Maternal mortality ratio who gho in South Africa
South Africa: Maternal mortality ratio who gho was 117.57 in 2023. ▼ Falling
Maternal mortality ratio who gho in South Africa, 1985–2023
Source: Our World in Data.
Analysis
In 2023, maternal mortality ratio who gho in South Africa stood at 117.57. That is the lowest value across all 39 years on record.
That represents a change of down 9.0% on the previous year and down 34.6% over ten years.
Over the whole period, maternal mortality ratio who gho in South Africa peaked at 283.42 in 2006 and was at its lowest, 117.57, in 2023.
That places South Africa 62nd out of 195 countries with data for 2023, putting it in the middle of the range.
The long-run direction has been consistently falling across the 39 years of available data.
Maternal mortality ratio who gho in South Africa, year by year
| Year | Value | Change |
|---|---|---|
| 1985 | 207.97 | — |
| 1986 | 199.75 | -4.0% |
| 1987 | 192.21 | -3.8% |
| 1988 | 184.04 | -4.3% |
| 1989 | 176.99 | -3.8% |
| 1990 | 169.69 | -4.1% |
| 1991 | 162.09 | -4.5% |
| 1992 | 152.46 | -5.9% |
| 1993 | 145.14 | -4.8% |
| 1994 | 133.47 | -8.0% |
| 1995 | 124.53 | -6.7% |
| 1996 | 150.27 | +20.7% |
| 1997 | 152.38 | +1.4% |
| 1998 | 152.44 | +0.0% |
| 1999 | 151.22 | -0.8% |
| 2000 | 174.75 | +15.6% |
| 2001 | 192.23 | +10.0% |
| 2002 | 225.21 | +17.2% |
| 2003 | 245 | +8.8% |
| 2004 | 258.88 | +5.7% |
| 2005 | 278.81 | +7.7% |
| 2006 | 283.42 | +1.7% |
| 2007 | 271.95 | -4.0% |
| 2008 | 271.63 | -0.1% |
| 2009 | 241.06 | -11.3% |
| 2010 | 226.06 | -6.2% |
| 2011 | 202.03 | -10.6% |
| 2012 | 193.81 | -4.1% |
| 2013 | 179.74 | -7.3% |
| 2014 | 162.14 | -9.8% |
| 2015 | 150.42 | -7.2% |
| 2016 | 141.17 | -6.1% |
| 2017 | 133.69 | -5.3% |
| 2018 | 127.52 | -4.6% |
| 2019 | 119.45 | -6.3% |
| 2020 | 118.29 | -1.0% |
| 2021 | 191.17 | +61.6% |
| 2022 | 129.23 | -32.4% |
| 2023 | 117.57 | -9.0% |
South Africa compared with similar countries
- South Africa's 117.57 is above the median for upper middle income countries, which is 43.03, 2.7× the median. (58 countries reporting)
- South Africa's 117.57 is below the median for Sub-Saharan Africa, which is 267.03, 44% of the median. (48 countries reporting)
Biggest year-on-year movements
Years where Maternal mortality ratio who gho in South Africa changed far more than this series normally does. A large move can be a real event or a change in how the figure was measured — the source note below says who published it.
| Year | Change | From | To |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2021 | +61.6% | 118.29 | 191.17 |
Averages by decade
| Decade | Average | Lowest | Highest | Years |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1980s | 192.19 | 176.99 | 207.97 | 5 |
| 1990s | 149.37 | 124.53 | 169.69 | 10 |
| 2000s | 244.29 | 174.75 | 283.42 | 10 |
| 2010s | 163.6 | 119.45 | 226.06 | 10 |
| 2020s | 139.06 | 117.57 | 191.17 | 4 |
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)
- Un projection of annual infant deaths 3,333 (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)
- Population ages 00-04, male, per capita 0.046 units per person (2025)
Frequently asked questions
- What is maternal mortality ratio who gho in South Africa?
- Maternal mortality ratio who gho in South Africa was 117.57 in 2023, according to Our World in Data.
- What is the highest maternal mortality ratio who gho recorded in South Africa?
- The highest recorded value was 283.42 in 2006.
- What is the lowest maternal mortality ratio who gho recorded in South Africa?
- The lowest recorded value was 117.57 in 2023.
- How does South Africa rank for maternal mortality ratio who gho?
- South Africa ranks 62nd out of 195 countries with data for 2023.
- Is maternal mortality ratio who gho rising or falling in South Africa?
- Over the last ten years it is down 34.6%. The long-run trend across the full record is falling.
- Where does this South Africa data come from?
- The figures come from Our World in Data, published as part of Maternal mortality ratio who gho. Statizoid updates them automatically from the source API.
Download this data
CSV · JSON — 39 observations, free to reuse under CC BY 4.0 (Our World in Data).