Life expectancy (Organisation) in South Africa
South Africa: Life expectancy (Organisation) was 66.3 Years in 2024. ▲ Rising
Latest (2024)
66.3 Years
Change on year
up 0.3%
World rank
41st
of 41 countries
All-time high
66.3 Years
in 2024
All-time low
52.6 Years
in 1960
Years of data
65
1960–2024
Life expectancy in South Africa, 1960–2024
Source: Organisation for Economic Co-operation and Development. Measured in Years.
Analysis
In 2024, life expectancy in South Africa stood at 66.3 Years. That is the highest value across all 65 years on record.
The figure is up 0.3% on the previous year and up 4.9% over ten years.
Over the whole period, life expectancy in South Africa peaked at 66.3 Years in 2024 and was at its lowest, 52.6 Years, in 1960.
That places South Africa 41st out of 41 countries with data for 2024, putting it in the bottom quarter.
The long-run direction has been consistently rising across the 65 years of available data.
Life expectancy (Organisation) in South Africa, year by year
| Year | Years | Change |
|---|---|---|
| 1960 | 52.6 Years | — |
| 1961 | 53.1 Years | +1.0% |
| 1962 | 53.6 Years | +0.9% |
| 1963 | 53.9 Years | +0.6% |
| 1964 | 54.2 Years | +0.6% |
| 1965 | 54.4 Years | +0.4% |
| 1966 | 54.7 Years | +0.6% |
| 1967 | 55 Years | +0.5% |
| 1968 | 55.2 Years | +0.4% |
| 1969 | 55.4 Years | +0.4% |
| 1970 | 55.7 Years | +0.5% |
| 1971 | 56 Years | +0.5% |
| 1972 | 56.4 Years | +0.7% |
| 1973 | 56.7 Years | +0.5% |
| 1974 | 57.1 Years | +0.7% |
| 1975 | 57.6 Years | +0.9% |
| 1976 | 58 Years | +0.7% |
| 1977 | 58.5 Years | +0.9% |
| 1978 | 59 Years | +0.9% |
| 1979 | 59.5 Years | +0.8% |
| 1980 | 60 Years | +0.8% |
| 1981 | 60.4 Years | +0.7% |
| 1982 | 60.9 Years | +0.8% |
| 1983 | 61.4 Years | +0.8% |
| 1984 | 61.8 Years | +0.7% |
| 1985 | 62.2 Years | +0.6% |
| 1986 | 62.4 Years | +0.3% |
| 1987 | 62.7 Years | +0.5% |
| 1988 | 62.9 Years | +0.3% |
| 1989 | 63 Years | +0.2% |
| 1990 | 62.9 Years | -0.2% |
| 1991 | 63 Years | +0.2% |
| 1992 | 62.8 Years | -0.3% |
| 1993 | 62.6 Years | -0.3% |
| 1994 | 62.1 Years | -0.8% |
| 1995 | 61.6 Years | -0.8% |
| 1996 | 61.1 Years | -0.8% |
| 1997 | 60.5 Years | -1.0% |
| 1998 | 59.9 Years | -1.0% |
| 1999 | 59.2 Years | -1.2% |
| 2000 | 58.4 Years | -1.4% |
| 2001 | 57.2 Years | -2.1% |
| 2002 | 55.6 Years | -2.8% |
| 2003 | 54.2 Years | -2.5% |
| 2004 | 54 Years | -0.4% |
| 2005 | 53.9 Years | -0.2% |
| 2006 | 54.2 Years | +0.6% |
| 2007 | 54.9 Years | +1.3% |
| 2008 | 56 Years | +2.0% |
| 2009 | 57.4 Years | +2.5% |
| 2010 | 58.9 Years | +2.6% |
| 2011 | 60.6 Years | +2.9% |
| 2012 | 61.7 Years | +1.8% |
| 2013 | 62.4 Years | +1.1% |
| 2014 | 63.2 Years | +1.3% |
| 2015 | 64.1 Years | +1.4% |
| 2016 | 64.7 Years | +0.9% |
| 2017 | 65.4 Years | +1.1% |
| 2018 | 65.7 Years | +0.5% |
| 2019 | 66.1 Years | +0.6% |
| 2020 | 65.2 Years | -1.4% |
| 2021 | 62 Years | -4.9% |
| 2022 | 65.5 Years | +5.6% |
| 2023 | 66.1 Years | +0.9% |
| 2024 | 66.3 Years | +0.3% |
South Africa compared with similar countries
- South Africa's 66.3 Years is below the median for upper middle income countries, which is 76.3 Years, 87% of the median. (10 countries reporting)
Averages by decade
| Decade | Average | Lowest | Highest | Years |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1960s | 54.21 Years | 52.6 Years | 55.4 Years | 10 |
| 1970s | 57.45 Years | 55.7 Years | 59.5 Years | 10 |
| 1980s | 61.77 Years | 60 Years | 63 Years | 10 |
| 1990s | 61.57 Years | 59.2 Years | 63 Years | 10 |
| 2000s | 55.58 Years | 53.9 Years | 58.4 Years | 10 |
| 2010s | 63.28 Years | 58.9 Years | 66.1 Years | 10 |
| 2020s | 65.02 Years | 62 Years | 66.3 Years | 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 life expectancy in South Africa?
- Life expectancy in South Africa was 66.3 Years in 2024, according to Organisation for Economic Co-operation and Development.
- What is the highest life expectancy recorded in South Africa?
- The highest recorded value was 66.3 Years in 2024.
- What is the lowest life expectancy recorded in South Africa?
- The lowest recorded value was 52.6 Years in 1960.
- How does South Africa rank for life expectancy?
- South Africa ranks 41st out of 41 countries with data for 2024.
- Is life expectancy rising or falling in South Africa?
- Over the last ten years it is up 4.9%. The long-run trend across the full record is rising.
- Where does this South Africa data come from?
- The figures come from Organisation for Economic Co-operation and Development, published as part of Life expectancy. Statizoid updates them automatically from the source API.
Download this data
CSV · JSON — 65 observations, free to reuse under OECD Terms and Conditions (attribution required).
About this data
This dataset presents data on life expectancy at birth, and at ages 40, 60, 65 and 80 years old. Please refer to the Sources and Methods for detailed country-specific information.