Fertility rate, total in South Africa
South Africa: Fertility rate, total was 2.21 births per woman in 2024. ▼ Falling
Latest (2024)
2.21 births per woman
Change on year
down 0.5%
World rank
94th
of 218 countries
All-time high
6.11 births per woman
in 1960
All-time low
2.21 births per woman
in 2024
Years of data
65
1960–2024
Fertility rate, total in South Africa, 1960–2024
Source: World Population Prospects, United Nations (UN), publisher: UN Population Division. Measured in births per woman.
Analysis
The most recent figure for fertility rate, total in South Africa is 2.21 births per woman, measured in 2024. That is the lowest value across all 65 years on record.
The figure is down 0.5% on the previous year and down 9.0% over ten years.
Over the whole period, fertility rate, total in South Africa peaked at 6.11 births per woman in 1960 and was at its lowest, 2.21 births per woman, in 2024.
South Africa ranks 94th of 218 countries on this measure, in the middle of the range.
The long-run direction has been consistently falling across the 65 years of available data.
Fertility rate, total in South Africa, year by year
| Year | births per woman | Change |
|---|---|---|
| 1960 | 6.11 births per woman | — |
| 1961 | 6.08 births per woman | -0.4% |
| 1962 | 6.05 births per woman | -0.6% |
| 1963 | 6.01 births per woman | -0.6% |
| 1964 | 5.96 births per woman | -0.9% |
| 1965 | 5.89 births per woman | -1.1% |
| 1966 | 5.91 births per woman | +0.3% |
| 1967 | 5.85 births per woman | -0.9% |
| 1968 | 5.78 births per woman | -1.2% |
| 1969 | 5.72 births per woman | -1.1% |
| 1970 | 5.63 births per woman | -1.5% |
| 1971 | 5.57 births per woman | -1.2% |
| 1972 | 5.49 births per woman | -1.4% |
| 1973 | 5.41 births per woman | -1.4% |
| 1974 | 5.3 births per woman | -2.1% |
| 1975 | 5.19 births per woman | -2.0% |
| 1976 | 5.07 births per woman | -2.3% |
| 1977 | 4.94 births per woman | -2.5% |
| 1978 | 4.85 births per woman | -1.8% |
| 1979 | 4.82 births per woman | -0.7% |
| 1980 | 4.78 births per woman | -0.8% |
| 1981 | 4.71 births per woman | -1.4% |
| 1982 | 4.7 births per woman | -0.3% |
| 1983 | 4.63 births per woman | -1.5% |
| 1984 | 4.57 births per woman | -1.3% |
| 1985 | 4.5 births per woman | -1.6% |
| 1986 | 4.41 births per woman | -1.9% |
| 1987 | 4.35 births per woman | -1.3% |
| 1988 | 4.18 births per woman | -4.0% |
| 1989 | 3.98 births per woman | -4.7% |
| 1990 | 3.72 births per woman | -6.5% |
| 1991 | 3.62 births per woman | -2.8% |
| 1992 | 3.48 births per woman | -3.8% |
| 1993 | 3.37 births per woman | -3.1% |
| 1994 | 3.26 births per woman | -3.4% |
| 1995 | 3.17 births per woman | -2.6% |
| 1996 | 2.99 births per woman | -5.7% |
| 1997 | 2.73 births per woman | -8.6% |
| 1998 | 2.63 births per woman | -3.8% |
| 1999 | 2.56 births per woman | -2.7% |
| 2000 | 2.41 births per woman | -5.7% |
| 2001 | 2.37 births per woman | -1.7% |
| 2002 | 2.32 births per woman | -2.1% |
| 2003 | 2.36 births per woman | +1.5% |
| 2004 | 2.44 births per woman | +3.3% |
| 2005 | 2.51 births per woman | +3.1% |
| 2006 | 2.55 births per woman | +1.4% |
| 2007 | 2.54 births per woman | -0.1% |
| 2008 | 2.68 births per woman | +5.3% |
| 2009 | 2.5 births per woman | -6.6% |
| 2010 | 2.44 births per woman | -2.2% |
| 2011 | 2.44 births per woman | -0.4% |
| 2012 | 2.45 births per woman | +0.5% |
| 2013 | 2.43 births per woman | -0.8% |
| 2014 | 2.42 births per woman | -0.2% |
| 2015 | 2.36 births per woman | -2.7% |
| 2016 | 2.26 births per woman | -4.2% |
| 2017 | 2.28 births per woman | +1.0% |
| 2018 | 2.27 births per woman | -0.6% |
| 2019 | 2.26 births per woman | -0.3% |
| 2020 | 2.26 births per woman | -0.3% |
| 2021 | 2.25 births per woman | -0.4% |
| 2022 | 2.23 births per woman | -0.9% |
| 2023 | 2.22 births per woman | -0.5% |
| 2024 | 2.21 births per woman | -0.5% |
Averages by decade
| Decade | Average | Lowest | Highest | Years |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1960s | 5.94 births per woman | 5.72 births per woman | 6.11 births per woman | 10 |
| 1970s | 5.23 births per woman | 4.82 births per woman | 5.63 births per woman | 10 |
| 1980s | 4.48 births per woman | 3.98 births per woman | 4.78 births per woman | 10 |
| 1990s | 3.15 births per woman | 2.56 births per woman | 3.72 births per woman | 10 |
| 2000s | 2.47 births per woman | 2.32 births per woman | 2.68 births per woman | 10 |
| 2010s | 2.36 births per woman | 2.26 births per woman | 2.45 births per woman | 10 |
| 2020s | 2.23 births per woman | 2.21 births per woman | 2.26 births per woman | 5 |
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 60-64, female, annual growth rate 1.27 % change on previous year (2025)
- Population ages 60-64, female, per unit of GDP 0 units per US$ of GDP (2025)
- Population ages 60-64, female, per capita 0.0197 units per person (2025)
- Population ages 60-64, male, annual growth rate 0.6835 % change on previous year (2025)
- Population ages 60-64, male, per unit of GDP 0 units per US$ of GDP (2025)
- Population ages 60-64, male, per capita 0.015 units per person (2025)
Frequently asked questions
- What is fertility rate, total in South Africa?
- Fertility rate, total in South Africa was 2.21 births per woman in 2024, according to World Population Prospects, United Nations (UN), publisher: UN Population Division.
- What is the highest fertility rate, total recorded in South Africa?
- The highest recorded value was 6.11 births per woman in 1960.
- What is the lowest fertility rate, total recorded in South Africa?
- The lowest recorded value was 2.21 births per woman in 2024.
- How does South Africa rank for fertility rate, total?
- South Africa ranks 94th out of 218 countries with data for 2024.
- Is fertility rate, total rising or falling in South Africa?
- Over the last ten years it is down 9.0%. The long-run trend across the full record is falling.
- Where does this South Africa data come from?
- The figures come from World Population Prospects, United Nations (UN), publisher: UN Population Division, published as part of Fertility rate, total (births per woman). Statizoid updates them automatically from the source API.
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About this data
Total fertility rate represents the number of children that would be born to a woman if she were to live to the end of her childbearing years and bear children in accordance with age-specific fertility rates of the specified year.