Comparison of fertility rates that account for survival of children in South Africa
South Africa: Comparison of fertility rates that account for survival of children was 2.22 live births per woman in 2023. ▼ Falling
Latest (2023)
2.22 live births per woman
Change on year
down 0.5%
World rank
99th
of 236 countries
All-time high
6.14 live births per woman
in 1958
All-time low
2.22 live births per woman
in 2023
Years of data
74
1950–2023
Comparison of fertility rates that account for survival of children in South Africa, 1950–2023
Source: Human Fertility Database (2025); UN, World Population Prospects (2024) – with major processing by Our World in Data. Measured in live births per woman.
Analysis
South Africa recorded 2.22 live births per woman for comparison of fertility rates that account for survival of children in 2023. That is the lowest value across all 74 years on record.
The figure is down 0.5% on the previous year and down 8.7% over ten years.
Over the whole period, comparison of fertility rates that account for survival of children in South Africa peaked at 6.14 live births per woman in 1958 and was at its lowest, 2.22 live births per woman, in 2023.
South Africa ranks 99th of 236 countries on this measure, in the middle of the range.
The long-run direction has been consistently falling across the 74 years of available data.
Comparison of fertility rates that account for survival of children in South Africa, year by year
| Year | live births per woman | Change |
|---|---|---|
| 1950 | 6.03 live births per woman | — |
| 1951 | 6.06 live births per woman | +0.5% |
| 1952 | 6.08 live births per woman | +0.3% |
| 1953 | 6.09 live births per woman | +0.2% |
| 1954 | 6.11 live births per woman | +0.2% |
| 1955 | 6.13 live births per woman | +0.3% |
| 1956 | 6.13 live births per woman | +0.1% |
| 1957 | 6.14 live births per woman | +0.1% |
| 1958 | 6.14 live births per woman | +0.1% |
| 1959 | 6.13 live births per woman | -0.3% |
| 1960 | 6.11 live births per woman | -0.3% |
| 1961 | 6.08 live births per woman | -0.4% |
| 1962 | 6.05 live births per woman | -0.6% |
| 1963 | 6.01 live births per woman | -0.6% |
| 1964 | 5.96 live births per woman | -0.9% |
| 1965 | 5.89 live births per woman | -1.1% |
| 1966 | 5.91 live births per woman | +0.3% |
| 1967 | 5.85 live births per woman | -0.9% |
| 1968 | 5.78 live births per woman | -1.2% |
| 1969 | 5.72 live births per woman | -1.1% |
| 1970 | 5.63 live births per woman | -1.5% |
| 1971 | 5.57 live births per woman | -1.2% |
| 1972 | 5.49 live births per woman | -1.4% |
| 1973 | 5.41 live births per woman | -1.4% |
| 1974 | 5.3 live births per woman | -2.1% |
| 1975 | 5.19 live births per woman | -2.0% |
| 1976 | 5.07 live births per woman | -2.3% |
| 1977 | 4.94 live births per woman | -2.5% |
| 1978 | 4.85 live births per woman | -1.8% |
| 1979 | 4.82 live births per woman | -0.7% |
| 1980 | 4.78 live births per woman | -0.8% |
| 1981 | 4.71 live births per woman | -1.4% |
| 1982 | 4.7 live births per woman | -0.3% |
| 1983 | 4.63 live births per woman | -1.5% |
| 1984 | 4.57 live births per woman | -1.3% |
| 1985 | 4.5 live births per woman | -1.6% |
| 1986 | 4.41 live births per woman | -1.9% |
| 1987 | 4.35 live births per woman | -1.3% |
| 1988 | 4.18 live births per woman | -4.0% |
| 1989 | 3.98 live births per woman | -4.7% |
| 1990 | 3.72 live births per woman | -6.5% |
| 1991 | 3.62 live births per woman | -2.8% |
| 1992 | 3.48 live births per woman | -3.8% |
| 1993 | 3.37 live births per woman | -3.1% |
| 1994 | 3.26 live births per woman | -3.4% |
| 1995 | 3.17 live births per woman | -2.6% |
| 1996 | 2.99 live births per woman | -5.7% |
| 1997 | 2.73 live births per woman | -8.6% |
| 1998 | 2.63 live births per woman | -3.8% |
| 1999 | 2.56 live births per woman | -2.7% |
| 2000 | 2.41 live births per woman | -5.7% |
| 2001 | 2.37 live births per woman | -1.7% |
| 2002 | 2.32 live births per woman | -2.1% |
| 2003 | 2.36 live births per woman | +1.5% |
| 2004 | 2.44 live births per woman | +3.3% |
| 2005 | 2.51 live births per woman | +3.1% |
| 2006 | 2.55 live births per woman | +1.4% |
| 2007 | 2.54 live births per woman | -0.1% |
| 2008 | 2.68 live births per woman | +5.3% |
| 2009 | 2.5 live births per woman | -6.6% |
| 2010 | 2.44 live births per woman | -2.2% |
| 2011 | 2.44 live births per woman | -0.4% |
| 2012 | 2.45 live births per woman | +0.5% |
| 2013 | 2.43 live births per woman | -0.8% |
| 2014 | 2.42 live births per woman | -0.2% |
| 2015 | 2.36 live births per woman | -2.7% |
| 2016 | 2.26 live births per woman | -4.2% |
| 2017 | 2.28 live births per woman | +1.0% |
| 2018 | 2.27 live births per woman | -0.6% |
| 2019 | 2.26 live births per woman | -0.3% |
| 2020 | 2.26 live births per woman | -0.3% |
| 2021 | 2.25 live births per woman | -0.4% |
| 2022 | 2.23 live births per woman | -0.9% |
| 2023 | 2.22 live births per woman | -0.5% |
Averages by decade
| Decade | Average | Lowest | Highest | Years |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1950s | 6.1 live births per woman | 6.03 live births per woman | 6.14 live births per woman | 10 |
| 1960s | 5.94 live births per woman | 5.72 live births per woman | 6.11 live births per woman | 10 |
| 1970s | 5.23 live births per woman | 4.82 live births per woman | 5.63 live births per woman | 10 |
| 1980s | 4.48 live births per woman | 3.98 live births per woman | 4.78 live births per woman | 10 |
| 1990s | 3.15 live births per woman | 2.56 live births per woman | 3.72 live births per woman | 10 |
| 2000s | 2.47 live births per woman | 2.32 live births per woman | 2.68 live births per woman | 10 |
| 2010s | 2.36 live births per woman | 2.26 live births per woman | 2.45 live births per woman | 10 |
| 2020s | 2.24 live births per woman | 2.22 live births per woman | 2.26 live births per woman | 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 comparison of fertility rates that account for survival of children in South Africa?
- Comparison of fertility rates that account for survival of children in South Africa was 2.22 live births per woman in 2023, according to Human Fertility Database (2025); UN, World Population Prospects (2024) – with major processing by Our World in Data.
- What is the highest comparison of fertility rates that account for survival of children recorded in South Africa?
- The highest recorded value was 6.14 live births per woman in 1958.
- What is the lowest comparison of fertility rates that account for survival of children recorded in South Africa?
- The lowest recorded value was 2.22 live births per woman in 2023.
- How does South Africa rank for comparison of fertility rates that account for survival of children?
- South Africa ranks 99th out of 236 countries with data for 2023.
- Is comparison of fertility rates that account for survival of children rising or falling in South Africa?
- Over the last ten years it is down 8.7%. The long-run trend across the full record is falling.
- Where does this South Africa data come from?
- The figures come from Human Fertility Database (2025); UN, World Population Prospects (2024) – with major processing by Our World in Data, published as part of Comparison of fertility rates that account for survival of children. Statizoid updates them automatically from the source API.
Download this data
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About this data
Average number of live births a hypothetical cohort of women would have at the end of their reproductive period if they were subject during their whole lives to the fertility rates of a given period and if they were not subject to mortality.