Cancer death rates by type in South Africa
South Africa: Cancer death rates by type was 1.61 deaths per 100,000 people in 2020. ▼ Falling
Latest (2020)
1.61 deaths per 100,000 people
Change on year
down 10.5%
World rank
63rd
of 111 countries
All-time high
2.07 deaths per 100,000 people
in 2004
All-time low
1.61 deaths per 100,000 people
in 2020
Years of data
25
1996–2020
Cancer death rates by type in South Africa, 1996–2020
Source: WHO Mortality Database (2025) – with minor processing by Our World in Data. Measured in deaths per 100,000 people.
Analysis
In 2020, cancer death rates by type in South Africa stood at 1.61 deaths per 100,000 people. That is the lowest value across all 25 years on record.
That represents a change of down 10.5% on the previous year and down 13.6% over ten years.
Over the whole period, cancer death rates by type in South Africa peaked at 2.07 deaths per 100,000 people in 2004 and was at its lowest, 1.61 deaths per 100,000 people, in 2020.
That places South Africa 63rd out of 111 countries with data for 2020, putting it in the middle of the range.
The long-run direction has been consistently falling across the 25 years of available data.
Cancer death rates by type in South Africa, year by year
| Year | deaths per 100,000 people | Change |
|---|---|---|
| 1996 | 1.92 deaths per 100,000 people | — |
| 1997 | 1.85 deaths per 100,000 people | -3.4% |
| 1998 | 1.93 deaths per 100,000 people | +4.2% |
| 1999 | 1.89 deaths per 100,000 people | -2.1% |
| 2000 | 1.9 deaths per 100,000 people | +0.5% |
| 2001 | 1.79 deaths per 100,000 people | -5.8% |
| 2002 | 1.91 deaths per 100,000 people | +6.9% |
| 2003 | 1.78 deaths per 100,000 people | -6.9% |
| 2004 | 2.07 deaths per 100,000 people | +16.0% |
| 2005 | 1.85 deaths per 100,000 people | -10.4% |
| 2006 | 1.74 deaths per 100,000 people | -5.9% |
| 2007 | 1.91 deaths per 100,000 people | +9.5% |
| 2008 | 1.68 deaths per 100,000 people | -11.8% |
| 2009 | 1.81 deaths per 100,000 people | +7.4% |
| 2010 | 1.86 deaths per 100,000 people | +2.9% |
| 2011 | 1.65 deaths per 100,000 people | -11.4% |
| 2012 | 1.84 deaths per 100,000 people | +11.6% |
| 2013 | 1.63 deaths per 100,000 people | -11.3% |
| 2014 | 1.79 deaths per 100,000 people | +9.7% |
| 2015 | 1.82 deaths per 100,000 people | +1.6% |
| 2016 | 1.79 deaths per 100,000 people | -1.2% |
| 2017 | 1.81 deaths per 100,000 people | +1.0% |
| 2018 | 1.98 deaths per 100,000 people | +9.0% |
| 2019 | 1.79 deaths per 100,000 people | -9.2% |
| 2020 | 1.61 deaths per 100,000 people | -10.5% |
Averages by decade
| Decade | Average | Lowest | Highest | Years |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1990s | 1.9 deaths per 100,000 people | 1.85 deaths per 100,000 people | 1.93 deaths per 100,000 people | 4 |
| 2000s | 1.84 deaths per 100,000 people | 1.68 deaths per 100,000 people | 2.07 deaths per 100,000 people | 10 |
| 2010s | 1.8 deaths per 100,000 people | 1.63 deaths per 100,000 people | 1.98 deaths per 100,000 people | 10 |
| 2020s | 1.61 deaths per 100,000 people | 1.61 deaths per 100,000 people | 1.61 deaths per 100,000 people | 1 |
Countries ranked near South Africa
- 60 Venezuela, Bolivarian Republic of 1.63 deaths per 100,000 people compare
- 61 Jamaica 1.61 deaths per 100,000 people compare
- 62 Puerto Rico 1.61 deaths per 100,000 people compare
- 64 Bahamas 1.59 deaths per 100,000 people compare
- 65 Iceland 1.4 deaths per 100,000 people compare
- 66 Jordan 1.38 deaths per 100,000 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 cancer death rates by type in South Africa?
- Cancer death rates by type in South Africa was 1.61 deaths per 100,000 people in 2020, according to WHO Mortality Database (2025) – with minor processing by Our World in Data.
- What is the highest cancer death rates by type recorded in South Africa?
- The highest recorded value was 2.07 deaths per 100,000 people in 2004.
- What is the lowest cancer death rates by type recorded in South Africa?
- The lowest recorded value was 1.61 deaths per 100,000 people in 2020.
- How does South Africa rank for cancer death rates by type?
- South Africa ranks 63rd out of 111 countries with data for 2020.
- Is cancer death rates by type rising or falling in South Africa?
- Over the last ten years it is down 13.6%. The long-run trend across the full record is falling.
- Where does this South Africa data come from?
- The figures come from WHO Mortality Database (2025) – with minor processing by Our World in Data, published as part of Cancer death rates by type. Statizoid updates them automatically from the source API.
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About this data
Reported deaths from bladder cancer in both sexes in those aged all ages per 100,000 people.