Infant mortality rate (probability of dying between birth and age 1) in South Africa
South Africa: Infant mortality rate (probability of dying between birth and age 1) was 24.21 in 2024. ▼ Falling
Latest (2024)
24.21
Change on year
down 0.4%
World rank
58th
of 200 countries
All-time high
108.89
in 1976
All-time low
24.21
in 2024
Years of data
49
1976–2024
Infant mortality rate (probability of dying between birth and age 1) in South Africa, 1976–2024
Source: World Health Organization, Global Health Observatory.
Analysis
South Africa recorded 24.21 for infant mortality rate (probability of dying between birth and age 1) in 2024. That is the lowest value across all 49 years on record.
The figure is down 0.4% on the previous year and down 21.1% over ten years.
Over the whole period, infant mortality rate (probability of dying between birth and age 1) in South Africa peaked at 108.89 in 1976 and was at its lowest, 24.21, in 2024.
That places South Africa 58th out of 200 countries with data for 2024, putting it in the middle of the range.
The long-run direction has been consistently falling across the 49 years of available data.
Infant mortality rate (probability of dying between birth and age 1) in South Africa, year by year
| Year | Value | Change |
|---|---|---|
| 1976 | 108.89 | — |
| 1977 | 102.64 | -5.7% |
| 1978 | 96.7 | -5.8% |
| 1979 | 91.16 | -5.7% |
| 1980 | 86.07 | -5.6% |
| 1981 | 81.43 | -5.4% |
| 1982 | 77 | -5.4% |
| 1983 | 73.08 | -5.1% |
| 1984 | 69.56 | -4.8% |
| 1985 | 66.17 | -4.9% |
| 1986 | 62.93 | -4.9% |
| 1987 | 59.9 | -4.8% |
| 1988 | 56.99 | -4.8% |
| 1989 | 54.35 | -4.6% |
| 1990 | 52.07 | -4.2% |
| 1991 | 50.11 | -3.8% |
| 1992 | 48.57 | -3.1% |
| 1993 | 47.47 | -2.3% |
| 1994 | 46.74 | -1.5% |
| 1995 | 46.03 | -1.5% |
| 1996 | 45.46 | -1.2% |
| 1997 | 45.26 | -0.4% |
| 1998 | 45.41 | +0.3% |
| 1999 | 45.97 | +1.2% |
| 2000 | 46.51 | +1.2% |
| 2001 | 47.23 | +1.5% |
| 2002 | 47.64 | +0.9% |
| 2003 | 48.31 | +1.4% |
| 2004 | 48.68 | +0.8% |
| 2005 | 47.71 | -2.0% |
| 2006 | 45.98 | -3.6% |
| 2007 | 44 | -4.3% |
| 2008 | 40.97 | -6.9% |
| 2009 | 38.22 | -6.7% |
| 2010 | 36.04 | -5.7% |
| 2011 | 34.51 | -4.2% |
| 2012 | 33.32 | -3.5% |
| 2013 | 32.09 | -3.7% |
| 2014 | 30.7 | -4.3% |
| 2015 | 29.32 | -4.5% |
| 2016 | 28.04 | -4.3% |
| 2017 | 26.83 | -4.3% |
| 2018 | 25.84 | -3.7% |
| 2019 | 25.06 | -3.0% |
| 2020 | 24.54 | -2.1% |
| 2021 | 24.33 | -0.9% |
| 2022 | 24.29 | -0.2% |
| 2023 | 24.31 | +0.1% |
| 2024 | 24.21 | -0.4% |
South Africa compared with similar countries
- South Africa's 24.21 is above the median for upper middle income countries, which is 11.1, 2.2× the median. (58 countries reporting)
- South Africa's 24.21 is below the median for Sub-Saharan Africa, which is 37.19, 65% of the median. (48 countries reporting)
Averages by decade
| Decade | Average | Lowest | Highest | Years |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1970s | 99.85 | 91.16 | 108.89 | 4 |
| 1980s | 68.75 | 54.35 | 86.07 | 10 |
| 1990s | 47.31 | 45.26 | 52.07 | 10 |
| 2000s | 45.53 | 38.22 | 48.68 | 10 |
| 2010s | 30.18 | 25.06 | 36.04 | 10 |
| 2020s | 24.34 | 24.21 | 24.54 | 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 infant mortality rate (probability of dying between birth and age 1) in South Africa?
- Infant mortality rate (probability of dying between birth and age 1) in South Africa was 24.21 in 2024, according to World Health Organization, Global Health Observatory.
- What is the highest infant mortality rate (probability of dying between birth and age 1) recorded in South Africa?
- The highest recorded value was 108.89 in 1976.
- What is the lowest infant mortality rate (probability of dying between birth and age 1) recorded in South Africa?
- The lowest recorded value was 24.21 in 2024.
- How does South Africa rank for infant mortality rate (probability of dying between birth and age 1)?
- South Africa ranks 58th out of 200 countries with data for 2024.
- Is infant mortality rate (probability of dying between birth and age 1) rising or falling in South Africa?
- Over the last ten years it is down 21.1%. The long-run trend across the full record is falling.
- Where does this South Africa data come from?
- The figures come from World Health Organization, Global Health Observatory, published as part of Infant mortality rate (probability of dying between birth and age 1 per 1000 live births). Statizoid updates them automatically from the source API.
Download this data
CSV · JSON — 49 observations, free to reuse under CC BY-NC-SA 3.0 IGO (WHO).