Mortality rate, infant in South Africa
South Africa: Mortality rate, infant was 24.2 per 1,000 live births in 2024. ▼ Falling
Latest (2024)
24.2 per 1,000 live births
Change on year
down 0.4%
World rank
58th
of 197 countries
All-time high
108.9 per 1,000 live births
in 1976
All-time low
24.2 per 1,000 live births
in 2024
Years of data
49
1976–2024
Mortality rate, infant in South Africa, 1976–2024
Source: UN Inter-agency Group for Child Mortality Estimation, UN Children's Fund (UNICEF). Measured in per 1,000 live births.
Analysis
The most recent figure for mortality rate, infant in South Africa is 24.2 per 1,000 live births, measured in 2024. That is the lowest value across all 49 years on record.
Compared with earlier readings it is down 0.4% on the previous year and down 21.2% over ten years.
Over the whole period, mortality rate, infant in South Africa peaked at 108.9 per 1,000 live births in 1976 and was at its lowest, 24.2 per 1,000 live births, in 2024.
South Africa ranks 58th of 197 countries on this measure, in the middle of the range.
The long-run direction has been consistently falling across the 49 years of available data.
Mortality rate, infant in South Africa, year by year
| Year | per 1,000 live births | Change |
|---|---|---|
| 1976 | 108.9 per 1,000 live births | — |
| 1977 | 102.6 per 1,000 live births | -5.8% |
| 1978 | 96.7 per 1,000 live births | -5.8% |
| 1979 | 91.2 per 1,000 live births | -5.7% |
| 1980 | 86.1 per 1,000 live births | -5.6% |
| 1981 | 81.4 per 1,000 live births | -5.5% |
| 1982 | 77 per 1,000 live births | -5.4% |
| 1983 | 73.1 per 1,000 live births | -5.1% |
| 1984 | 69.6 per 1,000 live births | -4.8% |
| 1985 | 66.2 per 1,000 live births | -4.9% |
| 1986 | 62.9 per 1,000 live births | -5.0% |
| 1987 | 59.9 per 1,000 live births | -4.8% |
| 1988 | 57 per 1,000 live births | -4.8% |
| 1989 | 54.4 per 1,000 live births | -4.6% |
| 1990 | 52.1 per 1,000 live births | -4.2% |
| 1991 | 50.1 per 1,000 live births | -3.8% |
| 1992 | 48.6 per 1,000 live births | -3.0% |
| 1993 | 47.5 per 1,000 live births | -2.3% |
| 1994 | 46.7 per 1,000 live births | -1.7% |
| 1995 | 46 per 1,000 live births | -1.5% |
| 1996 | 45.5 per 1,000 live births | -1.1% |
| 1997 | 45.3 per 1,000 live births | -0.4% |
| 1998 | 45.4 per 1,000 live births | +0.2% |
| 1999 | 46 per 1,000 live births | +1.3% |
| 2000 | 46.5 per 1,000 live births | +1.1% |
| 2001 | 47.2 per 1,000 live births | +1.5% |
| 2002 | 47.6 per 1,000 live births | +0.8% |
| 2003 | 48.3 per 1,000 live births | +1.5% |
| 2004 | 48.7 per 1,000 live births | +0.8% |
| 2005 | 47.7 per 1,000 live births | -2.1% |
| 2006 | 46 per 1,000 live births | -3.6% |
| 2007 | 44 per 1,000 live births | -4.3% |
| 2008 | 41 per 1,000 live births | -6.8% |
| 2009 | 38.2 per 1,000 live births | -6.8% |
| 2010 | 36 per 1,000 live births | -5.8% |
| 2011 | 34.5 per 1,000 live births | -4.2% |
| 2012 | 33.3 per 1,000 live births | -3.5% |
| 2013 | 32.1 per 1,000 live births | -3.6% |
| 2014 | 30.7 per 1,000 live births | -4.4% |
| 2015 | 29.3 per 1,000 live births | -4.6% |
| 2016 | 28 per 1,000 live births | -4.4% |
| 2017 | 26.8 per 1,000 live births | -4.3% |
| 2018 | 25.8 per 1,000 live births | -3.7% |
| 2019 | 25.1 per 1,000 live births | -2.7% |
| 2020 | 24.5 per 1,000 live births | -2.4% |
| 2021 | 24.3 per 1,000 live births | -0.8% |
| 2022 | 24.3 per 1,000 live births | +0.0% |
| 2023 | 24.3 per 1,000 live births | +0.0% |
| 2024 | 24.2 per 1,000 live births | -0.4% |
Averages by decade
| Decade | Average | Lowest | Highest | Years |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1970s | 99.85 per 1,000 live births | 91.2 per 1,000 live births | 108.9 per 1,000 live births | 4 |
| 1980s | 68.76 per 1,000 live births | 54.4 per 1,000 live births | 86.1 per 1,000 live births | 10 |
| 1990s | 47.32 per 1,000 live births | 45.3 per 1,000 live births | 52.1 per 1,000 live births | 10 |
| 2000s | 45.52 per 1,000 live births | 38.2 per 1,000 live births | 48.7 per 1,000 live births | 10 |
| 2010s | 30.16 per 1,000 live births | 25.1 per 1,000 live births | 36 per 1,000 live births | 10 |
| 2020s | 24.32 per 1,000 live births | 24.2 per 1,000 live births | 24.5 per 1,000 live births | 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)
- Population ages 60-64, female, annual growth rate 1.27 % change on previous year (2025)
- Population ages 60-64, female, per unit of GDP 0 units per US$ of GDP (2025)
- Population ages 60-64, female, per capita 0.0197 units per person (2025)
- Population ages 60-64, male, annual growth rate 0.6835 % change on previous year (2025)
- Population ages 60-64, male, per unit of GDP 0 units per US$ of GDP (2025)
- Population ages 60-64, male, per capita 0.015 units per person (2025)
Frequently asked questions
- What is mortality rate, infant in South Africa?
- Mortality rate, infant in South Africa was 24.2 per 1,000 live births in 2024, according to UN Inter-agency Group for Child Mortality Estimation, UN Children's Fund (UNICEF).
- What is the highest mortality rate, infant recorded in South Africa?
- The highest recorded value was 108.9 per 1,000 live births in 1976.
- What is the lowest mortality rate, infant recorded in South Africa?
- The lowest recorded value was 24.2 per 1,000 live births in 2024.
- How does South Africa rank for mortality rate, infant?
- South Africa ranks 58th out of 197 countries with data for 2024.
- Is mortality rate, infant rising or falling in South Africa?
- Over the last ten years it is down 21.2%. The long-run trend across the full record is falling.
- Where does this South Africa data come from?
- The figures come from UN Inter-agency Group for Child Mortality Estimation, UN Children's Fund (UNICEF), published as part of Mortality rate, infant (per 1,000 live births). Statizoid updates them automatically from the source API.
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About this data
Infant mortality rate is the number of infants dying before reaching one year of age, per 1,000 live births in a given year.