Number of maternal deaths, per square kilometre in South Africa
South Africa: Number of maternal deaths, per square kilometre was 0.0012 units per square kilometre in 2023. ▼ Falling
Number of maternal deaths, per square kilometre in South Africa, 1985–2023
Source: Statizoid (derived). Measured in units per square kilometre.
Analysis
In 2023, number of maternal deaths, per square kilometre in South Africa stood at 0.0012 units per square kilometre. That is the lowest value across all 39 years on record.
Compared with earlier readings it is down 6.7% on the previous year and down 36.4% over ten years.
Over the whole period, number of maternal deaths, per square kilometre in South Africa peaked at 0.0028 units per square kilometre in 2008 and was at its lowest, 0.0012 units per square kilometre, in 1994.
South Africa ranks 78th of 194 countries on this measure, in the middle of the range.
The long-run direction has been consistently falling across the 39 years of available data.
Number of maternal deaths, per square kilometre in South Africa, year by year
| Year | units per square kilometre | Change |
|---|---|---|
| 1985 | 0.0021 units per square kilometre | — |
| 1986 | 0.002 units per square kilometre | -4.0% |
| 1987 | 0.002 units per square kilometre | +0.0% |
| 1988 | 0.0019 units per square kilometre | -4.2% |
| 1989 | 0.0017 units per square kilometre | -8.7% |
| 1990 | 0.0016 units per square kilometre | -4.8% |
| 1991 | 0.0016 units per square kilometre | -5.0% |
| 1992 | 0.0014 units per square kilometre | -10.5% |
| 1993 | 0.0014 units per square kilometre | +0.0% |
| 1994 | 0.0012 units per square kilometre | -17.6% |
| 1995 | 0.0012 units per square kilometre | +0.0% |
| 1996 | 0.0014 units per square kilometre | +21.4% |
| 1997 | 0.0014 units per square kilometre | +0.0% |
| 1998 | 0.0013 units per square kilometre | -5.9% |
| 1999 | 0.0013 units per square kilometre | +0.0% |
| 2000 | 0.0015 units per square kilometre | +12.5% |
| 2001 | 0.0016 units per square kilometre | +5.6% |
| 2002 | 0.0019 units per square kilometre | +21.1% |
| 2003 | 0.0021 units per square kilometre | +8.7% |
| 2004 | 0.0023 units per square kilometre | +12.0% |
| 2005 | 0.0026 units per square kilometre | +10.7% |
| 2006 | 0.0027 units per square kilometre | +6.5% |
| 2007 | 0.0026 units per square kilometre | -3.0% |
| 2008 | 0.0028 units per square kilometre | +6.3% |
| 2009 | 0.0023 units per square kilometre | -17.6% |
| 2010 | 0.0021 units per square kilometre | -7.1% |
| 2011 | 0.002 units per square kilometre | -7.7% |
| 2012 | 0.0019 units per square kilometre | -4.2% |
| 2013 | 0.0018 units per square kilometre | -4.3% |
| 2014 | 0.0016 units per square kilometre | -9.1% |
| 2015 | 0.0015 units per square kilometre | -10.0% |
| 2016 | 0.0013 units per square kilometre | -11.1% |
| 2017 | 0.0012 units per square kilometre | -6.3% |
| 2018 | 0.0012 units per square kilometre | +0.0% |
| 2019 | 0.0012 units per square kilometre | -6.7% |
| 2020 | 0.0012 units per square kilometre | +0.0% |
| 2021 | 0.0019 units per square kilometre | +64.3% |
| 2022 | 0.0012 units per square kilometre | -34.8% |
| 2023 | 0.0012 units per square kilometre | -6.7% |
South Africa compared with similar countries
- South Africa's 0.0012 units per square kilometre is above the median for upper middle income countries, which is 0.0003 units per square kilometre, 3.9× the median. (58 countries reporting)
- South Africa's 0.0012 units per square kilometre is below the median for Sub-Saharan Africa, which is 0.0052 units per square kilometre, 22% of the median. (48 countries reporting)
Biggest year-on-year movements
Years where Number of maternal deaths, per square kilometre 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 | +64.3% | 0.0012 units per square kilometre | 0.0019 units per square kilometre |
Averages by decade
| Decade | Average | Lowest | Highest | Years |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1980s | 0.0019 units per square kilometre | 0.0017 units per square kilometre | 0.0021 units per square kilometre | 5 |
| 1990s | 0.0014 units per square kilometre | 0.0012 units per square kilometre | 0.0016 units per square kilometre | 10 |
| 2000s | 0.0022 units per square kilometre | 0.0015 units per square kilometre | 0.0028 units per square kilometre | 10 |
| 2010s | 0.0016 units per square kilometre | 0.0012 units per square kilometre | 0.0021 units per square kilometre | 10 |
| 2020s | 0.0014 units per square kilometre | 0.0012 units per square kilometre | 0.0019 units per square kilometre | 4 |
Countries ranked near South Africa
- 75 Saint Lucia 0.0016 units per square kilometre compare
- 76 Lebanon 0.0014 units per square kilometre compare
- 77 Congo 0.0013 units per square kilometre compare
- 79 Venezuela 0.0011 units per square kilometre compare
- 80 Papua New Guinea 0.0011 units per square kilometre compare
- 81 Morocco 0.001 units per square kilometre 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)
- 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 maternal deaths, per square kilometre in South Africa?
- Number of maternal deaths, per square kilometre in South Africa was 0.0012 units per square kilometre in 2023, according to Statizoid (derived).
- What is the highest number of maternal deaths, per square kilometre recorded in South Africa?
- The highest recorded value was 0.0028 units per square kilometre in 2008.
- What is the lowest number of maternal deaths, per square kilometre recorded in South Africa?
- The lowest recorded value was 0.0012 units per square kilometre in 1994.
- How does South Africa rank for number of maternal deaths, per square kilometre?
- South Africa ranks 78th out of 194 countries with data for 2023.
- Is number of maternal deaths, per square kilometre rising or falling in South Africa?
- Over the last ten years it is down 36.4%. The long-run trend across the full record is falling.
- Where does this South Africa data come from?
- The figures come from Statizoid (derived), published as part of Number of maternal deaths, per square kilometre. Statizoid updates them automatically from the source API.
Download this data
CSV · JSON — 39 observations, free to reuse under Derived by Statizoid from the sources named on the page.
How this figure is calculated
Number of maternal deaths divided by Land area (sq. km), matched on country and year. Neither publisher issues this ratio as a series; it is computed here from both.
Number of maternal deaths ÷ Land area (sq. km)
Computed from
- Number of maternal deaths Trends in Maternal Mortality, World Health Organization (WHO)
- Land area FAOSTAT, Food and Agriculture Organization of the United Nations (FAO)
Statizoid computes this series; the underlying measurements belong to the publishers named above. The arithmetic is applied to every country and year where both inputs report, and nothing is estimated unless the page says so.
About this data
Number of maternal deaths divided by Land area (sq. km), matched on country and year. Neither publisher issues this ratio as a series; it is computed here from both.