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

Latest (2023)
0.0012 units per square kilometre
Change on year
down 6.7%
World rank
78th
of 194 countries
All-time high
0.0028 units per square kilometre
in 2008
All-time low
0.0012 units per square kilometre
in 1994
Years of data
39
1985–2023

Number of maternal deaths, per square kilometre in South Africa, 1985–2023

00.0010.0020.0031985200420231985: 0.002 units per square kilometre1986: 0.002 units per square kilometre1987: 0.002 units per square kilometre1988: 0.002 units per square kilometre1989: 0.002 units per square kilometre1990: 0.002 units per square kilometre1991: 0.002 units per square kilometre1992: 0.001 units per square kilometre1993: 0.001 units per square kilometre1994: 0.001 units per square kilometre1995: 0.001 units per square kilometre1996: 0.001 units per square kilometre1997: 0.001 units per square kilometre1998: 0.001 units per square kilometre1999: 0.001 units per square kilometre2000: 0.001 units per square kilometre2001: 0.002 units per square kilometre2002: 0.002 units per square kilometre2003: 0.002 units per square kilometre2004: 0.002 units per square kilometre2005: 0.003 units per square kilometre2006: 0.003 units per square kilometre2007: 0.003 units per square kilometre2008: 0.003 units per square kilometre2009: 0.002 units per square kilometre2010: 0.002 units per square kilometre2011: 0.002 units per square kilometre2012: 0.002 units per square kilometre2013: 0.002 units per square kilometre2014: 0.002 units per square kilometre2015: 0.001 units per square kilometre2016: 0.001 units per square kilometre2017: 0.001 units per square kilometre2018: 0.001 units per square kilometre2019: 0.001 units per square kilometre2020: 0.001 units per square kilometre2021: 0.002 units per square kilometre2022: 0.001 units per square kilometre2023: 0.001 units per square kilometre

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

Annual values for Number of maternal deaths, per square kilometre in South Africa, 1985 to 2023.
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%

Averages by decade

DecadeAverage LowestHighest 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

  1. 75 Saint Lucia 0.0016 units per square kilometre compare
  2. 76 Lebanon 0.0014 units per square kilometre compare
  3. 77 Congo 0.0013 units per square kilometre compare
  4. 79 Venezuela, Bolivarian Republic of 0.0011 units per square kilometre compare
  5. 80 Papua New Guinea 0.0011 units per square kilometre compare
  6. 81 Morocco 0.001 units per square kilometre compare

See the full ranking of 241 places →

More health data for South Africa

All data for South Africa →

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.

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Number of maternal deaths, per square kilometre in South Africa. Statizoid, drawing on Statizoid (derived). Retrieved 09 September 2026, from https://health.statizoid.com/stat/number-of-maternal-deaths-per-square-kilometre/south-africa/

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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

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

Indicator
Number of maternal deaths, per square kilometre
Unit
units per square kilometre
Source
Statizoid (derived)
Licence
Derived by Statizoid from the sources named on the page
Coverage
241 places, 9,090 data points, 1985–2023
Last refreshed

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.