Sex gap in life expectancy in South Africa
South Africa: Sex gap in life expectancy was 6.99 years in 2023. ▲ Rising
Latest (2023)
6.99 years
Change on year
down 3.2%
World rank
38th
of 236 countries
All-time high
7.47 years
in 1991
All-time low
1.95 years
in 1950
Years of data
74
1950–2023
Sex gap in life expectancy in South Africa, 1950–2023
Source: Human Mortality Database (2025); UN, World Population Prospects (2024) – with major processing by Our World in Data. Measured in years.
Analysis
In 2023, sex gap in life expectancy in South Africa stood at 6.99 years.
Compared with earlier readings it is down 3.2% on the previous year and up 16.3% over ten years.
Over the whole period, sex gap in life expectancy in South Africa peaked at 7.47 years in 1991 and was at its lowest, 1.95 years, in 1950.
That places South Africa 38th out of 236 countries with data for 2023, putting it in the top quarter.
The long-run direction has been consistently rising across the 74 years of available data.
Sex gap in life expectancy in South Africa, year by year
| Year | years | Change |
|---|---|---|
| 1950 | 1.95 years | — |
| 1951 | 2.09 years | +7.1% |
| 1952 | 2.24 years | +7.6% |
| 1953 | 2.47 years | +9.9% |
| 1954 | 2.71 years | +9.9% |
| 1955 | 2.88 years | +6.1% |
| 1956 | 3.14 years | +9.3% |
| 1957 | 3.39 years | +7.8% |
| 1958 | 3.51 years | +3.6% |
| 1959 | 3.66 years | +4.1% |
| 1960 | 3.76 years | +2.7% |
| 1961 | 4.03 years | +7.3% |
| 1962 | 3.97 years | -1.4% |
| 1963 | 4.05 years | +2.0% |
| 1964 | 4.06 years | +0.1% |
| 1965 | 4.11 years | +1.2% |
| 1966 | 4.16 years | +1.3% |
| 1967 | 4.27 years | +2.5% |
| 1968 | 4.36 years | +2.3% |
| 1969 | 4.45 years | +2.0% |
| 1970 | 4.58 years | +2.9% |
| 1971 | 4.61 years | +0.6% |
| 1972 | 4.51 years | -2.1% |
| 1973 | 4.46 years | -1.1% |
| 1974 | 4.47 years | +0.2% |
| 1975 | 4.42 years | -1.3% |
| 1976 | 4.61 years | +4.4% |
| 1977 | 4.86 years | +5.3% |
| 1978 | 4.93 years | +1.5% |
| 1979 | 5.06 years | +2.7% |
| 1980 | 5.28 years | +4.3% |
| 1981 | 5.37 years | +1.6% |
| 1982 | 5.52 years | +2.8% |
| 1983 | 5.66 years | +2.6% |
| 1984 | 5.89 years | +4.1% |
| 1985 | 6.23 years | +5.8% |
| 1986 | 6.58 years | +5.6% |
| 1987 | 6.67 years | +1.3% |
| 1988 | 7.03 years | +5.4% |
| 1989 | 7.19 years | +2.2% |
| 1990 | 7.41 years | +3.2% |
| 1991 | 7.47 years | +0.8% |
| 1992 | 7.44 years | -0.4% |
| 1993 | 7.39 years | -0.6% |
| 1994 | 7.19 years | -2.8% |
| 1995 | 6.88 years | -4.3% |
| 1996 | 6.68 years | -2.8% |
| 1997 | 6.44 years | -3.7% |
| 1998 | 6.18 years | -4.0% |
| 1999 | 5.94 years | -4.0% |
| 2000 | 5.67 years | -4.6% |
| 2001 | 4.91 years | -13.4% |
| 2002 | 4.49 years | -8.6% |
| 2003 | 4.27 years | -4.8% |
| 2004 | 3.84 years | -10.1% |
| 2005 | 3.38 years | -12.1% |
| 2006 | 3.69 years | +9.4% |
| 2007 | 4.17 years | +12.9% |
| 2008 | 4.64 years | +11.1% |
| 2009 | 4.87 years | +5.1% |
| 2010 | 5.04 years | +3.4% |
| 2011 | 5.4 years | +7.2% |
| 2012 | 5.71 years | +5.7% |
| 2013 | 6.01 years | +5.2% |
| 2014 | 6.27 years | +4.4% |
| 2015 | 6.23 years | -0.8% |
| 2016 | 6.58 years | +5.8% |
| 2017 | 6.6 years | +0.2% |
| 2018 | 6.61 years | +0.2% |
| 2019 | 6.52 years | -1.4% |
| 2020 | 5.77 years | -11.4% |
| 2021 | 5.58 years | -3.4% |
| 2022 | 7.22 years | +29.5% |
| 2023 | 6.99 years | -3.2% |
Averages by decade
| Decade | Average | Lowest | Highest | Years |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1950s | 2.8 years | 1.95 years | 3.66 years | 10 |
| 1960s | 4.12 years | 3.76 years | 4.45 years | 10 |
| 1970s | 4.65 years | 4.42 years | 5.06 years | 10 |
| 1980s | 6.14 years | 5.28 years | 7.19 years | 10 |
| 1990s | 6.9 years | 5.94 years | 7.47 years | 10 |
| 2000s | 4.39 years | 3.38 years | 5.67 years | 10 |
| 2010s | 6.1 years | 5.04 years | 6.61 years | 10 |
| 2020s | 6.39 years | 5.58 years | 7.22 years | 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)
- 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 15-19, male, annual growth rate 1.39 % change on previous year (2025)
- Population ages 15-19, male, per unit of GDP 0 units per US$ of GDP (2025)
- Population ages 15-19, male, per capita 0.0422 units per person (2025)
- Population ages 20-24, female, annual growth rate 0.5965 % change on previous year (2025)
- Population ages 20-24, female, per unit of GDP 0 units per US$ of GDP (2025)
- Population ages 20-24, female, per capita 0.0391 units per person (2025)
Frequently asked questions
- What is sex gap in life expectancy in South Africa?
- Sex gap in life expectancy in South Africa was 6.99 years in 2023, according to Human Mortality Database (2025); UN, World Population Prospects (2024) – with major processing by Our World in Data.
- What is the highest sex gap in life expectancy recorded in South Africa?
- The highest recorded value was 7.47 years in 1991.
- What is the lowest sex gap in life expectancy recorded in South Africa?
- The lowest recorded value was 1.95 years in 1950.
- How does South Africa rank for sex gap in life expectancy?
- South Africa ranks 38th out of 236 countries with data for 2023.
- Is sex gap in life expectancy rising or falling in South Africa?
- Over the last ten years it is up 16.3%. The long-run trend across the full record is rising.
- Where does this South Africa data come from?
- The figures come from Human Mortality Database (2025); UN, World Population Prospects (2024) – with major processing by Our World in Data, published as part of Sex gap in life expectancy. Statizoid updates them automatically from the source API.
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About this data
Difference in period life expectancy (females - males) at a given age.