Life expectancy at birth in South Africa
South Africa: Life expectancy at birth was 61.5 in 2021. ▲ Rising
Latest (2021)
61.5
Change on year
down 4.4%
World rank
167th
of 184 countries
All-time high
65.84
in 2019
All-time low
52.03
in 2005
Years of data
22
2000–2021
Life expectancy at birth in South Africa, 2000–2021
Source: World Health Organization, Global Health Observatory.
Analysis
In 2021, life expectancy at birth in South Africa stood at 61.5.
The figure is down 4.4% on the previous year and up 4.1% over ten years.
Over the whole period, life expectancy at birth in South Africa peaked at 65.84 in 2019 and was at its lowest, 52.03, in 2005.
That places South Africa 167th out of 184 countries with data for 2021, putting it in the bottom quarter.
The long-run direction has been consistently rising across the 22 years of available data.
Life expectancy at birth in South Africa, year by year
| Year | Value | Change |
|---|---|---|
| 2000 | 57.12 | — |
| 2001 | 55.87 | -2.2% |
| 2002 | 54.32 | -2.8% |
| 2003 | 52.93 | -2.6% |
| 2004 | 52.25 | -1.3% |
| 2005 | 52.03 | -0.4% |
| 2006 | 52.11 | +0.1% |
| 2007 | 52.91 | +1.5% |
| 2008 | 53.91 | +1.9% |
| 2009 | 55.27 | +2.5% |
| 2010 | 57.1 | +3.3% |
| 2011 | 59.1 | +3.5% |
| 2012 | 60.82 | +2.9% |
| 2013 | 62.09 | +2.1% |
| 2014 | 62.78 | +1.1% |
| 2015 | 63.26 | +0.8% |
| 2016 | 63.88 | +1.0% |
| 2017 | 64.75 | +1.4% |
| 2018 | 65.32 | +0.9% |
| 2019 | 65.84 | +0.8% |
| 2020 | 64.3 | -2.3% |
| 2021 | 61.5 | -4.4% |
Averages by decade
| Decade | Average | Lowest | Highest | Years |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2000s | 53.87 | 52.03 | 57.12 | 10 |
| 2010s | 62.49 | 57.1 | 65.84 | 10 |
| 2020s | 62.9 | 61.5 | 64.3 | 2 |
Countries ranked near South Africa
- 164 Mali 61.67 compare
- 165 Congo, Democratic Republic of the 61.63 compare
- 166 Equatorial Guinea 61.61 compare
- 168 Guinea 61.26 compare
- 169 Botswana 61.23 compare
- 170 Sierra Leone 61.02 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)
- Heat deaths vs projected death rates 1,152 (2090)
- Un projection of annual infant deaths 3,333 (2100)
- Population ages 0-14, total, annual growth rate 0.5293 % change on previous year (2025)
- Population ages 0-14, total, per unit of GDP 0 units per US$ of GDP (2025)
- Population ages 0-14, total, per capita 0.2572 units per person (2025)
- Population ages 15-64, female, annual growth rate 1.11 % change on previous year (2025)
- Population ages 15-64, female, per unit of GDP 0.0001 units per US$ of GDP (2025)
- Population ages 15-64, female, per capita 0.3433 units per person (2025)
Frequently asked questions
- What is life expectancy at birth in South Africa?
- Life expectancy at birth in South Africa was 61.5 in 2021, according to World Health Organization, Global Health Observatory.
- What is the highest life expectancy at birth recorded in South Africa?
- The highest recorded value was 65.84 in 2019.
- What is the lowest life expectancy at birth recorded in South Africa?
- The lowest recorded value was 52.03 in 2005.
- How does South Africa rank for life expectancy at birth?
- South Africa ranks 167th out of 184 countries with data for 2021.
- Is life expectancy at birth rising or falling in South Africa?
- Over the last ten years it is up 4.1%. The long-run trend across the full record is rising.
- Where does this South Africa data come from?
- The figures come from World Health Organization, Global Health Observatory, published as part of Life expectancy at birth (years). Statizoid updates them automatically from the source API.
Download this data
CSV · JSON — 22 observations, free to reuse under CC BY-NC-SA 3.0 IGO (WHO).