Unintentional injuries death rate by age group in South Africa
South Africa: Unintentional injuries death rate by age group was 57.54 deaths per 100,000 people in 2020. ▲ Rising
Latest (2020)
57.54 deaths per 100,000 people
Change on year
down 13.9%
World rank
5th
of 111 countries
All-time high
103.27 deaths per 100,000 people
in 2008
All-time low
4.04 deaths per 100,000 people
in 1996
Years of data
25
1996–2020
Unintentional injuries death rate by age group in South Africa, 1996–2020
Source: WHO Mortality Database (2025) – with minor processing by Our World in Data. Measured in deaths per 100,000 people.
Analysis
The most recent figure for unintentional injuries death rate by age group in South Africa is 57.54 deaths per 100,000 people, measured in 2020.
That represents a change of down 13.9% on the previous year and down 26.1% over ten years.
Over the whole period, unintentional injuries death rate by age group in South Africa peaked at 103.27 deaths per 100,000 people in 2008 and was at its lowest, 4.04 deaths per 100,000 people, in 1996.
That places South Africa 5th out of 111 countries with data for 2020, putting it in the top 10%.
The long-run direction has been consistently rising across the 25 years of available data.
Unintentional injuries death rate by age group in South Africa, year by year
| Year | deaths per 100,000 people | Change |
|---|---|---|
| 1996 | 4.04 deaths per 100,000 people | — |
| 1997 | 35.91 deaths per 100,000 people | +788.8% |
| 1998 | 43.86 deaths per 100,000 people | +22.1% |
| 1999 | 51.14 deaths per 100,000 people | +16.6% |
| 2000 | 38.95 deaths per 100,000 people | -23.8% |
| 2001 | 47.51 deaths per 100,000 people | +22.0% |
| 2002 | 29.48 deaths per 100,000 people | -38.0% |
| 2003 | 49.79 deaths per 100,000 people | +68.9% |
| 2004 | 58.71 deaths per 100,000 people | +17.9% |
| 2005 | 67.3 deaths per 100,000 people | +14.6% |
| 2006 | 85.84 deaths per 100,000 people | +27.6% |
| 2007 | 81.3 deaths per 100,000 people | -5.3% |
| 2008 | 103.27 deaths per 100,000 people | +27.0% |
| 2009 | 82.11 deaths per 100,000 people | -20.5% |
| 2010 | 77.82 deaths per 100,000 people | -5.2% |
| 2011 | 71.28 deaths per 100,000 people | -8.4% |
| 2012 | 78.63 deaths per 100,000 people | +10.3% |
| 2013 | 68.69 deaths per 100,000 people | -12.6% |
| 2014 | 71.57 deaths per 100,000 people | +4.2% |
| 2015 | 78.93 deaths per 100,000 people | +10.3% |
| 2016 | 74.05 deaths per 100,000 people | -6.2% |
| 2017 | 58.44 deaths per 100,000 people | -21.1% |
| 2018 | 63.46 deaths per 100,000 people | +8.6% |
| 2019 | 66.83 deaths per 100,000 people | +5.3% |
| 2020 | 57.54 deaths per 100,000 people | -13.9% |
Averages by decade
| Decade | Average | Lowest | Highest | Years |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1990s | 33.74 deaths per 100,000 people | 4.04 deaths per 100,000 people | 51.14 deaths per 100,000 people | 4 |
| 2000s | 64.43 deaths per 100,000 people | 29.48 deaths per 100,000 people | 103.27 deaths per 100,000 people | 10 |
| 2010s | 70.97 deaths per 100,000 people | 58.44 deaths per 100,000 people | 78.93 deaths per 100,000 people | 10 |
| 2020s | 57.54 deaths per 100,000 people | 57.54 deaths per 100,000 people | 57.54 deaths per 100,000 people | 1 |
Countries ranked near South Africa
- 2 Guyana 84.11 deaths per 100,000 people compare
- 3 Mongolia 73.37 deaths per 100,000 people compare
- 4 Türkiye 70.79 deaths per 100,000 people compare
- 6 Mauritius 48.57 deaths per 100,000 people compare
- 7 Republic of Moldova 42.12 deaths per 100,000 people compare
- 8 Peru 41.79 deaths per 100,000 people 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 unintentional injuries death rate by age group in South Africa?
- Unintentional injuries death rate by age group in South Africa was 57.54 deaths per 100,000 people in 2020, according to WHO Mortality Database (2025) – with minor processing by Our World in Data.
- What is the highest unintentional injuries death rate by age group recorded in South Africa?
- The highest recorded value was 103.27 deaths per 100,000 people in 2008.
- What is the lowest unintentional injuries death rate by age group recorded in South Africa?
- The lowest recorded value was 4.04 deaths per 100,000 people in 1996.
- How does South Africa rank for unintentional injuries death rate by age group?
- South Africa ranks 5th out of 111 countries with data for 2020.
- Is unintentional injuries death rate by age group rising or falling in South Africa?
- Over the last ten years it is down 26.1%. 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 Unintentional injuries death rate by age group. 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 deaths from unintentional injuries per 100,000 people in both sexes aged less than 1 year.