Death rate from diabetes in South Africa
South Africa: Death rate from diabetes was 54.81 deaths per 100,000 people in 2021. ▲ Rising
Latest (2021)
54.81 deaths per 100,000 people
Change on year
down 11.4%
World rank
26th
of 194 countries
All-time high
61.87 deaths per 100,000 people
in 2020
All-time low
26.57 deaths per 100,000 people
in 2000
Years of data
22
2000–2021
Death rate from diabetes in South Africa, 2000–2021
Source: World Health Organization (2024) – with major processing by Our World in Data. Measured in deaths per 100,000 people.
Analysis
In 2021, death rate from diabetes in South Africa stood at 54.81 deaths per 100,000 people.
The figure is down 11.4% on the previous year and up 11.7% over ten years.
Over the whole period, death rate from diabetes in South Africa peaked at 61.87 deaths per 100,000 people in 2020 and was at its lowest, 26.57 deaths per 100,000 people, in 2000.
South Africa ranks 26th of 194 countries on this measure, in the top quarter.
The long-run direction has been consistently rising across the 22 years of available data.
Death rate from diabetes in South Africa, year by year
| Year | deaths per 100,000 people | Change |
|---|---|---|
| 2000 | 26.57 deaths per 100,000 people | — |
| 2001 | 27.06 deaths per 100,000 people | +1.8% |
| 2002 | 30.4 deaths per 100,000 people | +12.3% |
| 2003 | 32.77 deaths per 100,000 people | +7.8% |
| 2004 | 33.75 deaths per 100,000 people | +3.0% |
| 2005 | 34.52 deaths per 100,000 people | +2.3% |
| 2006 | 39.36 deaths per 100,000 people | +14.0% |
| 2007 | 41.3 deaths per 100,000 people | +4.9% |
| 2008 | 43.72 deaths per 100,000 people | +5.9% |
| 2009 | 44.45 deaths per 100,000 people | +1.7% |
| 2010 | 50.41 deaths per 100,000 people | +13.4% |
| 2011 | 49.07 deaths per 100,000 people | -2.7% |
| 2012 | 50.7 deaths per 100,000 people | +3.3% |
| 2013 | 51.31 deaths per 100,000 people | +1.2% |
| 2014 | 53.15 deaths per 100,000 people | +3.6% |
| 2015 | 54.59 deaths per 100,000 people | +2.7% |
| 2016 | 54.29 deaths per 100,000 people | -0.5% |
| 2017 | 52.81 deaths per 100,000 people | -2.7% |
| 2018 | 52.53 deaths per 100,000 people | -0.5% |
| 2019 | 51.04 deaths per 100,000 people | -2.8% |
| 2020 | 61.87 deaths per 100,000 people | +21.2% |
| 2021 | 54.81 deaths per 100,000 people | -11.4% |
Averages by decade
| Decade | Average | Lowest | Highest | Years |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2000s | 35.39 deaths per 100,000 people | 26.57 deaths per 100,000 people | 44.45 deaths per 100,000 people | 10 |
| 2010s | 51.99 deaths per 100,000 people | 49.07 deaths per 100,000 people | 54.59 deaths per 100,000 people | 10 |
| 2020s | 58.34 deaths per 100,000 people | 54.81 deaths per 100,000 people | 61.87 deaths per 100,000 people | 2 |
Countries ranked near South Africa
- 23 Lesotho 59.19 deaths per 100,000 people compare
- 24 Saint Kitts and Nevis 55.18 deaths per 100,000 people compare
- 25 Grenada 54.84 deaths per 100,000 people compare
- 27 Samoa 54.16 deaths per 100,000 people compare
- 28 Bahrain 53.44 deaths per 100,000 people compare
- 29 Sri Lanka 50.14 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 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 death rate from diabetes in South Africa?
- Death rate from diabetes in South Africa was 54.81 deaths per 100,000 people in 2021, according to World Health Organization (2024) – with major processing by Our World in Data.
- What is the highest death rate from diabetes recorded in South Africa?
- The highest recorded value was 61.87 deaths per 100,000 people in 2020.
- What is the lowest death rate from diabetes recorded in South Africa?
- The lowest recorded value was 26.57 deaths per 100,000 people in 2000.
- How does South Africa rank for death rate from diabetes?
- South Africa ranks 26th out of 194 countries with data for 2021.
- Is death rate from diabetes rising or falling in South Africa?
- Over the last ten years it is up 11.7%. The long-run trend across the full record is rising.
- Where does this South Africa data come from?
- The figures come from World Health Organization (2024) – with major processing by Our World in Data, published as part of Death rate from diabetes. Statizoid updates them automatically from the source API.
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About this data
Estimated number of deaths from diabetes mellitus in both sexes, per 100,000 people.