People living with HIV/AIDS, total in South Africa

South Africa: People living with HIV/AIDS, total was 5.40 million low estimate in 2009. ◆ Volatile

Latest (2009)
5.40 million low estimate
Change on year
up 1.9%
World rank
1st
of 48 countries
All-time high
5.40 million low estimate
in 2009
All-time low
120,000 low estimate
in 1990
Years of data
20
1990–2009

People living with HIV/AIDS, total in South Africa, 1990–2009

02.0M4.0M6.0M1990199920091990: 120.0k low estimate1991: 200.0k low estimate1992: 340.0k low estimate1993: 560.0k low estimate1994: 880.0k low estimate1995: 1.3M low estimate1996: 1.9M low estimate1997: 2.5M low estimate1998: 3.1M low estimate1999: 3.6M low estimate2000: 4.1M low estimate2001: 4.5M low estimate2002: 4.7M low estimate2003: 4.9M low estimate2004: 5.1M low estimate2005: 5.2M low estimate2006: 5.2M low estimate2007: 5.3M low estimate2008: 5.3M low estimate2009: 5.4M low estimate

Source: UNAIDS and the WHO's Report on the Global AIDS Epidemic. Measured in low estimate.

Analysis

South Africa recorded 5.40 million low estimate for people living with hiv/aids, total in 2009. That is the highest value across all 20 years on record.

That represents a change of up 1.9% on the previous year and up 50.0% over ten years.

Over the whole period, people living with hiv/aids, total in South Africa peaked at 5.40 million low estimate in 2009 and was at its lowest, 120,000 low estimate, in 1990.

South Africa ranks 1st of 48 countries on this measure, in the top 10%.

The series is highly variable year to year, so single readings are best treated with caution.

People living with HIV/AIDS, total in South Africa, year by year

Annual values for People living with HIV/AIDS, total (low estimate) in South Africa, 1990 to 2009.
Year low estimate Change
1990 120,000 low estimate
1991 200,000 low estimate +66.7%
1992 340,000 low estimate +70.0%
1993 560,000 low estimate +64.7%
1994 880,000 low estimate +57.1%
1995 1.30 million low estimate +47.7%
1996 1.90 million low estimate +46.2%
1997 2.50 million low estimate +31.6%
1998 3.10 million low estimate +24.0%
1999 3.60 million low estimate +16.1%
2000 4.10 million low estimate +13.9%
2001 4.50 million low estimate +9.8%
2002 4.70 million low estimate +4.4%
2003 4.90 million low estimate +4.3%
2004 5.10 million low estimate +4.1%
2005 5.20 million low estimate +2.0%
2006 5.20 million low estimate +0.0%
2007 5.30 million low estimate +1.9%
2008 5.30 million low estimate +0.0%
2009 5.40 million low estimate +1.9%

Averages by decade

DecadeAverage LowestHighest Years
1990s 1.45 million low estimate 120,000 low estimate 3.60 million low estimate 10
2000s 4.97 million low estimate 4.10 million low estimate 5.40 million low estimate 10

Countries ranked near South Africa

  1. 2 Nigeria 2.90 million low estimate compare
  2. 3 Kenya 1.30 million low estimate compare
  3. 3 Tanzania, United Republic of 1.30 million low estimate compare

See the full ranking of 54 places →

More health data for South Africa

All data for South Africa →

Frequently asked questions

What is people living with hiv/aids, total in South Africa?
People living with hiv/aids, total in South Africa was 5.40 million low estimate in 2009, according to UNAIDS and the WHO's Report on the Global AIDS Epidemic.
What is the highest people living with hiv/aids, total recorded in South Africa?
The highest recorded value was 5.40 million low estimate in 2009.
What is the lowest people living with hiv/aids, total recorded in South Africa?
The lowest recorded value was 120,000 low estimate in 1990.
How does South Africa rank for people living with hiv/aids, total?
South Africa ranks 1st out of 48 countries with data for 2009.
Is people living with hiv/aids, total rising or falling in South Africa?
Over the last ten years it is up 50.0%. The long-run trend across the full record is volatile.
Where does this South Africa data come from?
The figures come from UNAIDS and the WHO's Report on the Global AIDS Epidemic, published as part of People living with HIV/AIDS, total (low estimate). Statizoid updates them automatically from the source API.

Download this data

CSV · JSON — 20 observations, free to reuse under CC BY 4.0 (World Bank Open Data).

Share, cite or embed this page

Cite this page

People living with HIV/AIDS, total in South Africa. Statizoid, drawing on UNAIDS and the WHO's Report on the Global AIDS Epidemic. Retrieved 06 September 2026, from https://health.statizoid.com/stat/people-living-with-hiv-aids-total-low-estimate/south-africa/

Embed or link this data

Paste this into a page to link back to these figures. The data itself is free to reuse under CC BY 4.0 (World Bank Open Data); please keep the attribution.

<a href="https://health.statizoid.com/stat/people-living-with-hiv-aids-total-low-estimate/south-africa/">People living with HIV/AIDS, total in South Africa</a> — Statizoid

About this data

Indicator
People living with HIV/AIDS, total (low estimate)
Unit
low estimate
Source
UNAIDS and the WHO's Report on the Global AIDS Epidemic
Licence
CC BY 4.0 (World Bank Open Data)
Coverage
54 places, 1,080 data points, 1990–2009
Last refreshed

Estimated total number of people with HIV/AIDS is the number of people living with HIV. Depending on the reliability of the data available, there may be more or less uncertainty surrounding each estimate.