Healthy life expectancy (HALE) at birth in South Africa
South Africa: Healthy life expectancy (HALE) at birth was 52.76 in 2021. ▲ Rising
Healthy life expectancy (HALE) at birth in South Africa, 2000–2021
Source: World Health Organization, Global Health Observatory.
Analysis
South Africa recorded 52.76 for healthy life expectancy (hale) at birth in 2021.
Compared with earlier readings it is down 4.1% on the previous year and up 3.8% over ten years.
Over the whole period, healthy life expectancy (hale) at birth in South Africa peaked at 56.29 in 2019 and was at its lowest, 45.16, in 2005.
South Africa ranks 173rd of 184 countries on this measure, in the bottom quarter.
The long-run direction has been consistently rising across the 22 years of available data.
Healthy life expectancy (HALE) at birth in South Africa, year by year
| Year | Value | Change |
|---|---|---|
| 2000 | 49.4 | — |
| 2001 | 48.34 | -2.1% |
| 2002 | 47.07 | -2.6% |
| 2003 | 45.94 | -2.4% |
| 2004 | 45.36 | -1.3% |
| 2005 | 45.16 | -0.4% |
| 2006 | 45.21 | +0.1% |
| 2007 | 45.85 | +1.4% |
| 2008 | 46.67 | +1.8% |
| 2009 | 47.77 | +2.4% |
| 2010 | 49.24 | +3.1% |
| 2011 | 50.84 | +3.3% |
| 2012 | 52.23 | +2.7% |
| 2013 | 53.27 | +2.0% |
| 2014 | 53.84 | +1.1% |
| 2015 | 54.25 | +0.8% |
| 2016 | 54.75 | +0.9% |
| 2017 | 55.45 | +1.3% |
| 2018 | 55.9 | +0.8% |
| 2019 | 56.29 | +0.7% |
| 2020 | 55.04 | -2.2% |
| 2021 | 52.76 | -4.1% |
Averages by decade
| Decade | Average | Lowest | Highest | Years |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2000s | 46.68 | 45.16 | 49.4 | 10 |
| 2010s | 53.61 | 49.24 | 56.29 | 10 |
| 2020s | 53.9 | 52.76 | 55.04 | 2 |
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 healthy life expectancy (hale) at birth in South Africa?
- Healthy life expectancy (hale) at birth in South Africa was 52.76 in 2021, according to World Health Organization, Global Health Observatory.
- What is the highest healthy life expectancy (hale) at birth recorded in South Africa?
- The highest recorded value was 56.29 in 2019.
- What is the lowest healthy life expectancy (hale) at birth recorded in South Africa?
- The lowest recorded value was 45.16 in 2005.
- How does South Africa rank for healthy life expectancy (hale) at birth?
- South Africa ranks 173rd out of 184 countries with data for 2021.
- Is healthy life expectancy (hale) at birth rising or falling in South Africa?
- Over the last ten years it is up 3.8%. The long-run trend across the full record is rising.
- Where does this South Africa data come from?
- The figures come from World Health Organization, Global Health Observatory, published as part of Healthy life expectancy (HALE) at birth (years). Statizoid updates them automatically from the source API.
Download this data
CSV · JSON — 22 observations, free to reuse under CC BY-NC-SA 3.0 IGO (WHO).