Number of infant deaths in South Africa
South Africa: Number of infant deaths was 28,570 deaths in 2024. ▼ Falling
Latest (2024)
28,570 deaths
Change on year
down 0.7%
World rank
31st
of 199 countries
All-time high
96,938 deaths
in 1977
All-time low
28,570 deaths
in 2024
Years of data
48
1977–2024
Number of infant deaths in South Africa, 1977–2024
Source: United Nations Inter-agency Group for Child Mortality Estimation (2025) – processed by Our World in Data. Measured in deaths.
Analysis
The most recent figure for number of infant deaths in South Africa is 28,570 deaths, measured in 2024. That is the lowest value across all 48 years on record.
That represents a change of down 0.7% on the previous year and down 22.3% over ten years.
Over the whole period, number of infant deaths in South Africa peaked at 96,938 deaths in 1977 and was at its lowest, 28,570 deaths, in 2024.
South Africa ranks 31st of 199 countries on this measure, in the top quarter.
The long-run direction has been consistently falling across the 48 years of available data.
Number of infant deaths in South Africa, year by year
| Year | deaths | Change |
|---|---|---|
| 1977 | 96,938 deaths | — |
| 1978 | 92,324 deaths | -4.8% |
| 1979 | 88,751 deaths | -3.9% |
| 1980 | 85,805 deaths | -3.3% |
| 1981 | 83,497 deaths | -2.7% |
| 1982 | 81,948 deaths | -1.9% |
| 1983 | 80,618 deaths | -1.6% |
| 1984 | 79,194 deaths | -1.8% |
| 1985 | 77,541 deaths | -2.1% |
| 1986 | 75,185 deaths | -3.0% |
| 1987 | 72,762 deaths | -3.2% |
| 1988 | 69,666 deaths | -4.3% |
| 1989 | 65,722 deaths | -5.7% |
| 1990 | 61,433 deaths | -6.5% |
| 1991 | 58,146 deaths | -5.4% |
| 1992 | 55,791 deaths | -4.1% |
| 1993 | 54,132 deaths | -3.0% |
| 1994 | 51,750 deaths | -4.4% |
| 1995 | 50,784 deaths | -1.9% |
| 1996 | 51,016 deaths | +0.5% |
| 1997 | 49,696 deaths | -2.6% |
| 1998 | 48,706 deaths | -2.0% |
| 1999 | 48,603 deaths | -0.2% |
| 2000 | 47,927 deaths | -1.4% |
| 2001 | 47,528 deaths | -0.8% |
| 2002 | 47,649 deaths | +0.3% |
| 2003 | 48,963 deaths | +2.8% |
| 2004 | 51,261 deaths | +4.7% |
| 2005 | 52,288 deaths | +2.0% |
| 2006 | 52,054 deaths | -0.4% |
| 2007 | 50,740 deaths | -2.5% |
| 2008 | 49,055 deaths | -3.3% |
| 2009 | 45,939 deaths | -6.4% |
| 2010 | 41,881 deaths | -8.8% |
| 2011 | 39,985 deaths | -4.5% |
| 2012 | 39,087 deaths | -2.2% |
| 2013 | 38,080 deaths | -2.6% |
| 2014 | 36,770 deaths | -3.4% |
| 2015 | 35,034 deaths | -4.7% |
| 2016 | 32,812 deaths | -6.3% |
| 2017 | 30,920 deaths | -5.8% |
| 2018 | 29,827 deaths | -3.5% |
| 2019 | 29,165 deaths | -2.2% |
| 2020 | 28,789 deaths | -1.3% |
| 2021 | 28,746 deaths | -0.1% |
| 2022 | 28,792 deaths | +0.2% |
| 2023 | 28,769 deaths | -0.1% |
| 2024 | 28,570 deaths | -0.7% |
Averages by decade
| Decade | Average | Lowest | Highest | Years |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1970s | 92,671 deaths | 88,751 deaths | 96,938 deaths | 3 |
| 1980s | 77,194 deaths | 65,722 deaths | 85,805 deaths | 10 |
| 1990s | 53,006 deaths | 48,603 deaths | 61,433 deaths | 10 |
| 2000s | 49,340 deaths | 45,939 deaths | 52,288 deaths | 10 |
| 2010s | 35,356 deaths | 29,165 deaths | 41,881 deaths | 10 |
| 2020s | 28,733 deaths | 28,570 deaths | 28,792 deaths | 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 number of infant deaths in South Africa?
- Number of infant deaths in South Africa was 28,570 deaths in 2024, according to United Nations Inter-agency Group for Child Mortality Estimation (2025) – processed by Our World in Data.
- What is the highest number of infant deaths recorded in South Africa?
- The highest recorded value was 96,938 deaths in 1977.
- What is the lowest number of infant deaths recorded in South Africa?
- The lowest recorded value was 28,570 deaths in 2024.
- How does South Africa rank for number of infant deaths?
- South Africa ranks 31st out of 199 countries with data for 2024.
- Is number of infant deaths rising or falling in South Africa?
- Over the last ten years it is down 22.3%. The long-run trend across the full record is falling.
- Where does this South Africa data come from?
- The figures come from United Nations Inter-agency Group for Child Mortality Estimation (2025) – processed by Our World in Data, published as part of Number of infant deaths. Statizoid updates them automatically from the source API.
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About this data
Estimated number of deaths of children aged under 1 .