 deaths per 1,000 people | 10 |
| 1980s | 65.18 deaths per 1,000 people | 55.39 deaths per 1,000 people | 76.85 deaths per 1,000 people | 10 |
| 1990s | 53.94 deaths per 1,000 people | 52.33 deaths per 1,000 people | 57.28 deaths per 1,000 people | 10 |
| 2000s | 53.28 deaths per 1,000 people | 44.37 deaths per 1,000 people | 58.59 deaths per 1,000 people | 10 |
| 2010s | 30.85 deaths per 1,000 people | 25.87 deaths per 1,000 people | 38.54 deaths per 1,000 people | 10 |
| 2020s | 29.65 deaths per 1,000 people | 23.84 deaths per 1,000 people | 33.57 deaths per 1,000 people | 4 |
Countries ranked near South Africa
- 52 Gabon 31.45 deaths per 1,000 people compare
- 53 Namibia 31.06 deaths per 1,000 people compare
- 54 Rwanda 30.88 deaths per 1,000 people compare
- 56 Dominica 30.49 deaths per 1,000 people compare
- 57 Dominican Republic 28.99 deaths per 1,000 people compare
- 58 Tajikistan 28.42 deaths per 1,000 people compare
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)
- Population ages 75-79, female, annual growth rate 7.34 % change on previous year (2025)
- Population ages 75-79, female, per unit of GDP 0 units per US$ of GDP (2025)
- Population ages 75-79, female, per capita 0.0067 units per person (2025)
- Population ages 75-79, male, annual growth rate 8.95 % change on previous year (2025)
- Population ages 75-79, male, per unit of GDP 0 units per US$ of GDP (2025)
- Population ages 75-79, male, per capita 0.0039 units per person (2025)
Frequently asked questions
- What is annual death rates at different ages in males in South Africa?
- Annual death rates at different ages in males in South Africa was 30.73 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 at different ages in males recorded in South Africa?
- The highest recorded value was 161.33 deaths per 1,000 people in 1950.
- What is the lowest annual death rates at different ages in males recorded in South Africa?
- The lowest recorded value was 23.84 deaths per 1,000 people in 2020.
- How does South Africa rank for annual death rates at different ages in males?
- South Africa ranks 55th out of 236 countries with data for 2023.
- Is annual death rates at different ages in males rising or falling in South Africa?
- Over the last ten years it is down 5.1%. 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 at different ages in males. 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.