Death rate from cardiovascular diseases by sex in South Africa
South Africa: Death rate from cardiovascular diseases by sex was 224 deaths per 100,000 people in 2020. ▼ Falling
Latest (2020)
224 deaths per 100,000 people
Change on year
up 9.9%
World rank
19th
of 111 countries
All-time high
314.92 deaths per 100,000 people
in 2003
All-time low
203.79 deaths per 100,000 people
in 2019
Years of data
25
1996–2020
Death rate from cardiovascular diseases by sex 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
South Africa recorded 224 deaths per 100,000 people for death rate from cardiovascular diseases by sex in 2020.
The figure is up 9.9% on the previous year and down 20.6% over ten years.
Over the whole period, death rate from cardiovascular diseases by sex in South Africa peaked at 314.92 deaths per 100,000 people in 2003 and was at its lowest, 203.79 deaths per 100,000 people, in 2019.
That places South Africa 19th out of 111 countries with data for 2020, putting it in the top quarter.
The long-run direction has been consistently falling across the 25 years of available data.
Death rate from cardiovascular diseases by sex in South Africa, year by year
| Year | deaths per 100,000 people | Change |
|---|---|---|
| 1996 | 285.98 deaths per 100,000 people | — |
| 1997 | 256.05 deaths per 100,000 people | -10.5% |
| 1998 | 275.52 deaths per 100,000 people | +7.6% |
| 1999 | 281.06 deaths per 100,000 people | +2.0% |
| 2000 | 305.77 deaths per 100,000 people | +8.8% |
| 2001 | 299.85 deaths per 100,000 people | -1.9% |
| 2002 | 298.56 deaths per 100,000 people | -0.4% |
| 2003 | 314.92 deaths per 100,000 people | +5.5% |
| 2004 | 298.22 deaths per 100,000 people | -5.3% |
| 2005 | 302.42 deaths per 100,000 people | +1.4% |
| 2006 | 306.97 deaths per 100,000 people | +1.5% |
| 2007 | 292.53 deaths per 100,000 people | -4.7% |
| 2008 | 267.15 deaths per 100,000 people | -8.7% |
| 2009 | 288.81 deaths per 100,000 people | +8.1% |
| 2010 | 282.03 deaths per 100,000 people | -2.3% |
| 2011 | 270.65 deaths per 100,000 people | -4.0% |
| 2012 | 250.3 deaths per 100,000 people | -7.5% |
| 2013 | 231.28 deaths per 100,000 people | -7.6% |
| 2014 | 232.51 deaths per 100,000 people | +0.5% |
| 2015 | 241.59 deaths per 100,000 people | +3.9% |
| 2016 | 242.22 deaths per 100,000 people | +0.3% |
| 2017 | 223.2 deaths per 100,000 people | -7.9% |
| 2018 | 221.13 deaths per 100,000 people | -0.9% |
| 2019 | 203.79 deaths per 100,000 people | -7.8% |
| 2020 | 224 deaths per 100,000 people | +9.9% |
South Africa compared with similar countries
- South Africa's 224 deaths per 100,000 people is above the median for upper middle income countries, which is 154.61 deaths per 100,000 people, 1.4× the median. (42 countries reporting)
Averages by decade
| Decade | Average | Lowest | Highest | Years |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1990s | 274.65 deaths per 100,000 people | 256.05 deaths per 100,000 people | 285.98 deaths per 100,000 people | 4 |
| 2000s | 297.52 deaths per 100,000 people | 267.15 deaths per 100,000 people | 314.92 deaths per 100,000 people | 10 |
| 2010s | 239.87 deaths per 100,000 people | 203.79 deaths per 100,000 people | 282.03 deaths per 100,000 people | 10 |
| 2020s | 224 deaths per 100,000 people | 224 deaths per 100,000 people | 224 deaths per 100,000 people | 1 |
Countries ranked near South Africa
- 16 Saint Vincent and the Grenadines 230.42 deaths per 100,000 people compare
- 17 Russian Federation 229.14 deaths per 100,000 people compare
- 18 Grenada 224.6 deaths per 100,000 people compare
- 20 Seychelles 220.85 deaths per 100,000 people compare
- 21 Cuba 218.08 deaths per 100,000 people compare
- 22 Philippines 212.75 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)
- 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 death rate from cardiovascular diseases by sex in South Africa?
- Death rate from cardiovascular diseases by sex in South Africa was 224 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 death rate from cardiovascular diseases by sex recorded in South Africa?
- The highest recorded value was 314.92 deaths per 100,000 people in 2003.
- What is the lowest death rate from cardiovascular diseases by sex recorded in South Africa?
- The lowest recorded value was 203.79 deaths per 100,000 people in 2019.
- How does South Africa rank for death rate from cardiovascular diseases by sex?
- South Africa ranks 19th out of 111 countries with data for 2020.
- Is death rate from cardiovascular diseases by sex rising or falling in South Africa?
- Over the last ten years it is down 20.6%. 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 Death rate from cardiovascular diseases by sex. Statizoid updates them automatically from the source API.
Download this data
CSV · JSON — 25 observations, free to reuse under CC BY 4.0 (Our World in Data).
About this data
Reported deaths from cardiovascular diseases in females in those aged all ages per 100,000 people.