Births, by age of mother in South Africa
South Africa: Births, by age of mother was 86 births in 2023. ◆ Volatile
Latest (2023)
86 births
Change on year
up 4.9%
World rank
50th
of 236 countries
All-time high
564 births
in 1970
All-time low
19 births
in 2016
Years of data
74
1950–2023
Births, by age of mother in South Africa, 1950–2023
Source: UN, World Population Prospects (2024) – processed by Our World in Data. Measured in births.
Analysis
The most recent figure for births, by age of mother in South Africa is 86 births, measured in 2023.
Compared with earlier readings it is up 4.9% on the previous year and up 100.0% over ten years.
Over the whole period, births, by age of mother in South Africa peaked at 564 births in 1970 and was at its lowest, 19 births, in 2016.
That places South Africa 50th out of 236 countries with data for 2023, putting it in the top quarter.
The series is highly variable year to year, so single readings are best treated with caution.
Births, by age of mother in South Africa, year by year
| Year | births | Change |
|---|---|---|
| 1950 | 360 births | — |
| 1951 | 371 births | +3.1% |
| 1952 | 381 births | +2.7% |
| 1953 | 390 births | +2.4% |
| 1954 | 402 births | +3.1% |
| 1955 | 413 births | +2.7% |
| 1956 | 424 births | +2.7% |
| 1957 | 434 births | +2.4% |
| 1958 | 446 births | +2.8% |
| 1959 | 467 births | +4.7% |
| 1960 | 476 births | +1.9% |
| 1961 | 491 births | +3.2% |
| 1962 | 499 births | +1.6% |
| 1963 | 515 births | +3.2% |
| 1964 | 528 births | +2.5% |
| 1965 | 537 births | +1.7% |
| 1966 | 540 births | +0.6% |
| 1967 | 544 births | +0.7% |
| 1968 | 551 births | +1.3% |
| 1969 | 550 births | -0.2% |
| 1970 | 564 births | +2.5% |
| 1971 | 556 births | -1.4% |
| 1972 | 545 births | -2.0% |
| 1973 | 550 births | +0.9% |
| 1974 | 550 births | +0.0% |
| 1975 | 547 births | -0.5% |
| 1976 | 543 births | -0.7% |
| 1977 | 524 births | -3.5% |
| 1978 | 508 births | -3.1% |
| 1979 | 498 births | -2.0% |
| 1980 | 489 births | -1.8% |
| 1981 | 461 births | -5.7% |
| 1982 | 442 births | -4.1% |
| 1983 | 436 births | -1.4% |
| 1984 | 422 births | -3.2% |
| 1985 | 437 births | +3.6% |
| 1986 | 405 births | -7.3% |
| 1987 | 362 births | -10.6% |
| 1988 | 355 births | -1.9% |
| 1989 | 338 births | -4.8% |
| 1990 | 324 births | -4.1% |
| 1991 | 307 births | -5.2% |
| 1992 | 299 births | -2.6% |
| 1993 | 271 births | -9.4% |
| 1994 | 259 births | -4.4% |
| 1995 | 221 births | -14.7% |
| 1996 | 202 births | -8.6% |
| 1997 | 196 births | -3.0% |
| 1998 | 175 births | -10.7% |
| 1999 | 153 births | -12.6% |
| 2000 | 150 births | -2.0% |
| 2001 | 146 births | -2.7% |
| 2002 | 141 births | -3.4% |
| 2003 | 125 births | -11.3% |
| 2004 | 119 births | -4.8% |
| 2005 | 158 births | +32.8% |
| 2006 | 161 births | +1.9% |
| 2007 | 154 births | -4.3% |
| 2008 | 85 births | -44.8% |
| 2009 | 80 births | -5.9% |
| 2010 | 79 births | -1.2% |
| 2011 | 63 births | -20.3% |
| 2012 | 51 births | -19.0% |
| 2013 | 43 births | -15.7% |
| 2014 | 27 births | -37.2% |
| 2015 | 20 births | -25.9% |
| 2016 | 19 births | -5.0% |
| 2017 | 26 births | +36.8% |
| 2018 | 32 births | +23.1% |
| 2019 | 35 births | +9.4% |
| 2020 | 44 births | +25.7% |
| 2021 | 68 births | +54.5% |
| 2022 | 82 births | +20.6% |
| 2023 | 86 births | +4.9% |
Averages by decade
| Decade | Average | Lowest | Highest | Years |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1950s | 408.8 births | 360 births | 467 births | 10 |
| 1960s | 523.1 births | 476 births | 551 births | 10 |
| 1970s | 538.5 births | 498 births | 564 births | 10 |
| 1980s | 414.7 births | 338 births | 489 births | 10 |
| 1990s | 240.7 births | 153 births | 324 births | 10 |
| 2000s | 131.9 births | 80 births | 161 births | 10 |
| 2010s | 39.5 births | 19 births | 79 births | 10 |
| 2020s | 70 births | 44 births | 86 births | 4 |
Countries ranked near South Africa
More population data for South Africa
- Population regions with projections, annual growth rate 0.2264 % change on previous year (2100)
- Urban and rural population 2050, annual growth rate -0.7997 % change on previous year (2050)
- Population long run with projections, annual growth rate 0.2264 % change on previous year (2100)
- Un population 2024 vs 2022, annual growth rate -0.1847 % change on previous year (2100)
- Africa's Development Dynamics (AfDD) Table 05 - Demographic estimates 73,530 Persons (2050)
- Africa's Development Dynamics (AfDD) Table 03 - Annual population 0.8824 Percent per annum (2030)
- Projected population under age 5, annual growth rate -0.0148 % change on previous year (2100)
- World population growth 0.2% (2100)
- Population density 77.75 people per km² (2100)
- Number of children under 5, by world region 5.55 million people (2100)
Frequently asked questions
- What is births, by age of mother in South Africa?
- Births, by age of mother in South Africa was 86 births in 2023, according to UN, World Population Prospects (2024) – processed by Our World in Data.
- What is the highest births, by age of mother recorded in South Africa?
- The highest recorded value was 564 births in 1970.
- What is the lowest births, by age of mother recorded in South Africa?
- The lowest recorded value was 19 births in 2016.
- How does South Africa rank for births, by age of mother?
- South Africa ranks 50th out of 236 countries with data for 2023.
- Is births, by age of mother rising or falling in South Africa?
- Over the last ten years it is up 100.0%. The long-run trend across the full record is volatile.
- Where does this South Africa data come from?
- The figures come from UN, World Population Prospects (2024) – processed by Our World in Data, published as part of Births, by age of mother. Statizoid updates them automatically from the source API.
Download this data
CSV · JSON — 74 observations, free to reuse under CC BY 4.0 (Our World in Data).
About this data
Number of live births in a calendar year. This only includes mothers aged 50-54.