Death rate from poisoning in South Africa
South Africa: Death rate from poisoning was 1.69 deaths per 100,000 people in 2021. ▲ Rising
Latest (2021)
1.69 deaths per 100,000 people
Change on year
up 3.0%
World rank
15th
of 194 countries
All-time high
1.77 deaths per 100,000 people
in 2010
All-time low
1.2 deaths per 100,000 people
in 2000
Years of data
22
2000–2021
Death rate from poisoning 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 poisoning in South Africa stood at 1.69 deaths per 100,000 people.
That represents a change of up 3.0% on the previous year and up 1.8% over ten years.
Over the whole period, death rate from poisoning in South Africa peaked at 1.77 deaths per 100,000 people in 2010 and was at its lowest, 1.2 deaths per 100,000 people, in 2000.
That places South Africa 15th out of 194 countries with data for 2021, putting it in the top 10%.
The long-run direction has been consistently rising across the 22 years of available data.
Death rate from poisoning in South Africa, year by year
| Year | deaths per 100,000 people | Change |
|---|---|---|
| 2000 | 1.2 deaths per 100,000 people | — |
| 2001 | 1.2 deaths per 100,000 people | +0.0% |
| 2002 | 1.3 deaths per 100,000 people | +8.3% |
| 2003 | 1.36 deaths per 100,000 people | +4.6% |
| 2004 | 1.37 deaths per 100,000 people | +0.7% |
| 2005 | 1.33 deaths per 100,000 people | -2.9% |
| 2006 | 1.35 deaths per 100,000 people | +1.5% |
| 2007 | 1.37 deaths per 100,000 people | +1.5% |
| 2008 | 1.51 deaths per 100,000 people | +10.2% |
| 2009 | 1.49 deaths per 100,000 people | -1.3% |
| 2010 | 1.77 deaths per 100,000 people | +18.8% |
| 2011 | 1.66 deaths per 100,000 people | -6.2% |
| 2012 | 1.67 deaths per 100,000 people | +0.6% |
| 2013 | 1.68 deaths per 100,000 people | +0.6% |
| 2014 | 1.74 deaths per 100,000 people | +3.6% |
| 2015 | 1.74 deaths per 100,000 people | +0.0% |
| 2016 | 1.64 deaths per 100,000 people | -5.7% |
| 2017 | 1.52 deaths per 100,000 people | -7.3% |
| 2018 | 1.55 deaths per 100,000 people | +2.0% |
| 2019 | 1.59 deaths per 100,000 people | +2.6% |
| 2020 | 1.64 deaths per 100,000 people | +3.1% |
| 2021 | 1.69 deaths per 100,000 people | +3.0% |
Averages by decade
| Decade | Average | Lowest | Highest | Years |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2000s | 1.35 deaths per 100,000 people | 1.2 deaths per 100,000 people | 1.51 deaths per 100,000 people | 10 |
| 2010s | 1.66 deaths per 100,000 people | 1.52 deaths per 100,000 people | 1.77 deaths per 100,000 people | 10 |
| 2020s | 1.67 deaths per 100,000 people | 1.64 deaths per 100,000 people | 1.69 deaths per 100,000 people | 2 |
Countries ranked near South Africa
- 12 Ukraine 2.02 deaths per 100,000 people compare
- 13 Romania 1.91 deaths per 100,000 people compare
- 14 Kiribati 1.74 deaths per 100,000 people compare
- 15 Bosnia and Herzegovina 1.69 deaths per 100,000 people compare
- 17 South Sudan 1.63 deaths per 100,000 people compare
- 18 Burkina Faso 1.62 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)
- Total tetanus - number of reported cases, gaps filled 22 (2025)
- Total tetanus - number of reported cases, per capita 0 units per person (2025)
- Diphtheria - number of reported cases, gaps filled 314 (2025)
- Diphtheria - number of reported cases, per capita 0 units per person (2025)
- Measles - number of reported cases, gaps filled 2,778 (2025)
- Measles - number of reported cases, per unit of GDP 0 units per US$ of GDP (2025)
Frequently asked questions
- What is death rate from poisoning in South Africa?
- Death rate from poisoning in South Africa was 1.69 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 poisoning recorded in South Africa?
- The highest recorded value was 1.77 deaths per 100,000 people in 2010.
- What is the lowest death rate from poisoning recorded in South Africa?
- The lowest recorded value was 1.2 deaths per 100,000 people in 2000.
- How does South Africa rank for death rate from poisoning?
- South Africa ranks 15th out of 194 countries with data for 2021.
- Is death rate from poisoning rising or falling in South Africa?
- Over the last ten years it is up 1.8%. 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 poisoning. Statizoid updates them automatically from the source API.
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About this data
Estimated number of deaths from poisonings in both sexes, per 100,000 people.