Fertility rate by age group in South Africa
South Africa: Fertility rate by age group was 51.56 in 2023. ▼ Falling
Latest (2023)
51.56
Change on year
down 0.3%
World rank
72nd
of 236 countries
All-time high
99.81
in 1984
All-time low
46.47
in 2007
Years of data
74
1950–2023
Fertility rate by age group in South Africa, 1950–2023
Source: Our World in Data.
Analysis
The most recent figure for fertility rate by age group in South Africa is 51.56, measured in 2023.
That represents a change of down 0.3% on the previous year and down 20.2% over ten years.
Over the whole period, fertility rate by age group in South Africa peaked at 99.81 in 1984 and was at its lowest, 46.47, in 2007.
South Africa ranks 72nd 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.
Fertility rate by age group in South Africa, year by year
| Year | Value | Change |
|---|---|---|
| 1950 | 72.46 | — |
| 1951 | 72.75 | +0.4% |
| 1952 | 73.72 | +1.3% |
| 1953 | 74.59 | +1.2% |
| 1954 | 75.38 | +1.1% |
| 1955 | 76.13 | +1.0% |
| 1956 | 76.13 | -0.0% |
| 1957 | 76.19 | +0.1% |
| 1958 | 76.35 | +0.2% |
| 1959 | 76.33 | -0.0% |
| 1960 | 76.39 | +0.1% |
| 1961 | 77.07 | +0.9% |
| 1962 | 77.58 | +0.7% |
| 1963 | 78.08 | +0.6% |
| 1964 | 78.53 | +0.6% |
| 1965 | 79.16 | +0.8% |
| 1966 | 82.28 | +3.9% |
| 1967 | 84.14 | +2.3% |
| 1968 | 85.36 | +1.4% |
| 1969 | 86.62 | +1.5% |
| 1970 | 83.98 | -3.1% |
| 1971 | 87.28 | +3.9% |
| 1972 | 90.39 | +3.6% |
| 1973 | 89.69 | -0.8% |
| 1974 | 88.37 | -1.5% |
| 1975 | 87.21 | -1.3% |
| 1976 | 89.32 | +2.4% |
| 1977 | 91.03 | +1.9% |
| 1978 | 93.4 | +2.6% |
| 1979 | 91.34 | -2.2% |
| 1980 | 89.31 | -2.2% |
| 1981 | 97.45 | +9.1% |
| 1982 | 98.36 | +0.9% |
| 1983 | 98.85 | +0.5% |
| 1984 | 99.81 | +1.0% |
| 1985 | 91.65 | -8.2% |
| 1986 | 91.92 | +0.3% |
| 1987 | 95.48 | +3.9% |
| 1988 | 94.97 | -0.5% |
| 1989 | 95.14 | +0.2% |
| 1990 | 94.76 | -0.4% |
| 1991 | 91.67 | -3.3% |
| 1992 | 88.3 | -3.7% |
| 1993 | 87.27 | -1.2% |
| 1994 | 84.26 | -3.4% |
| 1995 | 82.28 | -2.4% |
| 1996 | 78.46 | -4.6% |
| 1997 | 73.94 | -5.8% |
| 1998 | 72.03 | -2.6% |
| 1999 | 70.96 | -1.5% |
| 2000 | 67.42 | -5.0% |
| 2001 | 62.89 | -6.7% |
| 2002 | 60.08 | -4.5% |
| 2003 | 59.77 | -0.5% |
| 2004 | 57.22 | -4.3% |
| 2005 | 47.84 | -16.4% |
| 2006 | 48.9 | +2.2% |
| 2007 | 46.47 | -5.0% |
| 2008 | 55.68 | +19.8% |
| 2009 | 57.12 | +2.6% |
| 2010 | 53.57 | -6.2% |
| 2011 | 57.22 | +6.8% |
| 2012 | 59.67 | +4.3% |
| 2013 | 64.62 | +8.3% |
| 2014 | 70.22 | +8.7% |
| 2015 | 67.98 | -3.2% |
| 2016 | 61.61 | -9.4% |
| 2017 | 56 | -9.1% |
| 2018 | 51.42 | -8.2% |
| 2019 | 53.27 | +3.6% |
| 2020 | 51.61 | -3.1% |
| 2021 | 52.55 | +1.8% |
| 2022 | 51.71 | -1.6% |
| 2023 | 51.56 | -0.3% |
South Africa compared with similar countries
- South Africa's 51.56 is above the median for upper middle income countries, which is 27.67, 1.9× the median. (58 countries reporting)
- South Africa's 51.56 is below the median for Sub-Saharan Africa, which is 87.99, 59% of the median. (48 countries reporting)
Averages by decade
| Decade | Average | Lowest | Highest | Years |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1950s | 75 | 72.46 | 76.35 | 10 |
| 1960s | 80.52 | 76.39 | 86.62 | 10 |
| 1970s | 89.2 | 83.98 | 93.4 | 10 |
| 1980s | 95.3 | 89.31 | 99.81 | 10 |
| 1990s | 82.39 | 70.96 | 94.76 | 10 |
| 2000s | 56.34 | 46.47 | 67.42 | 10 |
| 2010s | 59.56 | 51.42 | 70.22 | 10 |
| 2020s | 51.86 | 51.56 | 52.55 | 4 |
Countries ranked near South Africa
- 69 French Guiana 53.45 compare
- 70 Burundi 53.36 compare
- 71 Dominican Republic 52.77 compare
- 73 Solomon Islands 50.37 compare
- 74 Haiti 49.77 compare
- 75 Cuba 48.67 compare
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)
- Population growth rate 0.23 (2100)
- Population density 77.75 (2100)
- Projected population under age 5 5.55 million (2100)
Frequently asked questions
- What is fertility rate by age group in South Africa?
- Fertility rate by age group in South Africa was 51.56 in 2023, according to Our World in Data.
- What is the highest fertility rate by age group recorded in South Africa?
- The highest recorded value was 99.81 in 1984.
- What is the lowest fertility rate by age group recorded in South Africa?
- The lowest recorded value was 46.47 in 2007.
- How does South Africa rank for fertility rate by age group?
- South Africa ranks 72nd out of 236 countries with data for 2023.
- Is fertility rate by age group rising or falling in South Africa?
- Over the last ten years it is down 20.2%. The long-run trend across the full record is falling.
- Where does this South Africa data come from?
- The figures come from Our World in Data, published as part of Fertility rate by age group. Statizoid updates them automatically from the source API.
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