Sex ratio in life expectancy at different ages in South Africa
South Africa: Sex ratio in life expectancy at different ages was 1.11 in 2023. ▬ Flat
Latest (2023)
1.11
Change on year
down 0.5%
World rank
23rd
of 236 countries
All-time high
1.13
in 1991
All-time low
1.05
in 1950
Years of data
74
1950–2023
Sex ratio in life expectancy at different ages in South Africa, 1950–2023
Source: Human Mortality Database (2025); UN, World Population Prospects (2024) – with major processing by Our World in Data.
Analysis
The most recent figure for sex ratio in life expectancy at different ages in South Africa is 1.11, measured in 2023.
The figure is down 0.5% on the previous year and up 0.9% over ten years.
Over the whole period, sex ratio in life expectancy at different ages in South Africa peaked at 1.13 in 1991 and was at its lowest, 1.05, in 1950.
That places South Africa 23rd out of 236 countries with data for 2023, putting it in the top 10%.
Sex ratio in life expectancy at different ages in South Africa, year by year
| Year | Value | Change |
|---|---|---|
| 1950 | 1.05 | — |
| 1951 | 1.05 | +0.2% |
| 1952 | 1.05 | +0.2% |
| 1953 | 1.05 | +0.4% |
| 1954 | 1.06 | +0.4% |
| 1955 | 1.06 | +0.2% |
| 1956 | 1.07 | +0.4% |
| 1957 | 1.07 | +0.4% |
| 1958 | 1.07 | +0.1% |
| 1959 | 1.07 | +0.2% |
| 1960 | 1.07 | +0.1% |
| 1961 | 1.08 | +0.4% |
| 1962 | 1.08 | -0.2% |
| 1963 | 1.08 | +0.1% |
| 1964 | 1.08 | -0.0% |
| 1965 | 1.08 | +0.1% |
| 1966 | 1.08 | +0.1% |
| 1967 | 1.08 | +0.2% |
| 1968 | 1.08 | +0.1% |
| 1969 | 1.08 | +0.1% |
| 1970 | 1.09 | +0.2% |
| 1971 | 1.09 | -0.0% |
| 1972 | 1.08 | -0.2% |
| 1973 | 1.08 | -0.1% |
| 1974 | 1.08 | -0.0% |
| 1975 | 1.08 | -0.2% |
| 1976 | 1.08 | +0.3% |
| 1977 | 1.09 | +0.4% |
| 1978 | 1.09 | +0.0% |
| 1979 | 1.09 | +0.2% |
| 1980 | 1.09 | +0.3% |
| 1981 | 1.09 | +0.1% |
| 1982 | 1.09 | +0.2% |
| 1983 | 1.1 | +0.2% |
| 1984 | 1.1 | +0.3% |
| 1985 | 1.11 | +0.5% |
| 1986 | 1.11 | +0.5% |
| 1987 | 1.11 | +0.1% |
| 1988 | 1.12 | +0.5% |
| 1989 | 1.12 | +0.2% |
| 1990 | 1.12 | +0.4% |
| 1991 | 1.13 | +0.1% |
| 1992 | 1.13 | -0.0% |
| 1993 | 1.13 | -0.0% |
| 1994 | 1.12 | -0.3% |
| 1995 | 1.12 | -0.4% |
| 1996 | 1.12 | -0.2% |
| 1997 | 1.11 | -0.3% |
| 1998 | 1.11 | -0.3% |
| 1999 | 1.11 | -0.3% |
| 2000 | 1.1 | -0.3% |
| 2001 | 1.09 | -1.1% |
| 2002 | 1.08 | -0.5% |
| 2003 | 1.08 | -0.2% |
| 2004 | 1.07 | -0.8% |
| 2005 | 1.06 | -0.9% |
| 2006 | 1.07 | +0.6% |
| 2007 | 1.08 | +0.8% |
| 2008 | 1.09 | +0.7% |
| 2009 | 1.09 | +0.2% |
| 2010 | 1.09 | +0.1% |
| 2011 | 1.09 | +0.4% |
| 2012 | 1.1 | +0.3% |
| 2013 | 1.1 | +0.4% |
| 2014 | 1.1 | +0.3% |
| 2015 | 1.1 | -0.2% |
| 2016 | 1.11 | +0.4% |
| 2017 | 1.11 | -0.1% |
| 2018 | 1.11 | -0.0% |
| 2019 | 1.1 | -0.2% |
| 2020 | 1.09 | -1.0% |
| 2021 | 1.09 | +0.1% |
| 2022 | 1.12 | +2.1% |
| 2023 | 1.11 | -0.5% |
Averages by decade
| Decade | Average | Lowest | Highest | Years |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1950s | 1.06 | 1.05 | 1.07 | 10 |
| 1960s | 1.08 | 1.07 | 1.08 | 10 |
| 1970s | 1.08 | 1.08 | 1.09 | 10 |
| 1980s | 1.1 | 1.09 | 1.12 | 10 |
| 1990s | 1.12 | 1.11 | 1.13 | 10 |
| 2000s | 1.08 | 1.06 | 1.1 | 10 |
| 2010s | 1.1 | 1.09 | 1.11 | 10 |
| 2020s | 1.1 | 1.09 | 1.12 | 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 05-09, female, per unit of GDP 0 units per US$ of GDP (2025)
- Population ages 05-09, female, per capita 0.0424 units per person (2025)
- Population ages 05-09, male, annual growth rate 2.82 % change on previous year (2025)
- Population ages 05-09, male, per unit of GDP 0 units per US$ of GDP (2025)
- Population ages 05-09, male, per capita 0.0426 units per person (2025)
- Population ages 10-14, female, annual growth rate -0.9299 % change on previous year (2025)
Frequently asked questions
- What is sex ratio in life expectancy at different ages in South Africa?
- Sex ratio in life expectancy at different ages in South Africa was 1.11 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 ratio in life expectancy at different ages recorded in South Africa?
- The highest recorded value was 1.13 in 1991.
- What is the lowest sex ratio in life expectancy at different ages recorded in South Africa?
- The lowest recorded value was 1.05 in 1950.
- How does South Africa rank for sex ratio in life expectancy at different ages?
- South Africa ranks 23rd out of 236 countries with data for 2023.
- Is sex ratio in life expectancy at different ages rising or falling in South Africa?
- Over the last ten years it is up 0.9%. The long-run trend across the full record is flat.
- 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 ratio in life expectancy at different ages. Statizoid updates them automatically from the source API.
Download this data
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About this data
Ratio of period life expectancy (females/males) at a given age.