Life expectancy at birth in South Africa
South Africa: Life expectancy at birth was 66.14 years in 2023. ▲ Rising
Latest (2023)
66.14 years
Change on year
up 1.0%
World rank
201st
of 236 countries
All-time high
66.14 years
in 2023
All-time low
43.11 years
in 1950
Years of data
74
1950–2023
Life expectancy at birth in South Africa, 1950–2023
Source: UN, World Population Prospects (2024) – processed by Our World in Data. Measured in years.
Analysis
In 2023, life expectancy at birth in South Africa stood at 66.14 years. That is the highest value across all 74 years on record.
Compared with earlier readings it is up 1.0% on the previous year and up 6.0% over ten years.
Over the whole period, life expectancy at birth in South Africa peaked at 66.14 years in 2023 and was at its lowest, 43.11 years, in 1950.
That places South Africa 201st out of 236 countries with data for 2023, putting it in the bottom quarter.
The long-run direction has been consistently rising across the 74 years of available data.
Life expectancy at birth in South Africa, year by year
| Year | years | Change |
|---|---|---|
| 1950 | 43.11 years | — |
| 1951 | 44.06 years | +2.2% |
| 1952 | 45.05 years | +2.2% |
| 1953 | 46.05 years | +2.2% |
| 1954 | 47.12 years | +2.3% |
| 1955 | 48.17 years | +2.2% |
| 1956 | 49.21 years | +2.2% |
| 1957 | 50.2 years | +2.0% |
| 1958 | 51.15 years | +1.9% |
| 1959 | 51.88 years | +1.4% |
| 1960 | 52.58 years | +1.3% |
| 1961 | 53.07 years | +0.9% |
| 1962 | 53.57 years | +0.9% |
| 1963 | 53.9 years | +0.6% |
| 1964 | 54.22 years | +0.6% |
| 1965 | 54.43 years | +0.4% |
| 1966 | 54.73 years | +0.6% |
| 1967 | 54.95 years | +0.4% |
| 1968 | 55.19 years | +0.4% |
| 1969 | 55.44 years | +0.5% |
| 1970 | 55.68 years | +0.4% |
| 1971 | 56.02 years | +0.6% |
| 1972 | 56.38 years | +0.6% |
| 1973 | 56.72 years | +0.6% |
| 1974 | 57.11 years | +0.7% |
| 1975 | 57.59 years | +0.8% |
| 1976 | 58 years | +0.7% |
| 1977 | 58.48 years | +0.8% |
| 1978 | 58.99 years | +0.9% |
| 1979 | 59.47 years | +0.8% |
| 1980 | 59.96 years | +0.8% |
| 1981 | 60.45 years | +0.8% |
| 1982 | 60.94 years | +0.8% |
| 1983 | 61.39 years | +0.7% |
| 1984 | 61.84 years | +0.7% |
| 1985 | 62.2 years | +0.6% |
| 1986 | 62.42 years | +0.4% |
| 1987 | 62.69 years | +0.4% |
| 1988 | 62.9 years | +0.3% |
| 1989 | 63.02 years | +0.2% |
| 1990 | 62.94 years | -0.1% |
| 1991 | 62.98 years | +0.1% |
| 1992 | 62.84 years | -0.2% |
| 1993 | 62.62 years | -0.4% |
| 1994 | 62.07 years | -0.9% |
| 1995 | 61.6 years | -0.8% |
| 1996 | 61.08 years | -0.9% |
| 1997 | 60.54 years | -0.9% |
| 1998 | 59.91 years | -1.0% |
| 1999 | 59.19 years | -1.2% |
| 2000 | 58.37 years | -1.4% |
| 2001 | 57.16 years | -2.1% |
| 2002 | 55.58 years | -2.8% |
| 2003 | 54.24 years | -2.4% |
| 2004 | 53.96 years | -0.5% |
| 2005 | 53.91 years | -0.1% |
| 2006 | 54.22 years | +0.6% |
| 2007 | 54.95 years | +1.3% |
| 2008 | 55.98 years | +1.9% |
| 2009 | 57.41 years | +2.6% |
| 2010 | 58.89 years | +2.6% |
| 2011 | 60.6 years | +2.9% |
| 2012 | 61.74 years | +1.9% |
| 2013 | 62.39 years | +1.1% |
| 2014 | 63.18 years | +1.3% |
| 2015 | 64.05 years | +1.4% |
| 2016 | 64.75 years | +1.1% |
| 2017 | 65.42 years | +1.0% |
| 2018 | 65.73 years | +0.5% |
| 2019 | 66.07 years | +0.5% |
| 2020 | 65.15 years | -1.4% |
| 2021 | 62.01 years | -4.8% |
| 2022 | 65.45 years | +5.6% |
| 2023 | 66.14 years | +1.0% |
Averages by decade
| Decade | Average | Lowest | Highest | Years |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1950s | 47.6 years | 43.11 years | 51.88 years | 10 |
| 1960s | 54.21 years | 52.58 years | 55.44 years | 10 |
| 1970s | 57.44 years | 55.68 years | 59.47 years | 10 |
| 1980s | 61.78 years | 59.96 years | 63.02 years | 10 |
| 1990s | 61.58 years | 59.19 years | 62.98 years | 10 |
| 2000s | 55.58 years | 53.91 years | 58.37 years | 10 |
| 2010s | 63.28 years | 58.89 years | 66.07 years | 10 |
| 2020s | 64.69 years | 62.01 years | 66.14 years | 4 |
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 80 and above, female, per capita 0.0081 units per person (2025)
- Population ages 80 and above, male, annual growth rate 2.35 % change on previous year (2025)
- Population ages 80 and above, male, per unit of GDP 0 units per US$ of GDP (2025)
- Population ages 80 and above, male, per capita 0.0035 units per person (2025)
- Pertussis - number of reported cases, gaps filled 5,666 (2025)
- Pertussis - number of reported cases, per capita 0.0001 units per person (2025)
Frequently asked questions
- What is life expectancy at birth in South Africa?
- Life expectancy at birth in South Africa was 66.14 years in 2023, according to UN, World Population Prospects (2024) – processed by Our World in Data.
- What is the highest life expectancy at birth recorded in South Africa?
- The highest recorded value was 66.14 years in 2023.
- What is the lowest life expectancy at birth recorded in South Africa?
- The lowest recorded value was 43.11 years in 1950.
- How does South Africa rank for life expectancy at birth?
- South Africa ranks 201st out of 236 countries with data for 2023.
- Is life expectancy at birth rising or falling in South Africa?
- Over the last ten years it is up 6.0%. The long-run trend across the full record is rising.
- Where does this South Africa data come from?
- The figures come from UN, World Population Prospects (2024) – processed by Our World in Data, published as part of Life expectancy at birth. Statizoid updates them automatically from the source API.
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About this data
Period life expectancy at birth.