Children per woman that survived childhood vs. those that died in childhood in South Africa
South Africa: Children per woman that survived childhood vs. those that died in childhood was 0.0792 under-five deaths per woman in 2024. ◆ Volatile
Latest (2024)
0.0792 under-five deaths per woman
Change on year
down 0.4%
World rank
57th
of 200 countries
All-time high
0.7007 under-five deaths per woman
in 1974
All-time low
0.0792 under-five deaths per woman
in 2024
Years of data
51
1974–2024
Children per woman that survived childhood vs. those that died in childhood in South Africa, 1974–2024
Source: Gapminder (2015); UN Inter-agency Group for Child Mortality Estimation (2025) – processed by Our World in Data. Measured in under-five deaths per woman.
Analysis
In 2024, children per woman that survived childhood vs. those that died in childhood in South Africa stood at 0.0792 under-five deaths per woman. That is the lowest value across all 51 years on record.
Compared with earlier readings it is down 0.4% on the previous year and down 17.8% over ten years.
Over the whole period, children per woman that survived childhood vs. those that died in childhood in South Africa peaked at 0.7007 under-five deaths per woman in 1974 and was at its lowest, 0.0792 under-five deaths per woman, in 2024.
South Africa ranks 57th of 200 countries on this measure, in the middle of the range.
The series is highly variable year to year, so single readings are best treated with caution.
Children per woman that survived childhood vs. those that died in childhood in South Africa, year by year
| Year | under-five deaths per woman | Change |
|---|---|---|
| 1974 | 0.7007 under-five deaths per woman | — |
| 1975 | 0.6482 under-five deaths per woman | -7.5% |
| 1976 | 0.5971 under-five deaths per woman | -7.9% |
| 1977 | 0.5489 under-five deaths per woman | -8.1% |
| 1978 | 0.5082 under-five deaths per woman | -7.4% |
| 1979 | 0.4759 under-five deaths per woman | -6.4% |
| 1980 | 0.4467 under-five deaths per woman | -6.1% |
| 1981 | 0.417 under-five deaths per woman | -6.6% |
| 1982 | 0.3935 under-five deaths per woman | -5.6% |
| 1983 | 0.3684 under-five deaths per woman | -6.4% |
| 1984 | 0.3465 under-five deaths per woman | -5.9% |
| 1985 | 0.325 under-five deaths per woman | -6.2% |
| 1986 | 0.3037 under-five deaths per woman | -6.6% |
| 1987 | 0.2858 under-five deaths per woman | -5.9% |
| 1988 | 0.262 under-five deaths per woman | -8.3% |
| 1989 | 0.2393 under-five deaths per woman | -8.7% |
| 1990 | 0.2164 under-five deaths per woman | -9.6% |
| 1991 | 0.2054 under-five deaths per woman | -5.1% |
| 1992 | 0.1957 under-five deaths per woman | -4.7% |
| 1993 | 0.1909 under-five deaths per woman | -2.4% |
| 1994 | 0.1882 under-five deaths per woman | -1.4% |
| 1995 | 0.1877 under-five deaths per woman | -0.3% |
| 1996 | 0.1821 under-five deaths per woman | -3.0% |
| 1997 | 0.1719 under-five deaths per woman | -5.6% |
| 1998 | 0.1731 under-five deaths per woman | +0.7% |
| 1999 | 0.1759 under-five deaths per woman | +1.6% |
| 2000 | 0.1722 under-five deaths per woman | -2.1% |
| 2001 | 0.1769 under-five deaths per woman | +2.7% |
| 2002 | 0.1788 under-five deaths per woman | +1.1% |
| 2003 | 0.1868 under-five deaths per woman | +4.4% |
| 2004 | 0.1966 under-five deaths per woman | +5.2% |
| 2005 | 0.2004 under-five deaths per woman | +1.9% |
| 2006 | 0.1958 under-five deaths per woman | -2.3% |
| 2007 | 0.1813 under-five deaths per woman | -7.4% |
| 2008 | 0.1707 under-five deaths per woman | -5.8% |
| 2009 | 0.1422 under-five deaths per woman | -16.7% |
| 2010 | 0.1229 under-five deaths per woman | -13.6% |
| 2011 | 0.111 under-five deaths per woman | -9.6% |
| 2012 | 0.1054 under-five deaths per woman | -5.1% |
| 2013 | 0.1005 under-five deaths per woman | -4.6% |
| 2014 | 0.0964 under-five deaths per woman | -4.1% |
| 2015 | 0.0901 under-five deaths per woman | -6.5% |
| 2016 | 0.0833 under-five deaths per woman | -7.6% |
| 2017 | 0.0833 under-five deaths per woman | +0.0% |
| 2018 | 0.0844 under-five deaths per woman | +1.2% |
| 2019 | 0.085 under-five deaths per woman | +0.7% |
| 2020 | 0.0814 under-five deaths per woman | -4.2% |
| 2021 | 0.0806 under-five deaths per woman | -0.9% |
| 2022 | 0.0792 under-five deaths per woman | -1.7% |
| 2023 | 0.0796 under-five deaths per woman | +0.4% |
| 2024 | 0.0792 under-five deaths per woman | -0.4% |
Averages by decade
| Decade | Average | Lowest | Highest | Years |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1970s | 0.5798 under-five deaths per woman | 0.4759 under-five deaths per woman | 0.7007 under-five deaths per woman | 6 |
| 1980s | 0.3388 under-five deaths per woman | 0.2393 under-five deaths per woman | 0.4467 under-five deaths per woman | 10 |
| 1990s | 0.1887 under-five deaths per woman | 0.1719 under-five deaths per woman | 0.2164 under-five deaths per woman | 10 |
| 2000s | 0.1802 under-five deaths per woman | 0.1422 under-five deaths per woman | 0.2004 under-five deaths per woman | 10 |
| 2010s | 0.0962 under-five deaths per woman | 0.0833 under-five deaths per woman | 0.1229 under-five deaths per woman | 10 |
| 2020s | 0.08 under-five deaths per woman | 0.0792 under-five deaths per woman | 0.0814 under-five deaths per woman | 5 |
Countries ranked near South Africa
- 54 Tajikistan 0.0855 under-five deaths per woman compare
- 55 Botswana 0.0809 under-five deaths per woman compare
- 56 Marshall Islands 0.0801 under-five deaths per woman compare
- 58 Myanmar 0.0757 under-five deaths per woman compare
- 59 Philippines 0.0712 under-five deaths per woman compare
- 60 Solomon Islands 0.069 under-five deaths per woman 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 40-44, male, annual growth rate 3.07 % change on previous year (2025)
- Population ages 40-44, male, per unit of GDP 0 units per US$ of GDP (2025)
- Population ages 40-44, male, per capita 0.0371 units per person (2025)
- Population ages 45-49, female, annual growth rate 4.05 % change on previous year (2025)
- Population ages 45-49, female, per unit of GDP 0 units per US$ of GDP (2025)
- Population ages 45-49, female, per capita 0.0295 units per person (2025)
Frequently asked questions
- What is children per woman that survived childhood vs. those that died in childhood in South Africa?
- Children per woman that survived childhood vs. those that died in childhood in South Africa was 0.0792 under-five deaths per woman in 2024, according to Gapminder (2015); UN Inter-agency Group for Child Mortality Estimation (2025) – processed by Our World in Data.
- What is the highest children per woman that survived childhood vs. those that died in childhood recorded in South Africa?
- The highest recorded value was 0.7007 under-five deaths per woman in 1974.
- What is the lowest children per woman that survived childhood vs. those that died in childhood recorded in South Africa?
- The lowest recorded value was 0.0792 under-five deaths per woman in 2024.
- How does South Africa rank for children per woman that survived childhood vs. those that died in childhood?
- South Africa ranks 57th out of 200 countries with data for 2024.
- Is children per woman that survived childhood vs. those that died in childhood rising or falling in South Africa?
- Over the last ten years it is down 17.8%. The long-run trend across the full record is volatile.
- Where does this South Africa data come from?
- The figures come from Gapminder (2015); UN Inter-agency Group for Child Mortality Estimation (2025) – processed by Our World in Data, published as part of Children per woman that survived childhood vs. those that died in childhood. Statizoid updates them automatically from the source API.
Download this data
CSV · JSON — 51 observations, free to reuse under CC BY 4.0 (Our World in Data).
About this data
Fertility rate (average number of children per woman) multiplied by the under-five mortality rate (probability of dying before age five).