Number of deaths in South Africa
South Africa: Number of deaths was 584,018 in 2023. ▲ Rising
Latest (2023)
584,018
Change on year
down 0.4%
World rank
22nd
of 236 countries
All-time high
733,898
in 2021
All-time low
233,379
in 1960
Years of data
74
1950–2023
Number of deaths in South Africa, 1950–2023
Source: Our World in Data.
Analysis
In 2023, number of deaths in South Africa stood at 584,018.
The figure is down 0.4% on the previous year and up 7.2% over ten years.
Over the whole period, number of deaths in South Africa peaked at 733,898 in 2021 and was at its lowest, 233,379, in 1960.
That places South Africa 22nd out of 236 countries with data for 2023, putting it in the top 10%.
The long-run direction has been consistently rising across the 74 years of available data.
Number of deaths in South Africa, year by year
| Year | Value | Change |
|---|---|---|
| 1950 | 281,295 | — |
| 1951 | 275,292 | -2.1% |
| 1952 | 269,524 | -2.1% |
| 1953 | 263,910 | -2.1% |
| 1954 | 257,799 | -2.3% |
| 1955 | 252,076 | -2.2% |
| 1956 | 246,577 | -2.2% |
| 1957 | 241,807 | -1.9% |
| 1958 | 237,466 | -1.8% |
| 1959 | 235,104 | -1.0% |
| 1960 | 233,379 | -0.7% |
| 1961 | 234,079 | +0.3% |
| 1962 | 235,424 | +0.6% |
| 1963 | 238,844 | +1.5% |
| 1964 | 242,440 | +1.5% |
| 1965 | 247,251 | +2.0% |
| 1966 | 251,936 | +1.9% |
| 1967 | 257,379 | +2.2% |
| 1968 | 262,521 | +2.0% |
| 1969 | 267,491 | +1.9% |
| 1970 | 272,207 | +1.8% |
| 1971 | 275,723 | +1.3% |
| 1972 | 278,476 | +1.0% |
| 1973 | 281,163 | +1.0% |
| 1974 | 282,789 | +0.6% |
| 1975 | 282,979 | +0.1% |
| 1976 | 283,953 | +0.3% |
| 1977 | 283,644 | -0.1% |
| 1978 | 283,392 | -0.1% |
| 1979 | 284,003 | +0.2% |
| 1980 | 284,794 | +0.3% |
| 1981 | 288,425 | +1.3% |
| 1982 | 292,566 | +1.4% |
| 1983 | 296,795 | +1.4% |
| 1984 | 301,221 | +1.5% |
| 1985 | 306,172 | +1.6% |
| 1986 | 311,902 | +1.9% |
| 1987 | 316,825 | +1.6% |
| 1988 | 321,241 | +1.4% |
| 1989 | 327,047 | +1.8% |
| 1990 | 335,439 | +2.6% |
| 1991 | 343,102 | +2.3% |
| 1992 | 352,289 | +2.7% |
| 1993 | 362,995 | +3.0% |
| 1994 | 382,980 | +5.5% |
| 1995 | 397,321 | +3.7% |
| 1996 | 410,767 | +3.4% |
| 1997 | 423,893 | +3.2% |
| 1998 | 443,109 | +4.5% |
| 1999 | 466,125 | +5.2% |
| 2000 | 490,138 | +5.2% |
| 2001 | 526,754 | +7.5% |
| 2002 | 574,030 | +9.0% |
| 2003 | 622,283 | +8.4% |
| 2004 | 641,921 | +3.2% |
| 2005 | 659,846 | +2.8% |
| 2006 | 669,557 | +1.5% |
| 2007 | 663,057 | -1.0% |
| 2008 | 648,296 | -2.2% |
| 2009 | 624,186 | -3.7% |
| 2010 | 594,055 | -4.8% |
| 2011 | 568,156 | -4.4% |
| 2012 | 545,852 | -3.9% |
| 2013 | 544,728 | -0.2% |
| 2014 | 536,322 | -1.5% |
| 2015 | 522,822 | -2.5% |
| 2016 | 519,287 | -0.7% |
| 2017 | 508,901 | -2.0% |
| 2018 | 515,170 | +1.2% |
| 2019 | 521,415 | +1.2% |
| 2020 | 586,416 | +12.5% |
| 2021 | 733,898 | +25.1% |
| 2022 | 586,473 | -20.1% |
| 2023 | 584,018 | -0.4% |
South Africa compared with similar countries
- South Africa's 584,018 is above the median for upper middle income countries, which is 43,965, 13.3× the median. (58 countries reporting)
- South Africa's 584,018 is above the median for Sub-Saharan Africa, which is 109,128, 5.4× the median. (48 countries reporting)
Biggest year-on-year movements
Years where Number of deaths 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 | +25.1% | 586,416 | 733,898 |
Averages by decade
| Decade | Average | Lowest | Highest | Years |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1950s | 256,085 | 235,104 | 281,295 | 10 |
| 1960s | 247,074 | 233,379 | 267,491 | 10 |
| 1970s | 280,833 | 272,207 | 284,003 | 10 |
| 1980s | 304,699 | 284,794 | 327,047 | 10 |
| 1990s | 391,802 | 335,439 | 466,125 | 10 |
| 2000s | 612,007 | 490,138 | 669,557 | 10 |
| 2010s | 537,671 | 508,901 | 594,055 | 10 |
| 2020s | 622,701 | 584,018 | 733,898 | 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 number of deaths in South Africa?
- Number of deaths in South Africa was 584,018 in 2023, according to Our World in Data.
- What is the highest number of deaths recorded in South Africa?
- The highest recorded value was 733,898 in 2021.
- What is the lowest number of deaths recorded in South Africa?
- The lowest recorded value was 233,379 in 1960.
- How does South Africa rank for number of deaths?
- South Africa ranks 22nd out of 236 countries with data for 2023.
- Is number of deaths rising or falling in South Africa?
- Over the last ten years it is up 7.2%. The long-run trend across the full record is rising.
- Where does this South Africa data come from?
- The figures come from Our World in Data, published as part of Number of deaths. Statizoid updates them automatically from the source API.
Download this data
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