Death rate, crude (per 1,000 people) in South Africa
South Africa: Death rate, crude (per 1,000 people) was 9.24 per 1,000 people in 2024. ▼ Falling
Latest (2024)
9.24 per 1,000 people
Change on year
down 0.0%
World rank
57th
of 218 countries
All-time high
14.2 per 1,000 people
in 1960
All-time low
8.23 per 1,000 people
in 1991
Years of data
65
1960–2024
Death rate, crude in South Africa, 1960–2024
Source: World Population Prospects, United Nations (UN), publisher: UN Population Division. Measured in per 1,000 people.
Analysis
The most recent figure for death rate, crude in South Africa is 9.24 per 1,000 people, measured in 2024.
Compared with earlier readings it is down 4.3% over ten years.
Over the whole period, death rate, crude in South Africa peaked at 14.2 per 1,000 people in 1960 and was at its lowest, 8.23 per 1,000 people, in 1991.
South Africa ranks 57th of 218 countries on this measure, in the middle of the range.
The long-run direction has been consistently falling across the 65 years of available data.
Death rate, crude (per 1,000 people) in South Africa, year by year
| Year | per 1,000 people | Change |
|---|---|---|
| 1960 | 14.2 per 1,000 people | — |
| 1961 | 13.84 per 1,000 people | -2.5% |
| 1962 | 13.52 per 1,000 people | -2.4% |
| 1963 | 13.3 per 1,000 people | -1.6% |
| 1964 | 13.1 per 1,000 people | -1.5% |
| 1965 | 12.95 per 1,000 people | -1.1% |
| 1966 | 12.79 per 1,000 people | -1.2% |
| 1967 | 12.67 per 1,000 people | -1.0% |
| 1968 | 12.53 per 1,000 people | -1.1% |
| 1969 | 12.38 per 1,000 people | -1.2% |
| 1970 | 12.22 per 1,000 people | -1.3% |
| 1971 | 12.02 per 1,000 people | -1.6% |
| 1972 | 11.79 per 1,000 people | -1.9% |
| 1973 | 11.57 per 1,000 people | -1.9% |
| 1974 | 11.32 per 1,000 people | -2.2% |
| 1975 | 11.02 per 1,000 people | -2.7% |
| 1976 | 10.76 per 1,000 people | -2.3% |
| 1977 | 10.46 per 1,000 people | -2.8% |
| 1978 | 10.17 per 1,000 people | -2.8% |
| 1979 | 9.92 per 1,000 people | -2.5% |
| 1980 | 9.65 per 1,000 people | -2.7% |
| 1981 | 9.44 per 1,000 people | -2.1% |
| 1982 | 9.25 per 1,000 people | -2.0% |
| 1983 | 9.06 per 1,000 people | -2.0% |
| 1984 | 8.89 per 1,000 people | -2.0% |
| 1985 | 8.74 per 1,000 people | -1.7% |
| 1986 | 8.62 per 1,000 people | -1.3% |
| 1987 | 8.49 per 1,000 people | -1.5% |
| 1988 | 8.35 per 1,000 people | -1.6% |
| 1989 | 8.25 per 1,000 people | -1.1% |
| 1990 | 8.23 per 1,000 people | -0.3% |
| 1991 | 8.23 per 1,000 people | -0.0% |
| 1992 | 8.3 per 1,000 people | +0.9% |
| 1993 | 8.38 per 1,000 people | +1.0% |
| 1994 | 8.7 per 1,000 people | +3.8% |
| 1995 | 8.92 per 1,000 people | +2.5% |
| 1996 | 9.1 per 1,000 people | +2.1% |
| 1997 | 9.28 per 1,000 people | +2.0% |
| 1998 | 9.59 per 1,000 people | +3.3% |
| 1999 | 9.97 per 1,000 people | +4.1% |
| 2000 | 10.39 per 1,000 people | +4.2% |
| 2001 | 11.07 per 1,000 people | +6.6% |
| 2002 | 11.95 per 1,000 people | +7.9% |
| 2003 | 12.83 per 1,000 people | +7.3% |
| 2004 | 13.1 per 1,000 people | +2.1% |
| 2005 | 13.33 per 1,000 people | +1.8% |
| 2006 | 13.39 per 1,000 people | +0.4% |
| 2007 | 13.12 per 1,000 people | -2.0% |
| 2008 | 12.68 per 1,000 people | -3.3% |
| 2009 | 12.07 per 1,000 people | -4.9% |
| 2010 | 11.35 per 1,000 people | -6.0% |
| 2011 | 10.72 per 1,000 people | -5.5% |
| 2012 | 10.15 per 1,000 people | -5.3% |
| 2013 | 9.96 per 1,000 people | -1.8% |
| 2014 | 9.65 per 1,000 people | -3.2% |
| 2015 | 9.22 per 1,000 people | -4.5% |
| 2016 | 9.07 per 1,000 people | -1.6% |
| 2017 | 8.83 per 1,000 people | -2.6% |
| 2018 | 8.79 per 1,000 people | -0.5% |
| 2019 | 8.75 per 1,000 people | -0.4% |
| 2020 | 9.68 per 1,000 people | +10.7% |
| 2021 | 11.93 per 1,000 people | +23.2% |
| 2022 | 9.4 per 1,000 people | -21.2% |
| 2023 | 9.24 per 1,000 people | -1.7% |
| 2024 | 9.24 per 1,000 people | -0.0% |
South Africa compared with similar countries
- South Africa's 9.24 per 1,000 people is above the median for upper middle income countries, which is 7.07 per 1,000 people, 1.3× the median. (59 countries reporting)
- South Africa's 9.24 per 1,000 people is above the median for Sub-Saharan Africa, which is 7.08 per 1,000 people, 1.3× the median. (48 countries reporting)
Averages by decade
| Decade | Average | Lowest | Highest | Years |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1960s | 13.13 per 1,000 people | 12.38 per 1,000 people | 14.2 per 1,000 people | 10 |
| 1970s | 11.12 per 1,000 people | 9.92 per 1,000 people | 12.22 per 1,000 people | 10 |
| 1980s | 8.87 per 1,000 people | 8.25 per 1,000 people | 9.65 per 1,000 people | 10 |
| 1990s | 8.87 per 1,000 people | 8.23 per 1,000 people | 9.97 per 1,000 people | 10 |
| 2000s | 12.4 per 1,000 people | 10.39 per 1,000 people | 13.39 per 1,000 people | 10 |
| 2010s | 9.65 per 1,000 people | 8.75 per 1,000 people | 11.35 per 1,000 people | 10 |
| 2020s | 9.9 per 1,000 people | 9.24 per 1,000 people | 11.93 per 1,000 people | 5 |
Countries ranked near South Africa
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)
- Un projection of annual infant deaths 3,333 (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)
- Population ages 00-04, male, per capita 0.046 units per person (2025)
Frequently asked questions
- What is death rate, crude in South Africa?
- Death rate, crude in South Africa was 9.24 per 1,000 people in 2024, according to World Population Prospects, United Nations (UN), publisher: UN Population Division.
- What is the highest death rate, crude recorded in South Africa?
- The highest recorded value was 14.2 per 1,000 people in 1960.
- What is the lowest death rate, crude recorded in South Africa?
- The lowest recorded value was 8.23 per 1,000 people in 1991.
- How does South Africa rank for death rate, crude?
- South Africa ranks 57th out of 218 countries with data for 2024.
- Is death rate, crude rising or falling in South Africa?
- Over the last ten years it is down 4.3%. The long-run trend across the full record is falling.
- Where does this South Africa data come from?
- The figures come from World Population Prospects, United Nations (UN), publisher: UN Population Division, published as part of Death rate, crude (per 1,000 people). Statizoid updates them automatically from the source API.
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About this data
Crude death rate indicates the number of deaths occurring during the year, per 1,000 population estimated at midyear. Subtracting the crude death rate from the crude birth rate provides the rate of natural increase, which is equal to the rate of population change in the absence of migration.