Suicide mortality rate, male in South Africa

South Africa: Suicide mortality rate, male was 35.4 per 100,000 male population in 2021. ▲ Rising

Latest (2021)
35.4 per 100,000 male population
Change on year
up 4.0%
World rank
9th
of 185 countries
All-time high
35.4 per 100,000 male population
in 2021
All-time low
21.33 per 100,000 male population
in 2000
Years of data
22
2000–2021

Suicide mortality rate, male in South Africa, 2000–2021

0102030402000201020212000: 21.3 per 100,000 male population2001: 21.6 per 100,000 male population2002: 23.4 per 100,000 male population2003: 24.4 per 100,000 male population2004: 25.2 per 100,000 male population2005: 25 per 100,000 male population2006: 25.6 per 100,000 male population2007: 24.6 per 100,000 male population2008: 24.2 per 100,000 male population2009: 23.2 per 100,000 male population2010: 25.7 per 100,000 male population2011: 23.9 per 100,000 male population2012: 27 per 100,000 male population2013: 28.6 per 100,000 male population2014: 31.4 per 100,000 male population2015: 33.1 per 100,000 male population2016: 31.4 per 100,000 male population2017: 29.1 per 100,000 male population2018: 30.9 per 100,000 male population2019: 32.6 per 100,000 male population2020: 34 per 100,000 male population2021: 35.4 per 100,000 male population

Source: World Health Organization, Global Health Observatory Data Repository (http://apps.who.int/ghodata/)., World Health Organization (WHO). Measured in per 100,000 male population.

Analysis

The most recent figure for suicide mortality rate, male in South Africa is 35.4 per 100,000 male population, measured in 2021. That is the highest value across all 22 years on record.

Compared with earlier readings it is up 4.0% on the previous year and up 48.1% over ten years.

Over the whole period, suicide mortality rate, male in South Africa peaked at 35.4 per 100,000 male population in 2021 and was at its lowest, 21.33 per 100,000 male population, in 2000.

That places South Africa 9th out of 185 countries with data for 2021, putting it in the top 10%.

The long-run direction has been consistently rising across the 22 years of available data.

Suicide mortality rate, male in South Africa, year by year

Annual values for Suicide mortality rate, male (per 100,000 male population) in South Africa, 2000 to 2021.
Year per 100,000 male population Change
2000 21.33 per 100,000 male population
2001 21.64 per 100,000 male population +1.5%
2002 23.4 per 100,000 male population +8.1%
2003 24.37 per 100,000 male population +4.1%
2004 25.25 per 100,000 male population +3.6%
2005 25.04 per 100,000 male population -0.8%
2006 25.65 per 100,000 male population +2.4%
2007 24.63 per 100,000 male population -4.0%
2008 24.17 per 100,000 male population -1.9%
2009 23.18 per 100,000 male population -4.1%
2010 25.69 per 100,000 male population +10.8%
2011 23.91 per 100,000 male population -6.9%
2012 26.99 per 100,000 male population +12.9%
2013 28.61 per 100,000 male population +6.0%
2014 31.43 per 100,000 male population +9.9%
2015 33.08 per 100,000 male population +5.2%
2016 31.36 per 100,000 male population -5.2%
2017 29.11 per 100,000 male population -7.2%
2018 30.94 per 100,000 male population +6.3%
2019 32.65 per 100,000 male population +5.5%
2020 34.03 per 100,000 male population +4.2%
2021 35.4 per 100,000 male population +4.0%

Averages by decade

DecadeAverage LowestHighest Years
2000s 23.87 per 100,000 male population 21.33 per 100,000 male population 25.65 per 100,000 male population 10
2010s 29.38 per 100,000 male population 23.91 per 100,000 male population 33.08 per 100,000 male population 10
2020s 34.72 per 100,000 male population 34.03 per 100,000 male population 35.4 per 100,000 male population 2

Countries ranked near South Africa

  1. 6 Ukraine 37.65 per 100,000 male population compare
  2. 7 Lithuania 36.73 per 100,000 male population compare
  3. 8 Russian Federation 36.68 per 100,000 male population compare
  4. 10 Mongolia 32.16 per 100,000 male population compare
  5. 11 Micronesia, Federated States of 31.06 per 100,000 male population compare
  6. 12 Kiribati 31 per 100,000 male population compare

See the full ranking of 232 places →

More health data for South Africa

All data for South Africa →

Frequently asked questions

What is suicide mortality rate, male in South Africa?
Suicide mortality rate, male in South Africa was 35.4 per 100,000 male population in 2021, according to World Health Organization, Global Health Observatory Data Repository (http://apps.who.int/ghodata/)., World Health Organization (WHO).
What is the highest suicide mortality rate, male recorded in South Africa?
The highest recorded value was 35.4 per 100,000 male population in 2021.
What is the lowest suicide mortality rate, male recorded in South Africa?
The lowest recorded value was 21.33 per 100,000 male population in 2000.
How does South Africa rank for suicide mortality rate, male?
South Africa ranks 9th out of 185 countries with data for 2021.
Is suicide mortality rate, male rising or falling in South Africa?
Over the last ten years it is up 48.1%. 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, Global Health Observatory Data Repository (http://apps.who.int/ghodata/)., World Health Organization (WHO), published as part of Suicide mortality rate, male (per 100,000 male population). Statizoid updates them automatically from the source API.

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Suicide mortality rate, male in South Africa. Statizoid, drawing on World Health Organization, Global Health Observatory Data Repository (http://apps.who.int/ghodata/)., World Health Organization (WHO). Retrieved 10 September 2026, from https://health.statizoid.com/stat/suicide-mortality-rate-male-per-100-000-male-population/south-africa/

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About this data

Indicator
Suicide mortality rate, male (per 100,000 male population)
Unit
per 100,000 male population
Source
World Health Organization, Global Health Observatory Data Repository (http://apps.who.int/ghodata/)., World Health Organization (WHO)
Licence
CC BY 4.0 (World Bank Open Data)
Coverage
232 places, 5,104 data points, 2000–2021
Last refreshed

Suicide mortality rate is the number of suicide deaths in a year per 100,000 population. Crude suicide rate (not age-adjusted).