Benin vs South Africa: Share of babies born with a low birthweight
Benin
16.4%
in 2020
South Africa
16.6%
in 2020
Benin rank
23rd
South Africa rank
21st
Share of babies born with a low birthweight over time
- Benin
- South Africa
How they compare
South Africa currently reports 16.6% against 16.4% in Benin, a difference of 0.2%.
The two have swapped places 1 time across 21 shared years of data; in 2000 it was Benin ahead.
Benin ranks 23rd and South Africa ranks 21st of 157 countries.
Across the 3 decades both report, Benin averaged higher in 2 and South Africa in 1.
Head to head by decade
| Decade | Benin | South Africa | Difference | Ahead |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2000s | 18.3% | 17.0% | 1.3% | Benin |
| 2010s | 17.2% | 16.6% | 0.5% | Benin |
| 2020s | 16.4% | 16.6% | 0.2% | South Africa |
Averages of every year both report within each decade.
Frequently asked questions
- Which has higher share of babies born with a low birthweight, Benin or South Africa?
- South Africa, at 16.6% against 16.4% in Benin as of 2020.
- What is the difference in share of babies born with a low birthweight between Benin and South Africa?
- 0.2%, with South Africa ahead.
- How many years of comparable data are there for Benin and South Africa?
- 21 years are reported by both, from 2000 to 2020.
- How do Benin and South Africa rank globally for share of babies born with a low birthweight?
- Benin ranks 23rd and South Africa ranks 21st of 157 countries.
- Where does this data come from?
- UNICEF and World Health Organization (WHO), via World Bank (2026) – processed by Our World in Data, published as Share of babies born with a low birthweight. Statizoid refreshes it automatically from the source and publishes the full history for both places.
Individual pages
About this data
Estimated percentage of newborn babies that weigh under 2.5kg. These babies are more likely to suffer poor health and stunted growth.