Life expectancy — Life expectancy difference in South Africa
South Africa: Life expectancy — Life expectancy difference was 7 Years in 2024. ▲ Rising
Latest (2024)
7 Years
Change on year
unchanged
World rank
6th
of 41 countries
All-time high
7.5 Years
in 1991
All-time low
3.4 Years
in 2005
Years of data
65
1960–2024
Life expectancy — Life expectancy difference in South Africa, 1960–2024
Source: Organisation for Economic Co-operation and Development. Measured in Years.
Analysis
In 2024, life expectancy — life expectancy difference in South Africa stood at 7 Years.
That represents a change of up 11.1% over ten years.
Over the whole period, life expectancy — life expectancy difference in South Africa peaked at 7.5 Years in 1991 and was at its lowest, 3.4 Years, in 2005.
South Africa ranks 6th of 41 countries on this measure, in the top quarter.
The long-run direction has been consistently rising across the 65 years of available data.
Life expectancy — Life expectancy difference in South Africa, year by year
| Year | Years | Change |
|---|---|---|
| 1960 | 3.8 Years | — |
| 1961 | 4 Years | +5.3% |
| 1962 | 4 Years | +0.0% |
| 1963 | 4.1 Years | +2.5% |
| 1964 | 4.1 Years | +0.0% |
| 1965 | 4.1 Years | +0.0% |
| 1966 | 4.2 Years | +2.4% |
| 1967 | 4.3 Years | +2.4% |
| 1968 | 4.4 Years | +2.3% |
| 1969 | 4.5 Years | +2.3% |
| 1970 | 4.6 Years | +2.2% |
| 1971 | 4.6 Years | +0.0% |
| 1972 | 4.5 Years | -2.2% |
| 1973 | 4.5 Years | +0.0% |
| 1974 | 4.5 Years | +0.0% |
| 1975 | 4.4 Years | -2.2% |
| 1976 | 4.6 Years | +4.5% |
| 1977 | 4.9 Years | +6.5% |
| 1978 | 4.9 Years | +0.0% |
| 1979 | 5.1 Years | +4.1% |
| 1980 | 5.3 Years | +3.9% |
| 1981 | 5.4 Years | +1.9% |
| 1982 | 5.5 Years | +1.9% |
| 1983 | 5.7 Years | +3.6% |
| 1984 | 5.9 Years | +3.5% |
| 1985 | 6.2 Years | +5.1% |
| 1986 | 6.6 Years | +6.5% |
| 1987 | 6.7 Years | +1.5% |
| 1988 | 7 Years | +4.5% |
| 1989 | 7.2 Years | +2.9% |
| 1990 | 7.4 Years | +2.8% |
| 1991 | 7.5 Years | +1.4% |
| 1992 | 7.4 Years | -1.3% |
| 1993 | 7.4 Years | +0.0% |
| 1994 | 7.2 Years | -2.7% |
| 1995 | 6.9 Years | -4.2% |
| 1996 | 6.7 Years | -2.9% |
| 1997 | 6.4 Years | -4.5% |
| 1998 | 6.2 Years | -3.1% |
| 1999 | 5.9 Years | -4.8% |
| 2000 | 5.7 Years | -3.4% |
| 2001 | 4.9 Years | -14.0% |
| 2002 | 4.5 Years | -8.2% |
| 2003 | 4.3 Years | -4.4% |
| 2004 | 3.8 Years | -11.6% |
| 2005 | 3.4 Years | -10.5% |
| 2006 | 3.7 Years | +8.8% |
| 2007 | 4.2 Years | +13.5% |
| 2008 | 4.6 Years | +9.5% |
| 2009 | 4.9 Years | +6.5% |
| 2010 | 5 Years | +2.0% |
| 2011 | 5.4 Years | +8.0% |
| 2012 | 5.7 Years | +5.6% |
| 2013 | 6 Years | +5.3% |
| 2014 | 6.3 Years | +5.0% |
| 2015 | 6.2 Years | -1.6% |
| 2016 | 6.6 Years | +6.5% |
| 2017 | 6.6 Years | +0.0% |
| 2018 | 6.6 Years | +0.0% |
| 2019 | 6.5 Years | -1.5% |
| 2020 | 5.8 Years | -10.8% |
| 2021 | 5.6 Years | -3.4% |
| 2022 | 7.2 Years | +28.6% |
| 2023 | 7 Years | -2.8% |
| 2024 | 7 Years | +0.0% |
Averages by decade
| Decade | Average | Lowest | Highest | Years |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1960s | 4.15 Years | 3.8 Years | 4.5 Years | 10 |
| 1970s | 4.66 Years | 4.4 Years | 5.1 Years | 10 |
| 1980s | 6.15 Years | 5.3 Years | 7.2 Years | 10 |
| 1990s | 6.9 Years | 5.9 Years | 7.5 Years | 10 |
| 2000s | 4.4 Years | 3.4 Years | 5.7 Years | 10 |
| 2010s | 6.09 Years | 5 Years | 6.6 Years | 10 |
| 2020s | 6.52 Years | 5.6 Years | 7.2 Years | 5 |
Countries ranked near South Africa
- 3 Thailand 8.6 Years compare
- 3 Estonia 8.3 Years compare
- 4 Romania 7.5 Years compare
- 4 Poland 7.4 Years compare
- 5 Slovenia 5.2 Years compare
- 5 Türkiye 5.2 Years compare
- 5 Bulgaria 7.3 Years compare
- 7 Mexico 6.5 Years compare
- 7 Netherlands 2.8 Years compare
- 8 Hungary 6.2 Years compare
- 8 Brazil 6.2 Years 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)
- 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 — life expectancy difference in South Africa?
- Life expectancy — life expectancy difference in South Africa was 7 Years in 2024, according to Organisation for Economic Co-operation and Development.
- What is the highest life expectancy — life expectancy difference recorded in South Africa?
- The highest recorded value was 7.5 Years in 1991.
- What is the lowest life expectancy — life expectancy difference recorded in South Africa?
- The lowest recorded value was 3.4 Years in 2005.
- How does South Africa rank for life expectancy — life expectancy difference?
- South Africa ranks 6th out of 41 countries with data for 2024.
- Is life expectancy — life expectancy difference rising or falling in South Africa?
- Over the last ten years it is up 11.1%. 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 — Life expectancy difference (female-male). 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.