Life expectancy of women vs. men in South Africa
South Africa: Life expectancy of women vs. men was 69.6 years in 2023. ▲ Rising
Latest (2023)
69.6 years
Change on year
up 0.8%
World rank
196th
of 236 countries
All-time high
69.6 years
in 2023
All-time low
44.13 years
in 1950
Years of data
74
1950–2023
Life expectancy of women vs. men in South Africa, 1950–2023
Source: UN, World Population Prospects (2024) – processed by Our World in Data. Measured in years.
Analysis
South Africa recorded 69.6 years for life expectancy of women vs. men in 2023. That is the highest value across all 74 years on record.
The figure is up 0.8% on the previous year and up 6.7% over ten years.
Over the whole period, life expectancy of women vs. men in South Africa peaked at 69.6 years in 2023 and was at its lowest, 44.13 years, in 1950.
That places South Africa 196th 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 of women vs. men in South Africa, year by year
| Year | years | Change |
|---|---|---|
| 1950 | 44.13 years | — |
| 1951 | 45.15 years | +2.3% |
| 1952 | 46.23 years | +2.4% |
| 1953 | 47.35 years | +2.4% |
| 1954 | 48.55 years | +2.5% |
| 1955 | 49.7 years | +2.4% |
| 1956 | 50.88 years | +2.4% |
| 1957 | 52 years | +2.2% |
| 1958 | 53.02 years | +2.0% |
| 1959 | 53.83 years | +1.5% |
| 1960 | 54.58 years | +1.4% |
| 1961 | 55.22 years | +1.2% |
| 1962 | 55.68 years | +0.8% |
| 1963 | 56.05 years | +0.7% |
| 1964 | 56.36 years | +0.6% |
| 1965 | 56.6 years | +0.4% |
| 1966 | 56.92 years | +0.6% |
| 1967 | 57.2 years | +0.5% |
| 1968 | 57.48 years | +0.5% |
| 1969 | 57.77 years | +0.5% |
| 1970 | 58.08 years | +0.5% |
| 1971 | 58.42 years | +0.6% |
| 1972 | 58.73 years | +0.5% |
| 1973 | 59.05 years | +0.5% |
| 1974 | 59.44 years | +0.7% |
| 1975 | 59.89 years | +0.8% |
| 1976 | 60.41 years | +0.9% |
| 1977 | 61.02 years | +1.0% |
| 1978 | 61.56 years | +0.9% |
| 1979 | 62.12 years | +0.9% |
| 1980 | 62.73 years | +1.0% |
| 1981 | 63.26 years | +0.8% |
| 1982 | 63.83 years | +0.9% |
| 1983 | 64.36 years | +0.8% |
| 1984 | 64.92 years | +0.9% |
| 1985 | 65.47 years | +0.8% |
| 1986 | 65.89 years | +0.6% |
| 1987 | 66.21 years | +0.5% |
| 1988 | 66.63 years | +0.6% |
| 1989 | 66.83 years | +0.3% |
| 1990 | 66.89 years | +0.1% |
| 1991 | 66.97 years | +0.1% |
| 1992 | 66.81 years | -0.2% |
| 1993 | 66.5 years | -0.5% |
| 1994 | 65.99 years | -0.8% |
| 1995 | 65.16 years | -1.3% |
| 1996 | 64.46 years | -1.1% |
| 1997 | 63.66 years | -1.2% |
| 1998 | 62.9 years | -1.2% |
| 1999 | 62.05 years | -1.4% |
| 2000 | 61.08 years | -1.6% |
| 2001 | 59.49 years | -2.6% |
| 2002 | 57.7 years | -3.0% |
| 2003 | 56.27 years | -2.5% |
| 2004 | 55.75 years | -0.9% |
| 2005 | 55.47 years | -0.5% |
| 2006 | 55.93 years | +0.8% |
| 2007 | 56.89 years | +1.7% |
| 2008 | 58.15 years | +2.2% |
| 2009 | 59.69 years | +2.7% |
| 2010 | 61.24 years | +2.6% |
| 2011 | 63.14 years | +3.1% |
| 2012 | 64.43 years | +2.0% |
| 2013 | 65.24 years | +1.3% |
| 2014 | 66.18 years | +1.4% |
| 2015 | 67.03 years | +1.3% |
| 2016 | 67.92 years | +1.3% |
| 2017 | 68.58 years | +1.0% |
| 2018 | 68.91 years | +0.5% |
| 2019 | 69.22 years | +0.4% |
| 2020 | 67.95 years | -1.8% |
| 2021 | 64.77 years | -4.7% |
| 2022 | 69.04 years | +6.6% |
| 2023 | 69.6 years | +0.8% |
South Africa compared with similar countries
- South Africa's 69.6 years is below the median for upper middle income countries, which is 77.75 years, 90% of the median. (58 countries reporting)
- South Africa's 69.6 years is above the median for Sub-Saharan Africa, which is 66.75 years, 1.0× the median. (48 countries reporting)
Averages by decade
| Decade | Average | Lowest | Highest | Years |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1950s | 49.08 years | 44.13 years | 53.83 years | 10 |
| 1960s | 56.39 years | 54.58 years | 57.77 years | 10 |
| 1970s | 59.87 years | 58.08 years | 62.12 years | 10 |
| 1980s | 65.01 years | 62.73 years | 66.83 years | 10 |
| 1990s | 65.14 years | 62.05 years | 66.97 years | 10 |
| 2000s | 57.64 years | 55.47 years | 61.08 years | 10 |
| 2010s | 66.19 years | 61.24 years | 69.22 years | 10 |
| 2020s | 67.84 years | 64.77 years | 69.6 years | 4 |
Countries ranked near South Africa
- 193 Rwanda 69.89 years compare
- 194 Tanzania, United Republic of 69.78 years compare
- 195 Sudan 69.63 years compare
- 197 Timor-Leste 69.44 years compare
- 198 Fiji 69.36 years compare
- 199 Marshall Islands 69.33 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)
- 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 of women vs. men in South Africa?
- Life expectancy of women vs. men in South Africa was 69.6 years in 2023, according to UN, World Population Prospects (2024) – processed by Our World in Data.
- What is the highest life expectancy of women vs. men recorded in South Africa?
- The highest recorded value was 69.6 years in 2023.
- What is the lowest life expectancy of women vs. men recorded in South Africa?
- The lowest recorded value was 44.13 years in 1950.
- How does South Africa rank for life expectancy of women vs. men?
- South Africa ranks 196th out of 236 countries with data for 2023.
- Is life expectancy of women vs. men rising or falling in South Africa?
- Over the last ten years it is up 6.7%. 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 of women vs. men. Statizoid updates them automatically from the source API.
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About this data
Period life expectancy at birth.