Life expectancy at birth oecd in South Africa
South Africa: Life expectancy at birth oecd was 62.3 in 2022. ▲ Rising
Latest (2022)
62.3
Change on year
down 4.6%
World rank
49th
of 49 countries
All-time high
66.2
in 2020
All-time low
52.6
in 1970
Years of data
63
1960–2022
Life expectancy at birth oecd in South Africa, 1960–2022
Source: Our World in Data.
Analysis
In 2022, life expectancy at birth oecd in South Africa stood at 62.3.
That represents a change of down 4.6% on the previous year and up 2.6% over ten years.
Over the whole period, life expectancy at birth oecd in South Africa peaked at 66.2 in 2020 and was at its lowest, 52.6, in 1970.
South Africa ranks 49th of 49 countries on this measure, in the bottom quarter.
The long-run direction has been consistently rising across the 63 years of available data.
Life expectancy at birth oecd in South Africa, year by year
| Year | Value | Change |
|---|---|---|
| 1960 | 52.7 | — |
| 1961 | 53.1 | +0.8% |
| 1962 | 53.4 | +0.6% |
| 1963 | 53.6 | +0.4% |
| 1964 | 53.9 | +0.6% |
| 1965 | 54.2 | +0.6% |
| 1966 | 54.4 | +0.4% |
| 1967 | 54.6 | +0.4% |
| 1968 | 54.9 | +0.5% |
| 1969 | 55.2 | +0.5% |
| 1970 | 52.6 | -4.7% |
| 1971 | 55.6 | +5.7% |
| 1972 | 56 | +0.7% |
| 1973 | 56.3 | +0.5% |
| 1974 | 56.7 | +0.7% |
| 1975 | 57.1 | +0.7% |
| 1976 | 57.5 | +0.7% |
| 1977 | 58 | +0.9% |
| 1978 | 58.5 | +0.9% |
| 1979 | 59 | +0.9% |
| 1980 | 59.4 | +0.7% |
| 1981 | 59.8 | +0.7% |
| 1982 | 60.4 | +1.0% |
| 1983 | 60.9 | +0.8% |
| 1984 | 61.5 | +1.0% |
| 1985 | 61.9 | +0.7% |
| 1986 | 62.4 | +0.8% |
| 1987 | 62.9 | +0.8% |
| 1988 | 63 | +0.2% |
| 1989 | 63.3 | +0.5% |
| 1990 | 63.3 | +0.0% |
| 1991 | 63.4 | +0.2% |
| 1992 | 63.3 | -0.2% |
| 1993 | 63.3 | +0.0% |
| 1994 | 63 | -0.5% |
| 1995 | 62.6 | -0.6% |
| 1996 | 62.3 | -0.5% |
| 1997 | 61.5 | -1.3% |
| 1998 | 60.8 | -1.1% |
| 1999 | 60 | -1.3% |
| 2000 | 59.2 | -1.3% |
| 2001 | 58.5 | -1.2% |
| 2002 | 57.3 | -2.1% |
| 2003 | 55.7 | -2.8% |
| 2004 | 54.3 | -2.5% |
| 2005 | 54 | -0.6% |
| 2006 | 54 | +0.0% |
| 2007 | 54.3 | +0.6% |
| 2008 | 55 | +1.3% |
| 2009 | 56 | +1.8% |
| 2010 | 57.4 | +2.5% |
| 2011 | 58.9 | +2.6% |
| 2012 | 60.7 | +3.1% |
| 2013 | 61.8 | +1.8% |
| 2014 | 62.5 | +1.1% |
| 2015 | 63.4 | +1.4% |
| 2016 | 64 | +0.9% |
| 2017 | 64.7 | +1.1% |
| 2018 | 65.4 | +1.1% |
| 2019 | 65.7 | +0.5% |
| 2020 | 66.2 | +0.8% |
| 2021 | 65.3 | -1.4% |
| 2022 | 62.3 | -4.6% |
Averages by decade
| Decade | Average | Lowest | Highest | Years |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1960s | 54 | 52.7 | 55.2 | 10 |
| 1970s | 56.73 | 52.6 | 59 | 10 |
| 1980s | 61.55 | 59.4 | 63.3 | 10 |
| 1990s | 62.35 | 60 | 63.4 | 10 |
| 2000s | 55.83 | 54 | 59.2 | 10 |
| 2010s | 62.45 | 57.4 | 65.7 | 10 |
| 2020s | 64.6 | 62.3 | 66.2 | 3 |
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)
- Heat deaths vs projected death rates 1,152 (2090)
- Un projection of annual infant deaths 3,333 (2100)
- Population ages 65 and above, female, annual growth rate 3.98 % change on previous year (2025)
- Population ages 65 and above, female, per unit of GDP 0 units per US$ of GDP (2025)
- Population ages 65 and above, female, per capita 0.0422 units per person (2025)
- Population ages 65 and above, male, annual growth rate 4.28 % change on previous year (2025)
- Population ages 65 and above, male, per unit of GDP 0 units per US$ of GDP (2025)
- Population ages 65 and above, male, per capita 0.0267 units per person (2025)
Frequently asked questions
- What is life expectancy at birth oecd in South Africa?
- Life expectancy at birth oecd in South Africa was 62.3 in 2022, according to Our World in Data.
- What is the highest life expectancy at birth oecd recorded in South Africa?
- The highest recorded value was 66.2 in 2020.
- What is the lowest life expectancy at birth oecd recorded in South Africa?
- The lowest recorded value was 52.6 in 1970.
- How does South Africa rank for life expectancy at birth oecd?
- South Africa ranks 49th out of 49 countries with data for 2022.
- Is life expectancy at birth oecd rising or falling in South Africa?
- Over the last ten years it is up 2.6%. The long-run trend across the full record is rising.
- Where does this South Africa data come from?
- The figures come from Our World in Data, published as part of Life expectancy at birth oecd. Statizoid updates them automatically from the source API.
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