New infections of HIV per 1,000 people in South Africa
South Africa: New infections of HIV per 1,000 people was 5.25 infections per 1,000 people in 2024. ▼ Falling
New infections of HIV per 1,000 people in South Africa, 1990–2024
Source: Joint United Nations Programme on HIV/AIDS (2026) – with minor processing by Our World in Data. Measured in infections per 1,000 people.
Analysis
In 2024, new infections of hiv per 1,000 people in South Africa stood at 5.25 infections per 1,000 people. That is the lowest value across all 35 years on record.
That represents a change of down 5.4% on the previous year and down 50.7% over ten years.
Over the whole period, new infections of hiv per 1,000 people in South Africa peaked at 23.1 infections per 1,000 people in 1998 and was at its lowest, 5.25 infections per 1,000 people, in 2024.
That places South Africa 2nd out of 144 countries with data for 2024, putting it in the top 10%.
The long-run direction has been consistently falling across the 35 years of available data.
New infections of HIV per 1,000 people in South Africa, year by year
| Year | infections per 1,000 people | Change |
|---|---|---|
| 1990 | 6.54 infections per 1,000 people | — |
| 1991 | 9.2 infections per 1,000 people | +40.7% |
| 1992 | 12.23 infections per 1,000 people | +33.0% |
| 1993 | 15.32 infections per 1,000 people | +25.2% |
| 1994 | 18.12 infections per 1,000 people | +18.3% |
| 1995 | 20.32 infections per 1,000 people | +12.2% |
| 1996 | 21.92 infections per 1,000 people | +7.9% |
| 1997 | 22.91 infections per 1,000 people | +4.5% |
| 1998 | 23.1 infections per 1,000 people | +0.8% |
| 1999 | 22.69 infections per 1,000 people | -1.8% |
| 2000 | 21.88 infections per 1,000 people | -3.5% |
| 2001 | 20.68 infections per 1,000 people | -5.5% |
| 2002 | 19.47 infections per 1,000 people | -5.8% |
| 2003 | 18.38 infections per 1,000 people | -5.6% |
| 2004 | 17.5 infections per 1,000 people | -4.8% |
| 2005 | 16.71 infections per 1,000 people | -4.5% |
| 2006 | 16.12 infections per 1,000 people | -3.5% |
| 2007 | 15.4 infections per 1,000 people | -4.5% |
| 2008 | 14.8 infections per 1,000 people | -3.8% |
| 2009 | 14.21 infections per 1,000 people | -4.0% |
| 2010 | 13.52 infections per 1,000 people | -4.9% |
| 2011 | 12.72 infections per 1,000 people | -5.9% |
| 2012 | 12.01 infections per 1,000 people | -5.6% |
| 2013 | 11.32 infections per 1,000 people | -5.7% |
| 2014 | 10.63 infections per 1,000 people | -6.1% |
| 2015 | 10.13 infections per 1,000 people | -4.7% |
| 2016 | 9.34 infections per 1,000 people | -7.8% |
| 2017 | 8.44 infections per 1,000 people | -9.6% |
| 2018 | 7.84 infections per 1,000 people | -7.1% |
| 2019 | 7.24 infections per 1,000 people | -7.7% |
| 2020 | 6.74 infections per 1,000 people | -7.0% |
| 2021 | 6.34 infections per 1,000 people | -5.9% |
| 2022 | 5.94 infections per 1,000 people | -6.3% |
| 2023 | 5.54 infections per 1,000 people | -6.7% |
| 2024 | 5.25 infections per 1,000 people | -5.4% |
South Africa compared with similar countries
- South Africa's 5.25 infections per 1,000 people is above the median for upper middle income countries, which is 0.2565 infections per 1,000 people, 20.4× the median. (43 countries reporting)
- South Africa's 5.25 infections per 1,000 people is above the median for Sub-Saharan Africa, which is 0.5758 infections per 1,000 people, 9.1× the median. (43 countries reporting)
Biggest year-on-year movements
Years where New infections of HIV per 1,000 people 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 |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1991 | +40.7% | 6.54 infections per 1,000 people | 9.2 infections per 1,000 people |
| 1992 | +33.0% | 9.2 infections per 1,000 people | 12.23 infections per 1,000 people |
| 1993 | +25.2% | 12.23 infections per 1,000 people | 15.32 infections per 1,000 people |
Averages by decade
| Decade | Average | Lowest | Highest | Years |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1990s | 17.23 infections per 1,000 people | 6.54 infections per 1,000 people | 23.1 infections per 1,000 people | 10 |
| 2000s | 17.52 infections per 1,000 people | 14.21 infections per 1,000 people | 21.88 infections per 1,000 people | 10 |
| 2010s | 10.32 infections per 1,000 people | 7.24 infections per 1,000 people | 13.52 infections per 1,000 people | 10 |
| 2020s | 5.96 infections per 1,000 people | 5.25 infections per 1,000 people | 6.74 infections per 1,000 people | 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)
- 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)
Frequently asked questions
- What is new infections of hiv per 1,000 people in South Africa?
- New infections of hiv per 1,000 people in South Africa was 5.25 infections per 1,000 people in 2024, according to Joint United Nations Programme on HIV/AIDS (2026) – with minor processing by Our World in Data.
- What is the highest new infections of hiv per 1,000 people recorded in South Africa?
- The highest recorded value was 23.1 infections per 1,000 people in 1998.
- What is the lowest new infections of hiv per 1,000 people recorded in South Africa?
- The lowest recorded value was 5.25 infections per 1,000 people in 2024.
- How does South Africa rank for new infections of hiv per 1,000 people?
- South Africa ranks 2nd out of 144 countries with data for 2024.
- Is new infections of hiv per 1,000 people rising or falling in South Africa?
- Over the last ten years it is down 50.7%. The long-run trend across the full record is falling.
- Where does this South Africa data come from?
- The figures come from Joint United Nations Programme on HIV/AIDS (2026) – with minor processing by Our World in Data, published as part of New infections of HIV per 1,000 people. Statizoid updates them automatically from the source API.
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About this data
Number of people aged 15-49 newly infected with HIV in the last year per 1,000 uninfected people. This is the central estimate.