South Africa vs Suriname: Share of babies born with a low birthweight
South Africa
16.6%
in 2020
Suriname
16.5%
in 2020
South Africa rank
21st
Suriname rank
22nd
Share of babies born with a low birthweight over time
- South Africa
- Suriname
How they compare
South Africa currently reports 16.6% against 16.5% in Suriname, a difference of 0.1%.
Across all 21 years both countries report, South Africa has been ahead every year.
South Africa ranks 21st and Suriname ranks 22nd of 157 countries.
South Africa has averaged higher in every one of the 3 decades both report.
Head to head by decade
| Decade | South Africa | Suriname | Difference | Ahead |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2000s | 17.0% | 14.7% | 2.3% | South Africa |
| 2010s | 16.6% | 15.9% | 0.7% | South Africa |
| 2020s | 16.6% | 16.5% | 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, South Africa or Suriname?
- South Africa, at 16.6% against 16.5% in Suriname as of 2020.
- What is the difference in share of babies born with a low birthweight between South Africa and Suriname?
- 0.1%, with South Africa ahead.
- How many years of comparable data are there for South Africa and Suriname?
- 21 years are reported by both, from 2000 to 2020.
- How do South Africa and Suriname rank globally for share of babies born with a low birthweight?
- South Africa ranks 21st and Suriname ranks 22nd 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.