Male vs. female suicide rate in South Africa
South Africa: Male vs. female suicide rate was 0.5825 deaths per 100,000 population in 2020. ▲ Rising
Male vs. female suicide rate in South Africa, 1996–2020
Source: WHO Mortality Database (2025) – with minor processing by Our World in Data. Measured in deaths per 100,000 population.
Analysis
The most recent figure for male vs. female suicide rate in South Africa is 0.5825 deaths per 100,000 population, measured in 2020.
Compared with earlier readings it is down 53.0% on the previous year and down 55.2% over ten years.
Over the whole period, male vs. female suicide rate in South Africa peaked at 1.93 deaths per 100,000 population in 2006 and was at its lowest, 0.4655 deaths per 100,000 population, in 1997.
South Africa ranks 103rd of 111 countries on this measure, in the bottom quarter.
The long-run direction has been consistently rising across the 25 years of available data.
Male vs. female suicide rate in South Africa, year by year
| Year | deaths per 100,000 population | Change |
|---|---|---|
| 1996 | 0.6879 deaths per 100,000 population | — |
| 1997 | 0.4655 deaths per 100,000 population | -32.3% |
| 1998 | 0.7418 deaths per 100,000 population | +59.3% |
| 1999 | 1.14 deaths per 100,000 population | +53.7% |
| 2000 | 1.09 deaths per 100,000 population | -4.1% |
| 2001 | 1.51 deaths per 100,000 population | +37.8% |
| 2002 | 0.8969 deaths per 100,000 population | -40.5% |
| 2003 | 0.9378 deaths per 100,000 population | +4.6% |
| 2004 | 1.39 deaths per 100,000 population | +48.0% |
| 2005 | 1.68 deaths per 100,000 population | +21.3% |
| 2006 | 1.93 deaths per 100,000 population | +14.8% |
| 2007 | 1.33 deaths per 100,000 population | -31.1% |
| 2008 | 1.65 deaths per 100,000 population | +23.8% |
| 2009 | 1.19 deaths per 100,000 population | -28.0% |
| 2010 | 1.3 deaths per 100,000 population | +9.7% |
| 2011 | 1.12 deaths per 100,000 population | -13.9% |
| 2012 | 1.47 deaths per 100,000 population | +31.6% |
| 2013 | 1.82 deaths per 100,000 population | +23.2% |
| 2014 | 1.72 deaths per 100,000 population | -5.5% |
| 2015 | 1.46 deaths per 100,000 population | -15.0% |
| 2016 | 1.28 deaths per 100,000 population | -12.0% |
| 2017 | 1.02 deaths per 100,000 population | -20.6% |
| 2018 | 0.814 deaths per 100,000 population | -20.2% |
| 2019 | 1.24 deaths per 100,000 population | +52.1% |
| 2020 | 0.5825 deaths per 100,000 population | -53.0% |
Averages by decade
| Decade | Average | Lowest | Highest | Years |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1990s | 0.7589 deaths per 100,000 population | 0.4655 deaths per 100,000 population | 1.14 deaths per 100,000 population | 4 |
| 2000s | 1.36 deaths per 100,000 population | 0.8969 deaths per 100,000 population | 1.93 deaths per 100,000 population | 10 |
| 2010s | 1.32 deaths per 100,000 population | 0.814 deaths per 100,000 population | 1.82 deaths per 100,000 population | 10 |
| 2020s | 0.5825 deaths per 100,000 population | 0.5825 deaths per 100,000 population | 0.5825 deaths per 100,000 population | 1 |
Countries ranked near South Africa
- 100 Bahamas 1.15 deaths per 100,000 population compare
- 101 Azerbaijan 1.06 deaths per 100,000 population compare
- 102 Bahrain 0.803 deaths per 100,000 population compare
- 104 Jamaica 0.4345 deaths per 100,000 population compare
- 105 Syrian Arab Republic 0.2686 deaths per 100,000 population compare
- 106 Jordan 0.1947 deaths per 100,000 population compare
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 50-54, male, annual growth rate 2.38 % change on previous year (2025)
- Population ages 50-54, male, per unit of GDP 0 units per US$ of GDP (2025)
- Population ages 50-54, male, per capita 0.0221 units per person (2025)
- Population ages 55-59, female, annual growth rate 0.8639 % change on previous year (2025)
- Population ages 55-59, female, per unit of GDP 0 units per US$ of GDP (2025)
- Population ages 55-59, female, per capita 0.0217 units per person (2025)
Frequently asked questions
- What is male vs. female suicide rate in South Africa?
- Male vs. female suicide rate in South Africa was 0.5825 deaths per 100,000 population in 2020, according to WHO Mortality Database (2025) – with minor processing by Our World in Data.
- What is the highest male vs. female suicide rate recorded in South Africa?
- The highest recorded value was 1.93 deaths per 100,000 population in 2006.
- What is the lowest male vs. female suicide rate recorded in South Africa?
- The lowest recorded value was 0.4655 deaths per 100,000 population in 1997.
- How does South Africa rank for male vs. female suicide rate?
- South Africa ranks 103rd out of 111 countries with data for 2020.
- Is male vs. female suicide rate rising or falling in South Africa?
- Over the last ten years it is down 55.2%. The long-run trend across the full record is rising.
- Where does this South Africa data come from?
- The figures come from WHO Mortality Database (2025) – with minor processing by Our World in Data, published as part of Male vs. female suicide rate. Statizoid updates them automatically from the source API.
Download this data
CSV · JSON — 25 observations, free to reuse under CC BY 4.0 (Our World in Data).
About this data
Reported annual death rate from self-inflicted injuries per 100,000 people, based on the underlying cause listed on death certificates. To allow for comparisons between countries and over time, this metric is age-standardized.