Mortality rate, adult, female in South Africa
South Africa: Mortality rate, adult, female was 234.18 per 1,000 female adults in 2024. ▲ Rising
Latest (2024)
234.18 per 1,000 female adults
Change on year
up 10.1%
World rank
13th
of 218 countries
All-time high
460.98 per 1,000 female adults
in 2005
All-time low
200.7 per 1,000 female adults
in 1989
Years of data
65
1960–2024
Mortality rate, adult, female in South Africa, 1960–2024
Source: World Population Prospects, United Nations (UN), publisher: UN Population Division. Measured in per 1,000 female adults.
Analysis
The most recent figure for mortality rate, adult, female in South Africa is 234.18 per 1,000 female adults, measured in 2024.
Compared with earlier readings it is up 10.1% on the previous year and down 17.8% over ten years.
Over the whole period, mortality rate, adult, female in South Africa peaked at 460.98 per 1,000 female adults in 2005 and was at its lowest, 200.7 per 1,000 female adults, in 1989.
That places South Africa 13th out of 218 countries with data for 2024, putting it in the top 10%.
The long-run direction has been consistently rising across the 65 years of available data.
Mortality rate, adult, female in South Africa, year by year
| Year | per 1,000 female adults | Change |
|---|---|---|
| 1960 | 320.07 per 1,000 female adults | — |
| 1961 | 312.24 per 1,000 female adults | -2.4% |
| 1962 | 306.76 per 1,000 female adults | -1.8% |
| 1963 | 302.44 per 1,000 female adults | -1.4% |
| 1964 | 298.69 per 1,000 female adults | -1.2% |
| 1965 | 296.17 per 1,000 female adults | -0.8% |
| 1966 | 292.15 per 1,000 female adults | -1.4% |
| 1967 | 289.01 per 1,000 female adults | -1.1% |
| 1968 | 285.9 per 1,000 female adults | -1.1% |
| 1969 | 282.93 per 1,000 female adults | -1.0% |
| 1970 | 280.05 per 1,000 female adults | -1.0% |
| 1971 | 276.9 per 1,000 female adults | -1.1% |
| 1972 | 274.68 per 1,000 female adults | -0.8% |
| 1973 | 272.37 per 1,000 female adults | -0.8% |
| 1974 | 268.73 per 1,000 female adults | -1.3% |
| 1975 | 264.36 per 1,000 female adults | -1.6% |
| 1976 | 258.89 per 1,000 female adults | -2.1% |
| 1977 | 252.16 per 1,000 female adults | -2.6% |
| 1978 | 246.54 per 1,000 female adults | -2.2% |
| 1979 | 242.26 per 1,000 female adults | -1.7% |
| 1980 | 235.3 per 1,000 female adults | -2.9% |
| 1981 | 230.82 per 1,000 female adults | -1.9% |
| 1982 | 225.9 per 1,000 female adults | -2.1% |
| 1983 | 221.37 per 1,000 female adults | -2.0% |
| 1984 | 215.97 per 1,000 female adults | -2.4% |
| 1985 | 210.89 per 1,000 female adults | -2.3% |
| 1986 | 207.4 per 1,000 female adults | -1.7% |
| 1987 | 205.12 per 1,000 female adults | -1.1% |
| 1988 | 201.42 per 1,000 female adults | -1.8% |
| 1989 | 200.7 per 1,000 female adults | -0.4% |
| 1990 | 202.04 per 1,000 female adults | +0.7% |
| 1991 | 203.34 per 1,000 female adults | +0.6% |
| 1992 | 207.82 per 1,000 female adults | +2.2% |
| 1993 | 214.74 per 1,000 female adults | +3.3% |
| 1994 | 225.52 per 1,000 female adults | +5.0% |
| 1995 | 241.56 per 1,000 female adults | +7.1% |
| 1996 | 263.19 per 1,000 female adults | +9.0% |
| 1997 | 282.83 per 1,000 female adults | +7.5% |
| 1998 | 300.83 per 1,000 female adults | +6.4% |
| 1999 | 319.62 per 1,000 female adults | +6.2% |
| 2000 | 342.5 per 1,000 female adults | +7.2% |
| 2001 | 370.57 per 1,000 female adults | +8.2% |
| 2002 | 407.12 per 1,000 female adults | +9.9% |
| 2003 | 436.03 per 1,000 female adults | +7.1% |
| 2004 | 453.74 per 1,000 female adults | +4.1% |
| 2005 | 460.98 per 1,000 female adults | +1.6% |
| 2006 | 459.37 per 1,000 female adults | -0.3% |
| 2007 | 443.7 per 1,000 female adults | -3.4% |
| 2008 | 424.34 per 1,000 female adults | -4.4% |
| 2009 | 403.04 per 1,000 female adults | -5.0% |
| 2010 | 375.25 per 1,000 female adults | -6.9% |
| 2011 | 346.71 per 1,000 female adults | -7.6% |
| 2012 | 320.22 per 1,000 female adults | -7.6% |
| 2013 | 303.13 per 1,000 female adults | -5.3% |
| 2014 | 284.73 per 1,000 female adults | -6.1% |
| 2015 | 274.86 per 1,000 female adults | -3.5% |
| 2016 | 263.47 per 1,000 female adults | -4.1% |
| 2017 | 254.61 per 1,000 female adults | -3.4% |
| 2018 | 245.33 per 1,000 female adults | -3.6% |
| 2019 | 234.54 per 1,000 female adults | -4.4% |
| 2020 | 255.53 per 1,000 female adults | +8.9% |
| 2021 | 298.19 per 1,000 female adults | +16.7% |
| 2022 | 223.5 per 1,000 female adults | -25.0% |
| 2023 | 212.62 per 1,000 female adults | -4.9% |
| 2024 | 234.18 per 1,000 female adults | +10.1% |
South Africa compared with similar countries
- South Africa's 234.18 per 1,000 female adults is above the median for upper middle income countries, which is 89.94 per 1,000 female adults, 2.6× the median. (59 countries reporting)
- South Africa's 234.18 per 1,000 female adults is above the median for Sub-Saharan Africa, which is 194.42 per 1,000 female adults, 1.2× the median. (48 countries reporting)
Biggest year-on-year movements
Years where Mortality rate, adult, female 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 |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2022 | -25.0% | 298.19 per 1,000 female adults | 223.5 per 1,000 female adults |
Averages by decade
| Decade | Average | Lowest | Highest | Years |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1960s | 298.64 per 1,000 female adults | 282.93 per 1,000 female adults | 320.07 per 1,000 female adults | 10 |
| 1970s | 263.69 per 1,000 female adults | 242.26 per 1,000 female adults | 280.05 per 1,000 female adults | 10 |
| 1980s | 215.49 per 1,000 female adults | 200.7 per 1,000 female adults | 235.3 per 1,000 female adults | 10 |
| 1990s | 246.15 per 1,000 female adults | 202.04 per 1,000 female adults | 319.62 per 1,000 female adults | 10 |
| 2000s | 420.14 per 1,000 female adults | 342.5 per 1,000 female adults | 460.98 per 1,000 female adults | 10 |
| 2010s | 290.28 per 1,000 female adults | 234.54 per 1,000 female adults | 375.25 per 1,000 female adults | 10 |
| 2020s | 244.81 per 1,000 female adults | 212.62 per 1,000 female adults | 298.19 per 1,000 female adults | 5 |
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)
- 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 mortality rate, adult, female in South Africa?
- Mortality rate, adult, female in South Africa was 234.18 per 1,000 female adults in 2024, according to World Population Prospects, United Nations (UN), publisher: UN Population Division.
- What is the highest mortality rate, adult, female recorded in South Africa?
- The highest recorded value was 460.98 per 1,000 female adults in 2005.
- What is the lowest mortality rate, adult, female recorded in South Africa?
- The lowest recorded value was 200.7 per 1,000 female adults in 1989.
- How does South Africa rank for mortality rate, adult, female?
- South Africa ranks 13th out of 218 countries with data for 2024.
- Is mortality rate, adult, female rising or falling in South Africa?
- Over the last ten years it is down 17.8%. The long-run trend across the full record is rising.
- Where does this South Africa data come from?
- The figures come from World Population Prospects, United Nations (UN), publisher: UN Population Division, published as part of Mortality rate, adult, female (per 1,000 female adults). Statizoid updates them automatically from the source API.
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About this data
Adult mortality rate, female, is the probability of dying between the ages of 15 and 60--that is, the probability of a 15-year-old female dying before reaching age 60, if subject to age-specific mortality rates of the specified year between those ages.