Birth rate, crude (per 1,000 people) in South Africa
South Africa: Birth rate, crude (per 1,000 people) was 18.48 per 1,000 people in 2024. ▼ Falling
Latest (2024)
18.48 per 1,000 people
Change on year
down 1.6%
World rank
83rd
of 218 countries
All-time high
39.96 per 1,000 people
in 1966
All-time low
18.48 per 1,000 people
in 2024
Years of data
65
1960–2024
Birth rate, crude in South Africa, 1960–2024
Source: World Population Prospects, United Nations (UN), publisher: UN Population Division. Measured in per 1,000 people.
Analysis
The most recent figure for birth rate, crude in South Africa is 18.48 per 1,000 people, measured in 2024. That is the lowest value across all 65 years on record.
That represents a change of down 1.6% on the previous year and down 15.2% over ten years.
Over the whole period, birth rate, crude in South Africa peaked at 39.96 per 1,000 people in 1966 and was at its lowest, 18.48 per 1,000 people, in 2024.
South Africa ranks 83rd of 218 countries on this measure, in the middle of the range.
The long-run direction has been consistently falling across the 65 years of available data.
Birth rate, crude (per 1,000 people) in South Africa, year by year
| Year | per 1,000 people | Change |
|---|---|---|
| 1960 | 39.82 per 1,000 people | — |
| 1961 | 39.74 per 1,000 people | -0.2% |
| 1962 | 39.67 per 1,000 people | -0.2% |
| 1963 | 39.69 per 1,000 people | +0.0% |
| 1964 | 39.6 per 1,000 people | -0.2% |
| 1965 | 39.49 per 1,000 people | -0.3% |
| 1966 | 39.96 per 1,000 people | +1.2% |
| 1967 | 39.93 per 1,000 people | -0.1% |
| 1968 | 39.81 per 1,000 people | -0.3% |
| 1969 | 39.71 per 1,000 people | -0.3% |
| 1970 | 39.38 per 1,000 people | -0.8% |
| 1971 | 39.25 per 1,000 people | -0.3% |
| 1972 | 38.85 per 1,000 people | -1.0% |
| 1973 | 38.39 per 1,000 people | -1.2% |
| 1974 | 37.67 per 1,000 people | -1.9% |
| 1975 | 37.01 per 1,000 people | -1.7% |
| 1976 | 36.33 per 1,000 people | -1.8% |
| 1977 | 35.57 per 1,000 people | -2.1% |
| 1978 | 35.08 per 1,000 people | -1.4% |
| 1979 | 34.94 per 1,000 people | -0.4% |
| 1980 | 34.66 per 1,000 people | -0.8% |
| 1981 | 34.59 per 1,000 people | -0.2% |
| 1982 | 34.8 per 1,000 people | +0.6% |
| 1983 | 34.63 per 1,000 people | -0.5% |
| 1984 | 34.53 per 1,000 people | -0.3% |
| 1985 | 34.25 per 1,000 people | -0.8% |
| 1986 | 33.6 per 1,000 people | -1.9% |
| 1987 | 33.2 per 1,000 people | -1.2% |
| 1988 | 31.98 per 1,000 people | -3.7% |
| 1989 | 30.58 per 1,000 people | -4.4% |
| 1990 | 28.73 per 1,000 people | -6.0% |
| 1991 | 28.07 per 1,000 people | -2.3% |
| 1992 | 27.02 per 1,000 people | -3.8% |
| 1993 | 26.61 per 1,000 people | -1.5% |
| 1994 | 24.58 per 1,000 people | -7.6% |
| 1995 | 25.61 per 1,000 people | +4.2% |
| 1996 | 24.86 per 1,000 people | -2.9% |
| 1997 | 23.91 per 1,000 people | -3.8% |
| 1998 | 23.15 per 1,000 people | -3.2% |
| 1999 | 22.7 per 1,000 people | -1.9% |
| 2000 | 21.57 per 1,000 people | -5.0% |
| 2001 | 21.27 per 1,000 people | -1.4% |
| 2002 | 20.93 per 1,000 people | -1.6% |
| 2003 | 21.39 per 1,000 people | +2.2% |
| 2004 | 22.14 per 1,000 people | +3.5% |
| 2005 | 22.72 per 1,000 people | +2.6% |
| 2006 | 23.14 per 1,000 people | +1.9% |
| 2007 | 23.09 per 1,000 people | -0.2% |
| 2008 | 24.33 per 1,000 people | +5.4% |
| 2009 | 22.78 per 1,000 people | -6.4% |
| 2010 | 22.18 per 1,000 people | -2.6% |
| 2011 | 22.07 per 1,000 people | -0.5% |
| 2012 | 22.12 per 1,000 people | +0.2% |
| 2013 | 21.89 per 1,000 people | -1.0% |
| 2014 | 21.78 per 1,000 people | -0.5% |
| 2015 | 21.01 per 1,000 people | -3.6% |
| 2016 | 20.27 per 1,000 people | -3.5% |
| 2017 | 20.04 per 1,000 people | -1.1% |
| 2018 | 19.85 per 1,000 people | -0.9% |
| 2019 | 19.69 per 1,000 people | -0.8% |
| 2020 | 19.52 per 1,000 people | -0.9% |
| 2021 | 19.35 per 1,000 people | -0.9% |
| 2022 | 19.08 per 1,000 people | -1.4% |
| 2023 | 18.77 per 1,000 people | -1.6% |
| 2024 | 18.48 per 1,000 people | -1.6% |
South Africa compared with similar countries
- South Africa's 18.48 per 1,000 people is above the median for upper middle income countries, which is 13.25 per 1,000 people, 1.4× the median. (59 countries reporting)
- South Africa's 18.48 per 1,000 people is below the median for Sub-Saharan Africa, which is 30.86 per 1,000 people, 60% of the median. (48 countries reporting)
Averages by decade
| Decade | Average | Lowest | Highest | Years |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1960s | 39.74 per 1,000 people | 39.49 per 1,000 people | 39.96 per 1,000 people | 10 |
| 1970s | 37.25 per 1,000 people | 34.94 per 1,000 people | 39.38 per 1,000 people | 10 |
| 1980s | 33.68 per 1,000 people | 30.58 per 1,000 people | 34.8 per 1,000 people | 10 |
| 1990s | 25.52 per 1,000 people | 22.7 per 1,000 people | 28.73 per 1,000 people | 10 |
| 2000s | 22.33 per 1,000 people | 20.93 per 1,000 people | 24.33 per 1,000 people | 10 |
| 2010s | 21.09 per 1,000 people | 19.69 per 1,000 people | 22.18 per 1,000 people | 10 |
| 2020s | 19.04 per 1,000 people | 18.48 per 1,000 people | 19.52 per 1,000 people | 5 |
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)
- Un projection of annual infant deaths 3,333 (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)
- Population ages 00-04, male, per capita 0.046 units per person (2025)
Frequently asked questions
- What is birth rate, crude in South Africa?
- Birth rate, crude in South Africa was 18.48 per 1,000 people in 2024, according to World Population Prospects, United Nations (UN), publisher: UN Population Division.
- What is the highest birth rate, crude recorded in South Africa?
- The highest recorded value was 39.96 per 1,000 people in 1966.
- What is the lowest birth rate, crude recorded in South Africa?
- The lowest recorded value was 18.48 per 1,000 people in 2024.
- How does South Africa rank for birth rate, crude?
- South Africa ranks 83rd out of 218 countries with data for 2024.
- Is birth rate, crude rising or falling in South Africa?
- Over the last ten years it is down 15.2%. The long-run trend across the full record is falling.
- Where does this South Africa data come from?
- The figures come from World Population Prospects, United Nations (UN), publisher: UN Population Division, published as part of Birth rate, crude (per 1,000 people). Statizoid updates them automatically from the source API.
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About this data
Crude birth rate indicates the number of live births occurring during the year, per 1,000 population estimated at midyear. Subtracting the crude death rate from the crude birth rate provides the rate of natural increase, which is equal to the rate of population change in the absence of migration.