Difference in female and male life expectancy at age 45 in South Africa
South Africa: Difference in female and male life expectancy at age 45 was 4.9 in 2023. ▲ Rising
Difference in female and male life expectancy at age 45 in South Africa, 1950–2023
Source: Our World in Data.
Analysis
The most recent figure for difference in female and male life expectancy at age 45 in South Africa is 4.9, measured in 2023.
That represents a change of down 5.5% on the previous year and down 10.1% over ten years.
Over the whole period, difference in female and male life expectancy at age 45 in South Africa peaked at 5.52 in 2011 and was at its lowest, 1.48, in 1950.
South Africa ranks 66th of 236 countries on this measure, in the middle of the range.
The long-run direction has been consistently rising across the 74 years of available data.
Difference in female and male life expectancy at age 45 in South Africa, year by year
| Year | Value | Change |
|---|---|---|
| 1950 | 1.48 | — |
| 1951 | 1.58 | +6.4% |
| 1952 | 1.69 | +6.8% |
| 1953 | 1.82 | +8.2% |
| 1954 | 1.99 | +9.1% |
| 1955 | 2.14 | +7.3% |
| 1956 | 2.28 | +6.9% |
| 1957 | 2.42 | +6.1% |
| 1958 | 2.48 | +2.5% |
| 1959 | 2.56 | +3.3% |
| 1960 | 2.59 | +1.2% |
| 1961 | 2.78 | +7.0% |
| 1962 | 2.73 | -1.6% |
| 1963 | 2.79 | +2.1% |
| 1964 | 2.8 | +0.3% |
| 1965 | 2.83 | +1.3% |
| 1966 | 2.87 | +1.4% |
| 1967 | 2.95 | +2.6% |
| 1968 | 3.02 | +2.3% |
| 1969 | 3.08 | +2.1% |
| 1970 | 3.17 | +2.8% |
| 1971 | 3.16 | -0.2% |
| 1972 | 3.07 | -2.9% |
| 1973 | 3.02 | -1.4% |
| 1974 | 3 | -0.6% |
| 1975 | 2.94 | -2.2% |
| 1976 | 3.06 | +4.1% |
| 1977 | 3.21 | +5.1% |
| 1978 | 3.25 | +1.0% |
| 1979 | 3.35 | +3.0% |
| 1980 | 3.48 | +4.1% |
| 1981 | 3.53 | +1.3% |
| 1982 | 3.61 | +2.4% |
| 1983 | 3.68 | +1.9% |
| 1984 | 3.87 | +5.0% |
| 1985 | 4.06 | +5.0% |
| 1986 | 4.24 | +4.4% |
| 1987 | 4.39 | +3.5% |
| 1988 | 4.69 | +6.9% |
| 1989 | 4.82 | +2.8% |
| 1990 | 4.96 | +2.9% |
| 1991 | 5.01 | +1.0% |
| 1992 | 4.99 | -0.5% |
| 1993 | 4.94 | -1.0% |
| 1994 | 4.78 | -3.2% |
| 1995 | 4.55 | -4.8% |
| 1996 | 4.87 | +6.9% |
| 1997 | 4.89 | +0.4% |
| 1998 | 4.9 | +0.3% |
| 1999 | 4.92 | +0.5% |
| 2000 | 5.08 | +3.2% |
| 2001 | 4.89 | -3.8% |
| 2002 | 4.99 | +2.1% |
| 2003 | 5.18 | +3.8% |
| 2004 | 5.13 | -1.0% |
| 2005 | 4.73 | -7.7% |
| 2006 | 4.87 | +3.0% |
| 2007 | 5.04 | +3.4% |
| 2008 | 5.34 | +6.0% |
| 2009 | 5.38 | +0.7% |
| 2010 | 5.49 | +2.2% |
| 2011 | 5.52 | +0.4% |
| 2012 | 5.46 | -1.0% |
| 2013 | 5.45 | -0.2% |
| 2014 | 5.46 | +0.1% |
| 2015 | 5.32 | -2.5% |
| 2016 | 5.5 | +3.3% |
| 2017 | 5.43 | -1.2% |
| 2018 | 5.28 | -2.8% |
| 2019 | 5.16 | -2.3% |
| 2020 | 4.58 | -11.1% |
| 2021 | 4.1 | -10.6% |
| 2022 | 5.19 | +26.6% |
| 2023 | 4.9 | -5.5% |
South Africa compared with similar countries
- South Africa's 4.9 is above the median for upper middle income countries, which is 4.54, 1.1× the median. (58 countries reporting)
- South Africa's 4.9 is above the median for Sub-Saharan Africa, which is 2.93, 1.7× the median. (48 countries reporting)
Biggest year-on-year movements
Years where Difference in female and male life expectancy at age 45 in South Africa changed far more than this series normally does. A large move can be a real event or a change in how the figure was measured — the source note below says who published it.
| Year | Change | From | To |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2022 | +26.6% | 4.1 | 5.19 |
Averages by decade
| Decade | Average | Lowest | Highest | Years |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1950s | 2.05 | 1.48 | 2.56 | 10 |
| 1960s | 2.84 | 2.59 | 3.08 | 10 |
| 1970s | 3.12 | 2.94 | 3.35 | 10 |
| 1980s | 4.04 | 3.48 | 4.82 | 10 |
| 1990s | 4.88 | 4.55 | 5.01 | 10 |
| 2000s | 5.06 | 4.73 | 5.38 | 10 |
| 2010s | 5.41 | 5.16 | 5.52 | 10 |
| 2020s | 4.69 | 4.1 | 5.19 | 4 |
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 difference in female and male life expectancy at age 45 in South Africa?
- Difference in female and male life expectancy at age 45 in South Africa was 4.9 in 2023, according to Our World in Data.
- What is the highest difference in female and male life expectancy at age 45 recorded in South Africa?
- The highest recorded value was 5.52 in 2011.
- What is the lowest difference in female and male life expectancy at age 45 recorded in South Africa?
- The lowest recorded value was 1.48 in 1950.
- How does South Africa rank for difference in female and male life expectancy at age 45?
- South Africa ranks 66th out of 236 countries with data for 2023.
- Is difference in female and male life expectancy at age 45 rising or falling in South Africa?
- Over the last ten years it is down 10.1%. The long-run trend across the full record is rising.
- Where does this South Africa data come from?
- The figures come from Our World in Data, published as part of Difference in female and male life expectancy at age 45. Statizoid updates them automatically from the source API.
Download this data
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