Number of neonatal deaths in South Africa
South Africa: Number of neonatal deaths was 21,448 deaths in 2019. ▲ Rising
Latest (2019)
21,448 deaths
Change on year
down 2.5%
World rank
27th
of 204 countries
All-time high
33,362 deaths
in 2005
All-time low
21,448 deaths
in 2019
Years of data
70
1950–2019
Number of neonatal deaths in South Africa, 1950–2019
Source: IHME, Global Burden of Disease (2020) – processed by Our World in Data. Measured in deaths.
Analysis
South Africa recorded 21,448 deaths for number of neonatal deaths in 2019. That is the lowest value across all 70 years on record.
Compared with earlier readings it is down 2.5% on the previous year and down 29.5% over ten years.
Over the whole period, number of neonatal deaths in South Africa peaked at 33,362 deaths in 2005 and was at its lowest, 21,448 deaths, in 2019.
That places South Africa 27th out of 204 countries with data for 2019, putting it in the top quarter.
The long-run direction has been consistently rising across the 70 years of available data.
Number of neonatal deaths in South Africa, year by year
| Year | deaths | Change |
|---|---|---|
| 1950 | 23,786 deaths | — |
| 1951 | 24,009 deaths | +0.9% |
| 1952 | 24,246 deaths | +1.0% |
| 1953 | 24,498 deaths | +1.0% |
| 1954 | 24,766 deaths | +1.1% |
| 1955 | 25,050 deaths | +1.1% |
| 1956 | 25,298 deaths | +1.0% |
| 1957 | 25,643 deaths | +1.4% |
| 1958 | 26,035 deaths | +1.5% |
| 1959 | 26,402 deaths | +1.4% |
| 1960 | 26,732 deaths | +1.2% |
| 1961 | 27,012 deaths | +1.0% |
| 1962 | 27,310 deaths | +1.1% |
| 1963 | 27,636 deaths | +1.2% |
| 1964 | 27,866 deaths | +0.8% |
| 1965 | 28,143 deaths | +1.0% |
| 1966 | 28,372 deaths | +0.8% |
| 1967 | 28,568 deaths | +0.7% |
| 1968 | 28,775 deaths | +0.7% |
| 1969 | 28,955 deaths | +0.6% |
| 1970 | 29,179 deaths | +0.8% |
| 1971 | 29,419 deaths | +0.8% |
| 1972 | 29,657 deaths | +0.8% |
| 1973 | 29,872 deaths | +0.7% |
| 1974 | 29,879 deaths | +0.0% |
| 1975 | 29,852 deaths | -0.1% |
| 1976 | 29,873 deaths | +0.1% |
| 1977 | 29,914 deaths | +0.1% |
| 1978 | 29,867 deaths | -0.2% |
| 1979 | 29,774 deaths | -0.3% |
| 1980 | 29,611 deaths | -0.5% |
| 1981 | 29,368 deaths | -0.8% |
| 1982 | 29,112 deaths | -0.9% |
| 1983 | 28,829 deaths | -1.0% |
| 1984 | 28,443 deaths | -1.3% |
| 1985 | 28,084 deaths | -1.3% |
| 1986 | 27,655 deaths | -1.5% |
| 1987 | 27,192 deaths | -1.7% |
| 1988 | 26,712 deaths | -1.8% |
| 1989 | 26,269 deaths | -1.7% |
| 1990 | 25,928 deaths | -1.3% |
| 1991 | 25,810 deaths | -0.5% |
| 1992 | 25,845 deaths | +0.1% |
| 1993 | 25,906 deaths | +0.2% |
| 1994 | 26,136 deaths | +0.9% |
| 1995 | 26,523 deaths | +1.5% |
| 1996 | 27,027 deaths | +1.9% |
| 1997 | 27,670 deaths | +2.4% |
| 1998 | 28,626 deaths | +3.5% |
| 1999 | 29,404 deaths | +2.7% |
| 2000 | 30,271 deaths | +2.9% |
| 2001 | 31,065 deaths | +2.6% |
| 2002 | 31,928 deaths | +2.8% |
| 2003 | 32,576 deaths | +2.0% |
| 2004 | 33,050 deaths | +1.5% |
| 2005 | 33,362 deaths | +0.9% |
| 2006 | 33,055 deaths | -0.9% |
| 2007 | 32,629 deaths | -1.3% |
| 2008 | 32,103 deaths | -1.6% |
| 2009 | 30,437 deaths | -5.2% |
| 2010 | 28,912 deaths | -5.0% |
| 2011 | 28,173 deaths | -2.6% |
| 2012 | 27,517 deaths | -2.3% |
| 2013 | 26,806 deaths | -2.6% |
| 2014 | 26,532 deaths | -1.0% |
| 2015 | 25,326 deaths | -4.5% |
| 2016 | 23,797 deaths | -6.0% |
| 2017 | 22,910 deaths | -3.7% |
| 2018 | 22,002 deaths | -4.0% |
| 2019 | 21,448 deaths | -2.5% |
Averages by decade
| Decade | Average | Lowest | Highest | Years |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1950s | 24,973 deaths | 23,786 deaths | 26,402 deaths | 10 |
| 1960s | 27,937 deaths | 26,732 deaths | 28,955 deaths | 10 |
| 1970s | 29,729 deaths | 29,179 deaths | 29,914 deaths | 10 |
| 1980s | 28,128 deaths | 26,269 deaths | 29,611 deaths | 10 |
| 1990s | 26,888 deaths | 25,810 deaths | 29,404 deaths | 10 |
| 2000s | 32,048 deaths | 30,271 deaths | 33,362 deaths | 10 |
| 2010s | 25,342 deaths | 21,448 deaths | 28,912 deaths | 10 |
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 40-44, male, annual growth rate 3.07 % change on previous year (2025)
- Population ages 40-44, male, per unit of GDP 0 units per US$ of GDP (2025)
- Population ages 40-44, male, per capita 0.0371 units per person (2025)
- Population ages 45-49, female, annual growth rate 4.05 % change on previous year (2025)
- Population ages 45-49, female, per unit of GDP 0 units per US$ of GDP (2025)
- Population ages 45-49, female, per capita 0.0295 units per person (2025)
Frequently asked questions
- What is number of neonatal deaths in South Africa?
- Number of neonatal deaths in South Africa was 21,448 deaths in 2019, according to IHME, Global Burden of Disease (2020) – processed by Our World in Data.
- What is the highest number of neonatal deaths recorded in South Africa?
- The highest recorded value was 33,362 deaths in 2005.
- What is the lowest number of neonatal deaths recorded in South Africa?
- The lowest recorded value was 21,448 deaths in 2019.
- How does South Africa rank for number of neonatal deaths?
- South Africa ranks 27th out of 204 countries with data for 2019.
- Is number of neonatal deaths rising or falling in South Africa?
- Over the last ten years it is down 29.5%. The long-run trend across the full record is rising.
- Where does this South Africa data come from?
- The figures come from IHME, Global Burden of Disease (2020) – processed by Our World in Data, published as part of Number of neonatal deaths. Statizoid updates them automatically from the source API.
Download this data
CSV · JSON — 70 observations, free to reuse under CC BY 4.0 (Our World in Data).
About this data
Deaths in children aged 0-27 days.