Child mortality by sex in South Africa
South Africa: Child mortality by sex was 3.76 deaths per 100 live births in 2024. ▼ Falling
Latest (2024)
3.76 deaths per 100 live births
Change on year
up 0.9%
World rank
54th
of 199 countries
All-time high
12.6 deaths per 100 live births
in 1976
All-time low
3.63 deaths per 100 live births
in 2020
Years of data
49
1976–2024
Child mortality by sex in South Africa, 1976–2024
Source: United Nations Inter-agency Group for Child Mortality Estimation (2025) – processed by Our World in Data. Measured in deaths per 100 live births.
Analysis
The most recent figure for child mortality by sex in South Africa is 3.76 deaths per 100 live births, measured in 2024.
Compared with earlier readings it is up 0.9% on the previous year and down 11.3% over ten years.
Over the whole period, child mortality by sex in South Africa peaked at 12.6 deaths per 100 live births in 1976 and was at its lowest, 3.63 deaths per 100 live births, in 2020.
South Africa ranks 54th of 199 countries on this measure, in the middle of the range.
The long-run direction has been consistently falling across the 49 years of available data.
Child mortality by sex in South Africa, year by year
| Year | deaths per 100 live births | Change |
|---|---|---|
| 1976 | 12.6 deaths per 100 live births | — |
| 1977 | 11.91 deaths per 100 live births | -5.5% |
| 1978 | 11.24 deaths per 100 live births | -5.6% |
| 1979 | 10.63 deaths per 100 live births | -5.5% |
| 1980 | 10.08 deaths per 100 live births | -5.1% |
| 1981 | 9.55 deaths per 100 live births | -5.3% |
| 1982 | 9.07 deaths per 100 live births | -5.0% |
| 1983 | 8.63 deaths per 100 live births | -4.9% |
| 1984 | 8.22 deaths per 100 live births | -4.7% |
| 1985 | 7.84 deaths per 100 live births | -4.6% |
| 1986 | 7.49 deaths per 100 live births | -4.5% |
| 1987 | 7.14 deaths per 100 live births | -4.6% |
| 1988 | 6.82 deaths per 100 live births | -4.5% |
| 1989 | 6.54 deaths per 100 live births | -4.1% |
| 1990 | 6.32 deaths per 100 live births | -3.4% |
| 1991 | 6.17 deaths per 100 live births | -2.5% |
| 1992 | 6.1 deaths per 100 live births | -1.1% |
| 1993 | 6.12 deaths per 100 live births | +0.4% |
| 1994 | 6.23 deaths per 100 live births | +1.8% |
| 1995 | 6.36 deaths per 100 live births | +2.1% |
| 1996 | 6.52 deaths per 100 live births | +2.5% |
| 1997 | 6.7 deaths per 100 live births | +2.7% |
| 1998 | 6.99 deaths per 100 live births | +4.3% |
| 1999 | 7.27 deaths per 100 live births | +4.1% |
| 2000 | 7.53 deaths per 100 live births | +3.6% |
| 2001 | 7.84 deaths per 100 live births | +4.1% |
| 2002 | 8.08 deaths per 100 live births | +3.1% |
| 2003 | 8.31 deaths per 100 live births | +2.8% |
| 2004 | 8.45 deaths per 100 live births | +1.7% |
| 2005 | 8.36 deaths per 100 live births | -1.2% |
| 2006 | 8.06 deaths per 100 live births | -3.5% |
| 2007 | 7.48 deaths per 100 live births | -7.2% |
| 2008 | 6.71 deaths per 100 live births | -10.3% |
| 2009 | 6.01 deaths per 100 live births | -10.4% |
| 2010 | 5.33 deaths per 100 live births | -11.3% |
| 2011 | 4.85 deaths per 100 live births | -9.0% |
| 2012 | 4.59 deaths per 100 live births | -5.5% |
| 2013 | 4.41 deaths per 100 live births | -3.8% |
| 2014 | 4.24 deaths per 100 live births | -3.8% |
| 2015 | 4.08 deaths per 100 live births | -3.8% |
| 2016 | 3.94 deaths per 100 live births | -3.5% |
| 2017 | 3.83 deaths per 100 live births | -2.9% |
| 2018 | 3.74 deaths per 100 live births | -2.2% |
| 2019 | 3.68 deaths per 100 live births | -1.5% |
| 2020 | 3.63 deaths per 100 live births | -1.3% |
| 2021 | 3.65 deaths per 100 live births | +0.3% |
| 2022 | 3.68 deaths per 100 live births | +1.0% |
| 2023 | 3.73 deaths per 100 live births | +1.2% |
| 2024 | 3.76 deaths per 100 live births | +0.9% |
Averages by decade
| Decade | Average | Lowest | Highest | Years |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1970s | 11.59 deaths per 100 live births | 10.63 deaths per 100 live births | 12.6 deaths per 100 live births | 4 |
| 1980s | 8.14 deaths per 100 live births | 6.54 deaths per 100 live births | 10.08 deaths per 100 live births | 10 |
| 1990s | 6.48 deaths per 100 live births | 6.1 deaths per 100 live births | 7.27 deaths per 100 live births | 10 |
| 2000s | 7.68 deaths per 100 live births | 6.01 deaths per 100 live births | 8.45 deaths per 100 live births | 10 |
| 2010s | 4.27 deaths per 100 live births | 3.68 deaths per 100 live births | 5.33 deaths per 100 live births | 10 |
| 2020s | 3.69 deaths per 100 live births | 3.63 deaths per 100 live births | 3.76 deaths per 100 live births | 5 |
Countries ranked near South Africa
- 51 Palestine 3.9 deaths per 100 live births compare
- 52 Eritrea 3.83 deaths per 100 live births compare
- 53 Dominica 3.8 deaths per 100 live births compare
- 55 Botswana 3.68 deaths per 100 live births compare
- 56 Gabon 3.62 deaths per 100 live births compare
- 57 Dominican Republic 3.33 deaths per 100 live births 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 80 and above, female, per capita 0.0081 units per person (2025)
- Population ages 80 and above, male, annual growth rate 2.35 % change on previous year (2025)
- Population ages 80 and above, male, per unit of GDP 0 units per US$ of GDP (2025)
- Population ages 80 and above, male, per capita 0.0035 units per person (2025)
- Pertussis - number of reported cases, gaps filled 5,666 (2025)
- Pertussis - number of reported cases, per capita 0.0001 units per person (2025)
Frequently asked questions
- What is child mortality by sex in South Africa?
- Child mortality by sex in South Africa was 3.76 deaths per 100 live births in 2024, according to United Nations Inter-agency Group for Child Mortality Estimation (2025) – processed by Our World in Data.
- What is the highest child mortality by sex recorded in South Africa?
- The highest recorded value was 12.6 deaths per 100 live births in 1976.
- What is the lowest child mortality by sex recorded in South Africa?
- The lowest recorded value was 3.63 deaths per 100 live births in 2020.
- How does South Africa rank for child mortality by sex?
- South Africa ranks 54th out of 199 countries with data for 2024.
- Is child mortality by sex rising or falling in South Africa?
- Over the last ten years it is down 11.3%. The long-run trend across the full record is falling.
- Where does this South Africa data come from?
- The figures come from United Nations Inter-agency Group for Child Mortality Estimation (2025) – processed by Our World in Data, published as part of Child mortality by sex. Statizoid updates them automatically from the source API.
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About this data
Estimated number of deaths of male children aged under five years, per 100 live births .