Youth mortality rate in South Africa
South Africa: Youth mortality rate was 4.02 deaths per 100 live births in 2024. ▼ Falling
Latest (2024)
4.02 deaths per 100 live births
Change on year
up 0.5%
World rank
53rd
of 199 countries
All-time high
9.23 deaths per 100 live births
in 2004
All-time low
3.94 deaths per 100 live births
in 2021
Years of data
38
1987–2024
Youth mortality rate in South Africa, 1987–2024
Source: United Nations Inter-agency Group for Child Mortality Estimation (2025) – processed by Our World in Data. Measured in deaths per 100 live births.
Analysis
The most recent figure for youth mortality rate in South Africa is 4.02 deaths per 100 live births, measured in 2024.
Compared with earlier readings it is up 0.5% on the previous year and down 14.9% over ten years.
Over the whole period, youth mortality rate in South Africa peaked at 9.23 deaths per 100 live births in 2004 and was at its lowest, 3.94 deaths per 100 live births, in 2021.
That places South Africa 53rd out of 199 countries with data for 2024, putting it in the middle of the range.
The long-run direction has been consistently falling across the 38 years of available data.
Youth mortality rate in South Africa, year by year
| Year | deaths per 100 live births | Change |
|---|---|---|
| 1987 | 7.44 deaths per 100 live births | — |
| 1988 | 7.13 deaths per 100 live births | -4.1% |
| 1989 | 6.88 deaths per 100 live births | -3.5% |
| 1990 | 6.51 deaths per 100 live births | -5.4% |
| 1991 | 6.39 deaths per 100 live births | -1.7% |
| 1992 | 6.36 deaths per 100 live births | -0.5% |
| 1993 | 6.42 deaths per 100 live births | +0.9% |
| 1994 | 6.56 deaths per 100 live births | +2.1% |
| 1995 | 6.72 deaths per 100 live births | +2.5% |
| 1996 | 6.91 deaths per 100 live births | +2.9% |
| 1997 | 7.14 deaths per 100 live births | +3.2% |
| 1998 | 7.46 deaths per 100 live births | +4.5% |
| 1999 | 7.79 deaths per 100 live births | +4.4% |
| 2000 | 8.09 deaths per 100 live births | +3.9% |
| 2001 | 8.46 deaths per 100 live births | +4.5% |
| 2002 | 8.76 deaths per 100 live births | +3.5% |
| 2003 | 9.04 deaths per 100 live births | +3.2% |
| 2004 | 9.23 deaths per 100 live births | +2.1% |
| 2005 | 9.16 deaths per 100 live births | -0.7% |
| 2006 | 8.88 deaths per 100 live births | -3.1% |
| 2007 | 8.3 deaths per 100 live births | -6.5% |
| 2008 | 7.52 deaths per 100 live births | -9.4% |
| 2009 | 6.78 deaths per 100 live births | -9.8% |
| 2010 | 6.05 deaths per 100 live births | -10.7% |
| 2011 | 5.52 deaths per 100 live births | -8.9% |
| 2012 | 5.19 deaths per 100 live births | -5.9% |
| 2013 | 4.96 deaths per 100 live births | -4.5% |
| 2014 | 4.73 deaths per 100 live births | -4.6% |
| 2015 | 4.52 deaths per 100 live births | -4.5% |
| 2016 | 4.34 deaths per 100 live births | -4.0% |
| 2017 | 4.19 deaths per 100 live births | -3.4% |
| 2018 | 4.08 deaths per 100 live births | -2.6% |
| 2019 | 4 deaths per 100 live births | -1.8% |
| 2020 | 3.95 deaths per 100 live births | -1.4% |
| 2021 | 3.94 deaths per 100 live births | -0.1% |
| 2022 | 3.97 deaths per 100 live births | +0.6% |
| 2023 | 4 deaths per 100 live births | +0.9% |
| 2024 | 4.02 deaths per 100 live births | +0.5% |
South Africa compared with similar countries
- South Africa's 4.02 deaths per 100 live births is above the median for upper middle income countries, which is 1.6 deaths per 100 live births, 2.5× the median. (58 countries reporting)
- South Africa's 4.02 deaths per 100 live births is below the median for Sub-Saharan Africa, which is 6.18 deaths per 100 live births, 65% of the median. (48 countries reporting)
Averages by decade
| Decade | Average | Lowest | Highest | Years |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1980s | 7.15 deaths per 100 live births | 6.88 deaths per 100 live births | 7.44 deaths per 100 live births | 3 |
| 1990s | 6.83 deaths per 100 live births | 6.36 deaths per 100 live births | 7.79 deaths per 100 live births | 10 |
| 2000s | 8.42 deaths per 100 live births | 6.78 deaths per 100 live births | 9.23 deaths per 100 live births | 10 |
| 2010s | 4.76 deaths per 100 live births | 4 deaths per 100 live births | 6.05 deaths per 100 live births | 10 |
| 2020s | 3.98 deaths per 100 live births | 3.94 deaths per 100 live births | 4.02 deaths per 100 live births | 5 |
Countries ranked near South Africa
- 50 Rwanda 4.18 deaths per 100 live births compare
- 51 Myanmar 4.07 deaths per 100 live births compare
- 52 Gabon 4.06 deaths per 100 live births compare
- 54 Eritrea 4 deaths per 100 live births compare
- 55 Botswana 3.87 deaths per 100 live births compare
- 56 Dominica 3.81 deaths per 100 live births 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)
- Number of infants who die before age 1 3,333 deaths (2100)
- Neonatal tetanus - number of reported cases, gaps filled 0 (2025)
- Population ages 00-04, female, annual growth rate -0.5504 % change on previous year (2025)
- Population ages 00-04, female, per unit of GDP 0 units per US$ of GDP (2025)
- Population ages 00-04, female, per capita 0.045 units per person (2025)
- Population ages 00-04, male, annual growth rate 0.0003 % change on previous year (2025)
- Population ages 00-04, male, per unit of GDP 0 units per US$ of GDP (2025)
- Population ages 00-04, male, per capita 0.046 units per person (2025)
Frequently asked questions
- What is youth mortality rate in South Africa?
- Youth mortality rate in South Africa was 4.02 deaths per 100 live births in 2024, according to United Nations Inter-agency Group for Child Mortality Estimation (2025) – processed by Our World in Data.
- What is the highest youth mortality rate recorded in South Africa?
- The highest recorded value was 9.23 deaths per 100 live births in 2004.
- What is the lowest youth mortality rate recorded in South Africa?
- The lowest recorded value was 3.94 deaths per 100 live births in 2021.
- How does South Africa rank for youth mortality rate?
- South Africa ranks 53rd out of 199 countries with data for 2024.
- Is youth mortality rate rising or falling in South Africa?
- Over the last ten years it is down 14.9%. The long-run trend across the full record is falling.
- Where does this South Africa data come from?
- The figures come from United Nations Inter-agency Group for Child Mortality Estimation (2025) – processed by Our World in Data, published as part of Youth mortality rate. Statizoid updates them automatically from the source API.
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About this data
Estimated number of deaths of children aged under fifteen years, per 100 live births.