Share of deaths registered with an ill-defined cause of death in South Africa
South Africa: Share of deaths registered with an ill-defined cause of death was 16.5% in 2020. ▲ Rising
Share of deaths registered with an ill-defined cause of death in South Africa, 1996–2020
Source: WHO Mortality Database (2025) – with minor processing by Our World in Data. Measured in %.
Analysis
South Africa recorded 16.5% for share of deaths registered with an ill-defined cause of death in 2020. That is the highest value across all 25 years on record.
That represents a change of up 4.3% on the previous year and up 23.1% over ten years.
Over the whole period, share of deaths registered with an ill-defined cause of death in South Africa peaked at 16.5% in 2020 and was at its lowest, 12.1%, in 2004.
South Africa ranks 10th of 113 countries on this measure, in the top 10%.
The long-run direction has been consistently rising across the 25 years of available data.
Share of deaths registered with an ill-defined cause of death in South Africa, year by year
| Year | % | Change |
|---|---|---|
| 1996 | 14.2% | — |
| 1997 | 13.1% | -8.2% |
| 1998 | 13.7% | +4.9% |
| 1999 | 12.1% | -11.7% |
| 2000 | 12.1% | +0.4% |
| 2001 | 12.4% | +2.2% |
| 2002 | 12.4% | +0.0% |
| 2003 | 12.3% | -0.5% |
| 2004 | 12.1% | -2.2% |
| 2005 | 12.2% | +1.1% |
| 2006 | 13.5% | +10.3% |
| 2007 | 13.8% | +2.7% |
| 2008 | 13.6% | -2.1% |
| 2009 | 13.6% | +0.6% |
| 2010 | 13.4% | -1.8% |
| 2011 | 13.6% | +1.5% |
| 2012 | 13.5% | -0.6% |
| 2013 | 12.6% | -6.6% |
| 2014 | 12.5% | -1.2% |
| 2015 | 12.4% | -0.7% |
| 2016 | 13.1% | +6.1% |
| 2017 | 13.3% | +1.5% |
| 2018 | 13.5% | +0.8% |
| 2019 | 15.8% | +17.6% |
| 2020 | 16.5% | +4.3% |
Averages by decade
| Decade | Average | Lowest | Highest | Years |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1990s | 13.3% | 12.1% | 14.2% | 4 |
| 2000s | 12.8% | 12.1% | 13.8% | 10 |
| 2010s | 13.4% | 12.4% | 15.8% | 10 |
| 2020s | 16.5% | 16.5% | 16.5% | 1 |
Countries ranked near South Africa
- 7 North Macedonia 19.0% compare
- 8 El Salvador 18.1% compare
- 9 Sri Lanka 17.7% compare
- 11 Guatemala 15.7% compare
- 12 Turkmenistan 15.2% compare
- 13 Uruguay 15.0% 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)
- 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)
Frequently asked questions
- What is share of deaths registered with an ill-defined cause of death in South Africa?
- Share of deaths registered with an ill-defined cause of death in South Africa was 16.5% in 2020, according to WHO Mortality Database (2025) – with minor processing by Our World in Data.
- What is the highest share of deaths registered with an ill-defined cause of death recorded in South Africa?
- The highest recorded value was 16.5% in 2020.
- What is the lowest share of deaths registered with an ill-defined cause of death recorded in South Africa?
- The lowest recorded value was 12.1% in 2004.
- How does South Africa rank for share of deaths registered with an ill-defined cause of death?
- South Africa ranks 10th out of 113 countries with data for 2020.
- Is share of deaths registered with an ill-defined cause of death rising or falling in South Africa?
- Over the last ten years it is up 23.1%. The long-run trend across the full record is rising.
- 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 Share of deaths registered with an ill-defined cause of death. Statizoid updates them automatically from the source API.
Download this data
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About this data
Share of total reported deaths in both sexes in those aged all ages that are from ill-defined diseases.