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Suicide mortality rate in South Africa

South Africa: Suicide mortality rate was 22.3 per 100,000 population in 2021. ▲ Rising

Latest (2021)
22.3 per 100,000 population
Change on year
up 5.7%
World rank
6th
of 185 countries
All-time high
22.3 per 100,000 population
in 2021
All-time low
13.13 per 100,000 population
in 2000
Years of data
22
2000–2021

Suicide mortality rate in South Africa, 2000–2021

051015202000201020212000: 13.1 per 100,000 population2001: 13.2 per 100,000 population2002: 14.6 per 100,000 population2003: 15.8 per 100,000 population2004: 16.1 per 100,000 population2005: 15.6 per 100,000 population2006: 16.1 per 100,000 population2007: 16 per 100,000 population2008: 16.8 per 100,000 population2009: 16.4 per 100,000 population2010: 18.8 per 100,000 population2011: 17.3 per 100,000 population2012: 18.2 per 100,000 population2013: 18.7 per 100,000 population2014: 20.1 per 100,000 population2015: 20.7 per 100,000 population2016: 19.6 per 100,000 population2017: 18.2 per 100,000 population2018: 19.1 per 100,000 population2019: 20.1 per 100,000 population2020: 21.1 per 100,000 population2021: 22.3 per 100,000 population

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

Analysis

South Africa recorded 22.3 per 100,000 population for suicide mortality rate in 2021. That is the highest value across all 22 years on record.

The figure is up 5.7% on the previous year and up 29.0% over ten years.

Over the whole period, suicide mortality rate in South Africa peaked at 22.3 per 100,000 population in 2021 and was at its lowest, 13.13 per 100,000 population, in 2000.

South Africa ranks 6th of 185 countries on this measure, in the top 10%.

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

Suicide mortality rate in South Africa, year by year

Year per 100,000 population Change
2000 13.13 per 100,000 population —
2001 13.25 per 100,000 population +0.9%
2002 14.6 per 100,000 population +10.2%
2003 15.76 per 100,000 population +7.9%
2004 16.07 per 100,000 population +2.0%
2005 15.64 per 100,000 population -2.7%
2006 16.1 per 100,000 population +2.9%
2007 15.96 per 100,000 population -0.9%
2008 16.84 per 100,000 population +5.5%
2009 16.41 per 100,000 population -2.6%
2010 18.78 per 100,000 population +14.4%
2011 17.29 per 100,000 population -7.9%
2012 18.18 per 100,000 population +5.1%
2013 18.7 per 100,000 population +2.9%
2014 20.07 per 100,000 population +7.3%
2015 20.74 per 100,000 population +3.3%
2016 19.58 per 100,000 population -5.6%
2017 18.19 per 100,000 population -7.1%
2018 19.15 per 100,000 population +5.3%
2019 20.14 per 100,000 population +5.2%
2020 21.1 per 100,000 population +4.8%
2021 22.3 per 100,000 population +5.7%

Averages by decade

DecadeAverage LowestHighest Years
2000s 15.38 per 100,000 population 13.13 per 100,000 population 16.84 per 100,000 population 10
2010s 19.08 per 100,000 population 17.29 per 100,000 population 20.74 per 100,000 population 10
2020s 21.7 per 100,000 population 21.1 per 100,000 population 22.3 per 100,000 population 2

Countries ranked near South Africa

  1. 3 Eswatini 27.23 per 100,000 population compare
  2. 4 Guyana 24.78 per 100,000 population compare
  3. 5 Uruguay 24.75 per 100,000 population compare
  4. 7 Suriname 22.26 per 100,000 population compare
  5. 8 Lithuania 22.12 per 100,000 population compare
  6. 9 Russian Federation 21.37 per 100,000 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 in South Africa?
Suicide mortality rate in South Africa was 22.3 per 100,000 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 recorded in South Africa?
The highest recorded value was 22.3 per 100,000 population in 2021.
What is the lowest suicide mortality rate recorded in South Africa?
The lowest recorded value was 13.13 per 100,000 population in 2000.
How does South Africa rank for suicide mortality rate?
South Africa ranks 6th out of 185 countries with data for 2021.
Is suicide mortality rate rising or falling in South Africa?
Over the last ten years it is up 29.0%. 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 (per 100,000 population). Statizoid updates them automatically from the source API.

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Suicide mortality rate in South Africa. Statizoid, drawing on World Health Organization, Global Health Observatory Data Repository (http://apps.who.int/ghodata/)., World Health Organization (WHO). Retrieved 31 August 2026, from https://health.statizoid.com/stat/suicide-mortality-rate-per-100-000-population/south-africa/

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About this data

Indicator
Suicide mortality rate (per 100,000 population)
Unit
per 100,000 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).