Chronic respiratory diseases death rate in South Africa
South Africa: Chronic respiratory diseases death rate was 42.29 deaths per 100,000 people in 2020. ▼ Falling
Latest (2020)
42.29 deaths per 100,000 people
Change on year
down 7.4%
World rank
7th
of 111 countries
All-time high
89.72 deaths per 100,000 people
in 2005
All-time low
42.29 deaths per 100,000 people
in 2020
Years of data
25
1996–2020
Chronic respiratory diseases death rate 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, chronic respiratory diseases death rate in South Africa stood at 42.29 deaths per 100,000 people. That is the lowest value across all 25 years on record.
Compared with earlier readings it is down 7.4% on the previous year and down 35.4% over ten years.
Over the whole period, chronic respiratory diseases death rate in South Africa peaked at 89.72 deaths per 100,000 people in 2005 and was at its lowest, 42.29 deaths per 100,000 people, in 2020.
South Africa ranks 7th of 111 countries on this measure, in the top 10%.
The long-run direction has been consistently falling across the 25 years of available data.
Chronic respiratory diseases death rate in South Africa, year by year
| Year | deaths per 100,000 people | Change |
|---|---|---|
| 1996 | 61.77 deaths per 100,000 people | — |
| 1997 | 62.57 deaths per 100,000 people | +1.3% |
| 1998 | 73.05 deaths per 100,000 people | +16.8% |
| 1999 | 70.21 deaths per 100,000 people | -3.9% |
| 2000 | 73.94 deaths per 100,000 people | +5.3% |
| 2001 | 80.39 deaths per 100,000 people | +8.7% |
| 2002 | 77.39 deaths per 100,000 people | -3.7% |
| 2003 | 84.46 deaths per 100,000 people | +9.1% |
| 2004 | 84.12 deaths per 100,000 people | -0.4% |
| 2005 | 89.72 deaths per 100,000 people | +6.7% |
| 2006 | 84.28 deaths per 100,000 people | -6.1% |
| 2007 | 79.58 deaths per 100,000 people | -5.6% |
| 2008 | 73.16 deaths per 100,000 people | -8.1% |
| 2009 | 74.11 deaths per 100,000 people | +1.3% |
| 2010 | 65.5 deaths per 100,000 people | -11.6% |
| 2011 | 61.46 deaths per 100,000 people | -6.2% |
| 2012 | 57.17 deaths per 100,000 people | -7.0% |
| 2013 | 52.39 deaths per 100,000 people | -8.4% |
| 2014 | 51.91 deaths per 100,000 people | -0.9% |
| 2015 | 53.02 deaths per 100,000 people | +2.1% |
| 2016 | 51.84 deaths per 100,000 people | -2.2% |
| 2017 | 50.44 deaths per 100,000 people | -2.7% |
| 2018 | 48.59 deaths per 100,000 people | -3.7% |
| 2019 | 45.7 deaths per 100,000 people | -6.0% |
| 2020 | 42.29 deaths per 100,000 people | -7.4% |
Averages by decade
| Decade | Average | Lowest | Highest | Years |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1990s | 66.9 deaths per 100,000 people | 61.77 deaths per 100,000 people | 73.05 deaths per 100,000 people | 4 |
| 2000s | 80.11 deaths per 100,000 people | 73.16 deaths per 100,000 people | 89.72 deaths per 100,000 people | 10 |
| 2010s | 53.8 deaths per 100,000 people | 45.7 deaths per 100,000 people | 65.5 deaths per 100,000 people | 10 |
| 2020s | 42.29 deaths per 100,000 people | 42.29 deaths per 100,000 people | 42.29 deaths per 100,000 people | 1 |
Countries ranked near South Africa
- 4 Maldives 45.6 deaths per 100,000 people compare
- 5 Philippines 44.23 deaths per 100,000 people compare
- 6 Belize 43.66 deaths per 100,000 people compare
- 8 Sri Lanka 40.84 deaths per 100,000 people compare
- 9 Egypt 40.43 deaths per 100,000 people compare
- 10 Uruguay 39.98 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 50-54, male, annual growth rate 2.38 % change on previous year (2025)
- Population ages 50-54, male, per unit of GDP 0 units per US$ of GDP (2025)
- Population ages 50-54, male, per capita 0.0221 units per person (2025)
- Population ages 55-59, female, annual growth rate 0.8639 % change on previous year (2025)
- Population ages 55-59, female, per unit of GDP 0 units per US$ of GDP (2025)
- Population ages 55-59, female, per capita 0.0217 units per person (2025)
Frequently asked questions
- What is chronic respiratory diseases death rate in South Africa?
- Chronic respiratory diseases death rate in South Africa was 42.29 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 chronic respiratory diseases death rate recorded in South Africa?
- The highest recorded value was 89.72 deaths per 100,000 people in 2005.
- What is the lowest chronic respiratory diseases death rate recorded in South Africa?
- The lowest recorded value was 42.29 deaths per 100,000 people in 2020.
- How does South Africa rank for chronic respiratory diseases death rate?
- South Africa ranks 7th out of 111 countries with data for 2020.
- Is chronic respiratory diseases death rate rising or falling in South Africa?
- Over the last ten years it is down 35.4%. 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 Chronic respiratory diseases death rate. Statizoid updates them automatically from the source API.
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About this data
Reported deaths from respiratory diseases in both sexes in those aged all ages per 100,000 people.