Mortality rate, neonatal in South Africa
South Africa: Mortality rate, neonatal was 12.4 per 1,000 live births in 2024. ▼ Falling
Latest (2024)
12.4 per 1,000 live births
Change on year
up 1.6%
World rank
70th
of 197 countries
All-time high
28.5 per 1,000 live births
in 1975
All-time low
11.4 per 1,000 live births
in 2018
Years of data
50
1975–2024
Mortality rate, neonatal in South Africa, 1975–2024
Source: UN Inter-agency Group for Child Mortality Estimation, UN Children's Fund (UNICEF). Measured in per 1,000 live births.
Analysis
South Africa recorded 12.4 per 1,000 live births for mortality rate, neonatal in 2024.
The figure is up 1.6% on the previous year and up 6.0% over ten years.
Over the whole period, mortality rate, neonatal in South Africa peaked at 28.5 per 1,000 live births in 1975 and was at its lowest, 11.4 per 1,000 live births, in 2018.
That places South Africa 70th out of 197 countries with data for 2024, putting it in the middle of the range.
The long-run direction has been consistently falling across the 50 years of available data.
Mortality rate, neonatal in South Africa, year by year
| Year | per 1,000 live births | Change |
|---|---|---|
| 1975 | 28.5 per 1,000 live births | — |
| 1976 | 28 per 1,000 live births | -1.8% |
| 1977 | 27.6 per 1,000 live births | -1.4% |
| 1978 | 27.3 per 1,000 live births | -1.1% |
| 1979 | 26.8 per 1,000 live births | -1.8% |
| 1980 | 26.3 per 1,000 live births | -1.9% |
| 1981 | 25.8 per 1,000 live births | -1.9% |
| 1982 | 25.2 per 1,000 live births | -2.3% |
| 1983 | 24.5 per 1,000 live births | -2.8% |
| 1984 | 23.8 per 1,000 live births | -2.9% |
| 1985 | 23.2 per 1,000 live births | -2.5% |
| 1986 | 22.6 per 1,000 live births | -2.6% |
| 1987 | 22.1 per 1,000 live births | -2.2% |
| 1988 | 21.5 per 1,000 live births | -2.7% |
| 1989 | 21 per 1,000 live births | -2.3% |
| 1990 | 20.5 per 1,000 live births | -2.4% |
| 1991 | 20.1 per 1,000 live births | -2.0% |
| 1992 | 19.7 per 1,000 live births | -2.0% |
| 1993 | 19.2 per 1,000 live births | -2.5% |
| 1994 | 18.7 per 1,000 live births | -2.6% |
| 1995 | 18.1 per 1,000 live births | -3.2% |
| 1996 | 17.2 per 1,000 live births | -5.0% |
| 1997 | 16.2 per 1,000 live births | -5.8% |
| 1998 | 15.1 per 1,000 live births | -6.8% |
| 1999 | 14.2 per 1,000 live births | -6.0% |
| 2000 | 13.5 per 1,000 live births | -4.9% |
| 2001 | 13 per 1,000 live births | -3.7% |
| 2002 | 12.7 per 1,000 live births | -2.3% |
| 2003 | 12.6 per 1,000 live births | -0.8% |
| 2004 | 12.6 per 1,000 live births | +0.0% |
| 2005 | 12.8 per 1,000 live births | +1.6% |
| 2006 | 13.1 per 1,000 live births | +2.3% |
| 2007 | 13.3 per 1,000 live births | +1.5% |
| 2008 | 13.4 per 1,000 live births | +0.8% |
| 2009 | 13.3 per 1,000 live births | -0.7% |
| 2010 | 13 per 1,000 live births | -2.3% |
| 2011 | 12.5 per 1,000 live births | -3.8% |
| 2012 | 12.1 per 1,000 live births | -3.2% |
| 2013 | 11.9 per 1,000 live births | -1.7% |
| 2014 | 11.7 per 1,000 live births | -1.7% |
| 2015 | 11.7 per 1,000 live births | +0.0% |
| 2016 | 11.6 per 1,000 live births | -0.9% |
| 2017 | 11.5 per 1,000 live births | -0.9% |
| 2018 | 11.4 per 1,000 live births | -0.9% |
| 2019 | 11.5 per 1,000 live births | +0.9% |
| 2020 | 11.6 per 1,000 live births | +0.9% |
| 2021 | 11.7 per 1,000 live births | +0.9% |
| 2022 | 12 per 1,000 live births | +2.6% |
| 2023 | 12.2 per 1,000 live births | +1.7% |
| 2024 | 12.4 per 1,000 live births | +1.6% |
Averages by decade
| Decade | Average | Lowest | Highest | Years |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1970s | 27.64 per 1,000 live births | 26.8 per 1,000 live births | 28.5 per 1,000 live births | 5 |
| 1980s | 23.6 per 1,000 live births | 21 per 1,000 live births | 26.3 per 1,000 live births | 10 |
| 1990s | 17.9 per 1,000 live births | 14.2 per 1,000 live births | 20.5 per 1,000 live births | 10 |
| 2000s | 13.03 per 1,000 live births | 12.6 per 1,000 live births | 13.5 per 1,000 live births | 10 |
| 2010s | 11.89 per 1,000 live births | 11.4 per 1,000 live births | 13 per 1,000 live births | 10 |
| 2020s | 11.98 per 1,000 live births | 11.6 per 1,000 live births | 12.4 per 1,000 live births | 5 |
Countries ranked near South Africa
- 67 Trinidad and Tobago 12.6 per 1,000 live births compare
- 68 Iraq 12.5 per 1,000 live births compare
- 68 Marshall Islands 12.5 per 1,000 live births compare
- 70 Azerbaijan 12.4 per 1,000 live births compare
- 72 Grenada 12.3 per 1,000 live births compare
- 72 Republic of Moldova 12.3 per 1,000 live births 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)
- Population ages 65-69, male, annual growth rate 2.84 % change on previous year (2025)
- Population ages 65-69, male, per unit of GDP 0 units per US$ of GDP (2025)
- Population ages 65-69, male, per capita 0.0116 units per person (2025)
- Population ages 70-74, female, annual growth rate 4.91 % change on previous year (2025)
- Population ages 70-74, female, per unit of GDP 0 units per US$ of GDP (2025)
- Population ages 70-74, female, per capita 0.0115 units per person (2025)
Frequently asked questions
- What is mortality rate, neonatal in South Africa?
- Mortality rate, neonatal in South Africa was 12.4 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, neonatal recorded in South Africa?
- The highest recorded value was 28.5 per 1,000 live births in 1975.
- What is the lowest mortality rate, neonatal recorded in South Africa?
- The lowest recorded value was 11.4 per 1,000 live births in 2018.
- How does South Africa rank for mortality rate, neonatal?
- South Africa ranks 70th out of 197 countries with data for 2024.
- Is mortality rate, neonatal rising or falling in South Africa?
- Over the last ten years it is up 6.0%. 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, neonatal (per 1,000 live births). Statizoid updates them automatically from the source API.
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About this data
Neonatal mortality rate is the number of neonates dying before reaching 28 days of age, per 1,000 live births in a given year.