Infant health: low birthweight in South Africa
South Africa: Infant health: low birthweight was 16.6 Percentage of live births in 2020. ▬ Flat
Latest (2020)
16.6 Percentage of live births
Change on year
unchanged
World rank
2nd
of 41 countries
All-time high
17.2 Percentage of live births
in 2000
All-time low
16.6 Percentage of live births
in 2012
Years of data
21
2000–2020
Infant health: low birthweight in South Africa, 2000–2020
Source: Organisation for Economic Co-operation and Development. Measured in Percentage of live births.
Analysis
South Africa recorded 16.6 Percentage of live births for infant health: low birthweight in 2020. That is the lowest value across all 21 years on record.
That represents a change of down 0.6% over ten years.
Over the whole period, infant health: low birthweight in South Africa peaked at 17.2 Percentage of live births in 2000 and was at its lowest, 16.6 Percentage of live births, in 2012.
South Africa ranks 2nd of 41 countries on this measure, in the top 10%.
Infant health: low birthweight in South Africa, year by year
| Year | Percentage of live births | Change |
|---|---|---|
| 2000 | 17.2 Percentage of live births | — |
| 2001 | 17.2 Percentage of live births | +0.0% |
| 2002 | 17.2 Percentage of live births | +0.0% |
| 2003 | 17.1 Percentage of live births | -0.6% |
| 2004 | 17.1 Percentage of live births | +0.0% |
| 2005 | 17 Percentage of live births | -0.6% |
| 2006 | 16.9 Percentage of live births | -0.6% |
| 2007 | 16.8 Percentage of live births | -0.6% |
| 2008 | 16.8 Percentage of live births | +0.0% |
| 2009 | 16.8 Percentage of live births | +0.0% |
| 2010 | 16.7 Percentage of live births | -0.6% |
| 2011 | 16.7 Percentage of live births | +0.0% |
| 2012 | 16.6 Percentage of live births | -0.6% |
| 2013 | 16.6 Percentage of live births | +0.0% |
| 2014 | 16.6 Percentage of live births | +0.0% |
| 2015 | 16.6 Percentage of live births | +0.0% |
| 2016 | 16.6 Percentage of live births | +0.0% |
| 2017 | 16.6 Percentage of live births | +0.0% |
| 2018 | 16.6 Percentage of live births | +0.0% |
| 2019 | 16.6 Percentage of live births | +0.0% |
| 2020 | 16.6 Percentage of live births | +0.0% |
Averages by decade
| Decade | Average | Lowest | Highest | Years |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2000s | 17.01 Percentage of live births | 16.8 Percentage of live births | 17.2 Percentage of live births | 10 |
| 2010s | 16.62 Percentage of live births | 16.6 Percentage of live births | 16.7 Percentage of live births | 10 |
| 2020s | 16.6 Percentage of live births | 16.6 Percentage of live births | 16.6 Percentage of live births | 1 |
Countries ranked near South Africa
- 1 Türkiye 9.2 Percentage of live births compare
- 1 India 27.4 Percentage of live births compare
- 2 Netherlands 5.6 Percentage of live births compare
- 3 Poland 5.4 Percentage of live births compare
- 3 Slovenia 5.4 Percentage of live births compare
- 3 Croatia 5.4 Percentage of live births compare
- 3 Colombia 11 Percentage of live births compare
- 4 Thailand 10.3 Percentage of live births compare
- 5 Lithuania 4.3 Percentage of live births compare
- 5 Indonesia 9.9 Percentage of live births compare
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 75-79, female, annual growth rate 7.34 % change on previous year (2025)
- Population ages 75-79, female, per unit of GDP 0 units per US$ of GDP (2025)
- Population ages 75-79, female, per capita 0.0067 units per person (2025)
- Population ages 75-79, male, annual growth rate 8.95 % change on previous year (2025)
- Population ages 75-79, male, per unit of GDP 0 units per US$ of GDP (2025)
- Population ages 75-79, male, per capita 0.0039 units per person (2025)
Frequently asked questions
- What is infant health: low birthweight in South Africa?
- Infant health: low birthweight in South Africa was 16.6 Percentage of live births in 2020, according to Organisation for Economic Co-operation and Development.
- What is the highest infant health: low birthweight recorded in South Africa?
- The highest recorded value was 17.2 Percentage of live births in 2000.
- What is the lowest infant health: low birthweight recorded in South Africa?
- The lowest recorded value was 16.6 Percentage of live births in 2012.
- How does South Africa rank for infant health: low birthweight?
- South Africa ranks 2nd out of 41 countries with data for 2020.
- Is infant health: low birthweight rising or falling in South Africa?
- Over the last ten years it is down 0.6%. The long-run trend across the full record is flat.
- Where does this South Africa data come from?
- The figures come from Organisation for Economic Co-operation and Development, published as part of Infant health: low birthweight. Statizoid updates them automatically from the source API.
Download this data
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About this data
This dataset presents time series on the number of live births weighing less than 2500 grams as a percentage of the total number of live births. Please refer to the Sources and Methods for detailed country-specific information.