Life expectancy at birth, total (years) (expectancy UNESCO Institute) in South Africa
South Africa: Life expectancy at birth, total (years) (expectancy UNESCO Institute) was 66.14 years in 2023. ▲ Rising
Latest (2023)
66.14 years
Change on year
up 1.0%
World rank
180th
of 215 countries
All-time high
66.14 years
in 2023
All-time low
53.91 years
in 2005
Years of data
54
1970–2023
Life expectancy at birth, total in South Africa, 1970–2023
Source: UNESCO Institute for Statistics. Measured in years.
Analysis
South Africa recorded 66.14 years for life expectancy at birth, total in 2023. That is the highest value across all 54 years on record.
Compared with earlier readings it is up 1.0% on the previous year and up 6.0% over ten years.
Over the whole period, life expectancy at birth, total in South Africa peaked at 66.14 years in 2023 and was at its lowest, 53.91 years, in 2005.
South Africa ranks 180th of 215 countries on this measure, in the bottom quarter.
The long-run direction has been consistently rising across the 54 years of available data.
Life expectancy at birth, total (years) (expectancy UNESCO Institute) in South Africa, year by year
| Year | years | Change |
|---|---|---|
| 1970 | 55.68 years | — |
| 1971 | 56.02 years | +0.6% |
| 1972 | 56.38 years | +0.6% |
| 1973 | 56.72 years | +0.6% |
| 1974 | 57.11 years | +0.7% |
| 1975 | 57.59 years | +0.8% |
| 1976 | 58 years | +0.7% |
| 1977 | 58.48 years | +0.8% |
| 1978 | 58.99 years | +0.9% |
| 1979 | 59.47 years | +0.8% |
| 1980 | 59.96 years | +0.8% |
| 1981 | 60.45 years | +0.8% |
| 1982 | 60.94 years | +0.8% |
| 1983 | 61.39 years | +0.7% |
| 1984 | 61.84 years | +0.7% |
| 1985 | 62.2 years | +0.6% |
| 1986 | 62.42 years | +0.4% |
| 1987 | 62.69 years | +0.4% |
| 1988 | 62.9 years | +0.3% |
| 1989 | 63.02 years | +0.2% |
| 1990 | 62.94 years | -0.1% |
| 1991 | 62.98 years | +0.1% |
| 1992 | 62.84 years | -0.2% |
| 1993 | 62.62 years | -0.4% |
| 1994 | 62.07 years | -0.9% |
| 1995 | 61.6 years | -0.8% |
| 1996 | 61.08 years | -0.9% |
| 1997 | 60.54 years | -0.9% |
| 1998 | 59.91 years | -1.0% |
| 1999 | 59.19 years | -1.2% |
| 2000 | 58.37 years | -1.4% |
| 2001 | 57.16 years | -2.1% |
| 2002 | 55.58 years | -2.8% |
| 2003 | 54.24 years | -2.4% |
| 2004 | 53.96 years | -0.5% |
| 2005 | 53.91 years | -0.1% |
| 2006 | 54.22 years | +0.6% |
| 2007 | 54.95 years | +1.3% |
| 2008 | 55.98 years | +1.9% |
| 2009 | 57.41 years | +2.6% |
| 2010 | 58.89 years | +2.6% |
| 2011 | 60.6 years | +2.9% |
| 2012 | 61.74 years | +1.9% |
| 2013 | 62.39 years | +1.1% |
| 2014 | 63.18 years | +1.3% |
| 2015 | 64.05 years | +1.4% |
| 2016 | 64.75 years | +1.1% |
| 2017 | 65.42 years | +1.0% |
| 2018 | 65.73 years | +0.5% |
| 2019 | 66.07 years | +0.5% |
| 2020 | 65.15 years | -1.4% |
| 2021 | 62.01 years | -4.8% |
| 2022 | 65.45 years | +5.6% |
| 2023 | 66.14 years | +1.0% |
South Africa compared with similar countries
- South Africa's 66.14 years is below the median for upper middle income countries, which is 74.01 years, 89% of the median. (58 countries reporting)
- South Africa's 66.14 years is above the median for Sub-Saharan Africa, which is 64.1 years, 1.0× the median. (48 countries reporting)
Averages by decade
| Decade | Average | Lowest | Highest | Years |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1970s | 57.44 years | 55.68 years | 59.47 years | 10 |
| 1980s | 61.78 years | 59.96 years | 63.02 years | 10 |
| 1990s | 61.58 years | 59.19 years | 62.98 years | 10 |
| 2000s | 55.58 years | 53.91 years | 58.37 years | 10 |
| 2010s | 63.28 years | 58.89 years | 66.07 years | 10 |
| 2020s | 64.69 years | 62.01 years | 66.14 years | 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)
- 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 life expectancy at birth, total in South Africa?
- Life expectancy at birth, total in South Africa was 66.14 years in 2023, according to UNESCO Institute for Statistics.
- What is the highest life expectancy at birth, total recorded in South Africa?
- The highest recorded value was 66.14 years in 2023.
- What is the lowest life expectancy at birth, total recorded in South Africa?
- The lowest recorded value was 53.91 years in 2005.
- How does South Africa rank for life expectancy at birth, total?
- South Africa ranks 180th out of 215 countries with data for 2023.
- Is life expectancy at birth, total rising or falling in South Africa?
- Over the last ten years it is up 6.0%. The long-run trend across the full record is rising.
- Where does this South Africa data come from?
- The figures come from UNESCO Institute for Statistics, published as part of Life expectancy at birth, total (years). Statizoid updates them automatically from the source API.
Download this data
CSV · JSON — 54 observations, free to reuse under CC BY-SA 3.0 IGO (UNESCO Institute for Statistics).
About this data
February 2026 Data Release