Lung cancer death rates in South Africa
South Africa: Lung cancer death rates was 7.19 deaths per 100,000 people in 2020. ▬ Flat
Latest (2020)
7.19 deaths per 100,000 people
Change on year
down 20.0%
World rank
53rd
of 111 countries
All-time high
9.43 deaths per 100,000 people
in 2016
All-time low
7.19 deaths per 100,000 people
in 2020
Years of data
25
1996–2020
Lung cancer death rates in South Africa, 1996–2020
Source: WHO Mortality Database (2025) – with minor processing by Our World in Data. Measured in deaths per 100,000 people.
Analysis
In 2020, lung cancer death rates in South Africa stood at 7.19 deaths per 100,000 people. That is the lowest value across all 25 years on record.
That represents a change of down 20.0% on the previous year and down 16.3% over ten years.
Over the whole period, lung cancer death rates in South Africa peaked at 9.43 deaths per 100,000 people in 2016 and was at its lowest, 7.19 deaths per 100,000 people, in 2020.
South Africa ranks 53rd of 111 countries on this measure, in the middle of the range.
Lung cancer death rates in South Africa, year by year
| Year | deaths per 100,000 people | Change |
|---|---|---|
| 1996 | 9.12 deaths per 100,000 people | — |
| 1997 | 8.5 deaths per 100,000 people | -6.8% |
| 1998 | 8.99 deaths per 100,000 people | +5.8% |
| 1999 | 8.62 deaths per 100,000 people | -4.1% |
| 2000 | 8.43 deaths per 100,000 people | -2.2% |
| 2001 | 8.46 deaths per 100,000 people | +0.4% |
| 2002 | 8.01 deaths per 100,000 people | -5.4% |
| 2003 | 8.34 deaths per 100,000 people | +4.2% |
| 2004 | 8.81 deaths per 100,000 people | +5.7% |
| 2005 | 9.08 deaths per 100,000 people | +3.0% |
| 2006 | 9.05 deaths per 100,000 people | -0.3% |
| 2007 | 8.7 deaths per 100,000 people | -3.9% |
| 2008 | 8.41 deaths per 100,000 people | -3.3% |
| 2009 | 8.72 deaths per 100,000 people | +3.6% |
| 2010 | 8.59 deaths per 100,000 people | -1.4% |
| 2011 | 8.53 deaths per 100,000 people | -0.8% |
| 2012 | 8.38 deaths per 100,000 people | -1.7% |
| 2013 | 8.55 deaths per 100,000 people | +2.1% |
| 2014 | 8.45 deaths per 100,000 people | -1.2% |
| 2015 | 8.86 deaths per 100,000 people | +4.8% |
| 2016 | 9.43 deaths per 100,000 people | +6.4% |
| 2017 | 9.15 deaths per 100,000 people | -2.9% |
| 2018 | 8.9 deaths per 100,000 people | -2.8% |
| 2019 | 8.99 deaths per 100,000 people | +1.0% |
| 2020 | 7.19 deaths per 100,000 people | -20.0% |
South Africa compared with similar countries
- South Africa's 7.19 deaths per 100,000 people is above the median for upper middle income countries, which is 5.73 deaths per 100,000 people, 1.3× the median. (42 countries reporting)
Averages by decade
| Decade | Average | Lowest | Highest | Years |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1990s | 8.81 deaths per 100,000 people | 8.5 deaths per 100,000 people | 9.12 deaths per 100,000 people | 4 |
| 2000s | 8.6 deaths per 100,000 people | 8.01 deaths per 100,000 people | 9.08 deaths per 100,000 people | 10 |
| 2010s | 8.78 deaths per 100,000 people | 8.38 deaths per 100,000 people | 9.43 deaths per 100,000 people | 10 |
| 2020s | 7.19 deaths per 100,000 people | 7.19 deaths per 100,000 people | 7.19 deaths per 100,000 people | 1 |
Countries ranked near South Africa
- 50 Malta 7.91 deaths per 100,000 people compare
- 51 Korea 7.48 deaths per 100,000 people compare
- 52 Armenia 7.24 deaths per 100,000 people compare
- 54 Philippines 7.09 deaths per 100,000 people compare
- 55 Suriname 6.94 deaths per 100,000 people compare
- 56 Türkiye 6.92 deaths per 100,000 people 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 lung cancer death rates in South Africa?
- Lung cancer death rates in South Africa was 7.19 deaths per 100,000 people in 2020, according to WHO Mortality Database (2025) – with minor processing by Our World in Data.
- What is the highest lung cancer death rates recorded in South Africa?
- The highest recorded value was 9.43 deaths per 100,000 people in 2016.
- What is the lowest lung cancer death rates recorded in South Africa?
- The lowest recorded value was 7.19 deaths per 100,000 people in 2020.
- How does South Africa rank for lung cancer death rates?
- South Africa ranks 53rd out of 111 countries with data for 2020.
- Is lung cancer death rates rising or falling in South Africa?
- Over the last ten years it is down 16.3%. The long-run trend across the full record is flat.
- Where does this South Africa data come from?
- The figures come from WHO Mortality Database (2025) – with minor processing by Our World in Data, published as part of Lung cancer death rates. Statizoid updates them automatically from the source API.
Download this data
CSV · JSON — 25 observations, free to reuse under CC BY 4.0 (Our World in Data).
About this data
Reported deaths from trachea, bronchus, lung cancers in females in those aged all ages per 100,000 people.