Prevalence of hypertension, male in South Africa

South Africa: Prevalence of hypertension, male was 43.8% in 2019. ▲ Rising

Latest (2019)
43.8%
Change on year
unchanged
World rank
44th
of 192 countries
All-time high
43.8%
in 2013
All-time low
33.9%
in 1990
Years of data
30
1990–2019

Prevalence of hypertension, male in South Africa, 1990–2019

0102030401990200420191990: 33.9 % of male adults ages 30-791991: 34.2 % of male adults ages 30-791992: 34.5 % of male adults ages 30-791993: 34.8 % of male adults ages 30-791994: 35.1 % of male adults ages 30-791995: 35.4 % of male adults ages 30-791996: 35.7 % of male adults ages 30-791997: 36.1 % of male adults ages 30-791998: 36.5 % of male adults ages 30-791999: 37 % of male adults ages 30-792000: 37.6 % of male adults ages 30-792001: 38.2 % of male adults ages 30-792002: 38.8 % of male adults ages 30-792003: 39.5 % of male adults ages 30-792004: 40.2 % of male adults ages 30-792005: 41 % of male adults ages 30-792006: 41.6 % of male adults ages 30-792007: 42.3 % of male adults ages 30-792008: 42.8 % of male adults ages 30-792009: 43.2 % of male adults ages 30-792010: 43.4 % of male adults ages 30-792011: 43.6 % of male adults ages 30-792012: 43.7 % of male adults ages 30-792013: 43.8 % of male adults ages 30-792014: 43.8 % of male adults ages 30-792015: 43.8 % of male adults ages 30-792016: 43.8 % of male adults ages 30-792017: 43.8 % of male adults ages 30-792018: 43.8 % of male adults ages 30-792019: 43.8 % of male adults ages 30-79

Source: World Health Organization's Global Health Observatory Data Repository. Measured in % of male adults ages 30-79.

Analysis

South Africa recorded 43.8% for prevalence of hypertension, male in 2019. That is the highest value across all 30 years on record.

Compared with earlier readings it is up 1.4% over ten years.

Over the whole period, prevalence of hypertension, male in South Africa peaked at 43.8% in 2013 and was at its lowest, 33.9%, in 1990.

South Africa ranks 44th of 192 countries on this measure, in the top quarter.

The long-run direction has been consistently rising across the 30 years of available data.

Prevalence of hypertension, male in South Africa, year by year

Annual values for Prevalence of hypertension, male (% of male adults ages 30-79) in South Africa, 1990 to 2019.
Year % of male adults ages 30-79 Change
1990 33.9%
1991 34.2% +0.9%
1992 34.5% +0.9%
1993 34.8% +0.9%
1994 35.1% +0.9%
1995 35.4% +0.9%
1996 35.7% +0.8%
1997 36.1% +1.1%
1998 36.5% +1.1%
1999 37.0% +1.4%
2000 37.6% +1.6%
2001 38.2% +1.6%
2002 38.8% +1.6%
2003 39.5% +1.8%
2004 40.2% +1.8%
2005 41.0% +2.0%
2006 41.6% +1.5%
2007 42.3% +1.7%
2008 42.8% +1.2%
2009 43.2% +0.9%
2010 43.4% +0.5%
2011 43.6% +0.5%
2012 43.7% +0.2%
2013 43.8% +0.2%
2014 43.8% +0.0%
2015 43.8% +0.0%
2016 43.8% +0.0%
2017 43.8% +0.0%
2018 43.8% +0.0%
2019 43.8% +0.0%

South Africa compared with similar countries

  • South Africa's 43.8% is above the median for upper middle income countries, which is 39.6%, 1.1× the median. (58 countries reporting)
  • South Africa's 43.8% is above the median for Sub-Saharan Africa, which is 34.8%, 1.3× the median. (48 countries reporting)

Averages by decade

DecadeAverage LowestHighest Years
1990s 35.3% 33.9% 37.0% 10
2000s 40.5% 37.6% 43.2% 10
2010s 43.7% 43.4% 43.8% 10

Countries ranked near South Africa

  1. 41 Jamaica 44.5% compare
  2. 41 Ukraine 44.5% compare
  3. 43 United Arab Emirates 43.9% compare
  4. 45 Nauru 43.7% compare
  5. 46 Bhutan 43.6% compare
  6. 47 Kuwait 43.5% compare

See the full ranking of 235 places →

More health data for South Africa

All data for South Africa →

Frequently asked questions

What is prevalence of hypertension, male in South Africa?
Prevalence of hypertension, male in South Africa was 43.8% in 2019, according to World Health Organization's Global Health Observatory Data Repository.
What is the highest prevalence of hypertension, male recorded in South Africa?
The highest recorded value was 43.8% in 2013.
What is the lowest prevalence of hypertension, male recorded in South Africa?
The lowest recorded value was 33.9% in 1990.
How does South Africa rank for prevalence of hypertension, male?
South Africa ranks 44th out of 192 countries with data for 2019.
Is prevalence of hypertension, male rising or falling in South Africa?
Over the last ten years it is up 1.4%. The long-run trend across the full record is rising.
Where does this South Africa data come from?
The figures come from World Health Organization's Global Health Observatory Data Repository, published as part of Prevalence of hypertension, male (% of male adults ages 30-79). Statizoid updates them automatically from the source API.

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Prevalence of hypertension, male in South Africa. Statizoid, drawing on World Health Organization's Global Health Observatory Data Repository. Retrieved 18 September 2026, from https://health.statizoid.com/stat/prevalence-of-hypertension-male-percent-of-male-adults-ages-30-79/south-africa/

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About this data

Indicator
Prevalence of hypertension, male (% of male adults ages 30-79)
Unit
% of male adults ages 30-79
Source
World Health Organization's Global Health Observatory Data Repository
Licence
CC BY 4.0 (World Bank Open Data)
Coverage
235 places, 7,050 data points, 1990–2019
Last refreshed

Prevalence of hypertension, male, is the percentage of male adults ages 30-79 with hypertension (defined as having systolic blood pressure =140 mmHg, diastolic blood pressure =90 mmHg, or taking medication for hypertension). The data is age-standardized.