Life expectation at birth by sex in South Africa
South Africa: Life expectation at birth by sex was 69.6 in 2023. ▲ Rising
Latest (2023)
69.6
Change on year
up 0.8%
World rank
196th
of 236 countries
All-time high
69.6
in 2023
All-time low
44.13
in 1950
Years of data
74
1950–2023
Life expectation at birth by sex in South Africa, 1950–2023
Source: Our World in Data.
Analysis
In 2023, life expectation at birth by sex in South Africa stood at 69.6. That is the highest value across all 74 years on record.
The figure is up 0.8% on the previous year and up 6.7% over ten years.
Over the whole period, life expectation at birth by sex in South Africa peaked at 69.6 in 2023 and was at its lowest, 44.13, in 1950.
South Africa ranks 196th of 236 countries on this measure, in the bottom quarter.
The long-run direction has been consistently rising across the 74 years of available data.
Life expectation at birth by sex in South Africa, year by year
| Year | Value | Change |
|---|---|---|
| 1950 | 44.13 | — |
| 1951 | 45.15 | +2.3% |
| 1952 | 46.23 | +2.4% |
| 1953 | 47.35 | +2.4% |
| 1954 | 48.55 | +2.5% |
| 1955 | 49.7 | +2.4% |
| 1956 | 50.88 | +2.4% |
| 1957 | 52 | +2.2% |
| 1958 | 53.02 | +2.0% |
| 1959 | 53.83 | +1.5% |
| 1960 | 54.58 | +1.4% |
| 1961 | 55.22 | +1.2% |
| 1962 | 55.68 | +0.8% |
| 1963 | 56.05 | +0.7% |
| 1964 | 56.36 | +0.6% |
| 1965 | 56.6 | +0.4% |
| 1966 | 56.92 | +0.6% |
| 1967 | 57.2 | +0.5% |
| 1968 | 57.48 | +0.5% |
| 1969 | 57.77 | +0.5% |
| 1970 | 58.08 | +0.5% |
| 1971 | 58.43 | +0.6% |
| 1972 | 58.73 | +0.5% |
| 1973 | 59.05 | +0.5% |
| 1974 | 59.44 | +0.7% |
| 1975 | 59.89 | +0.8% |
| 1976 | 60.41 | +0.9% |
| 1977 | 61.02 | +1.0% |
| 1978 | 61.57 | +0.9% |
| 1979 | 62.12 | +0.9% |
| 1980 | 62.73 | +1.0% |
| 1981 | 63.26 | +0.8% |
| 1982 | 63.83 | +0.9% |
| 1983 | 64.36 | +0.8% |
| 1984 | 64.92 | +0.9% |
| 1985 | 65.47 | +0.8% |
| 1986 | 65.89 | +0.6% |
| 1987 | 66.21 | +0.5% |
| 1988 | 66.63 | +0.6% |
| 1989 | 66.83 | +0.3% |
| 1990 | 66.89 | +0.1% |
| 1991 | 66.97 | +0.1% |
| 1992 | 66.81 | -0.2% |
| 1993 | 66.5 | -0.5% |
| 1994 | 65.99 | -0.8% |
| 1995 | 65.16 | -1.3% |
| 1996 | 64.46 | -1.1% |
| 1997 | 63.66 | -1.2% |
| 1998 | 62.9 | -1.2% |
| 1999 | 62.05 | -1.3% |
| 2000 | 61.08 | -1.6% |
| 2001 | 59.49 | -2.6% |
| 2002 | 57.7 | -3.0% |
| 2003 | 56.27 | -2.5% |
| 2004 | 55.75 | -0.9% |
| 2005 | 55.46 | -0.5% |
| 2006 | 55.93 | +0.8% |
| 2007 | 56.89 | +1.7% |
| 2008 | 58.15 | +2.2% |
| 2009 | 59.69 | +2.7% |
| 2010 | 61.24 | +2.6% |
| 2011 | 63.14 | +3.1% |
| 2012 | 64.43 | +2.0% |
| 2013 | 65.24 | +1.3% |
| 2014 | 66.18 | +1.4% |
| 2015 | 67.03 | +1.3% |
| 2016 | 67.92 | +1.3% |
| 2017 | 68.58 | +1.0% |
| 2018 | 68.91 | +0.5% |
| 2019 | 69.22 | +0.4% |
| 2020 | 67.95 | -1.8% |
| 2021 | 64.77 | -4.7% |
| 2022 | 69.04 | +6.6% |
| 2023 | 69.6 | +0.8% |
South Africa compared with similar countries
- South Africa's 69.6 is below the median for upper middle income countries, which is 77.75, 90% of the median. (58 countries reporting)
- South Africa's 69.6 is above the median for Sub-Saharan Africa, which is 66.75, 1.0× the median. (48 countries reporting)
Averages by decade
| Decade | Average | Lowest | Highest | Years |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1950s | 49.08 | 44.13 | 53.83 | 10 |
| 1960s | 56.39 | 54.58 | 57.77 | 10 |
| 1970s | 59.87 | 58.08 | 62.12 | 10 |
| 1980s | 65.01 | 62.73 | 66.83 | 10 |
| 1990s | 65.14 | 62.05 | 66.97 | 10 |
| 2000s | 57.64 | 55.46 | 61.08 | 10 |
| 2010s | 66.19 | 61.24 | 69.22 | 10 |
| 2020s | 67.84 | 64.77 | 69.6 | 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 expectation at birth by sex in South Africa?
- Life expectation at birth by sex in South Africa was 69.6 in 2023, according to Our World in Data.
- What is the highest life expectation at birth by sex recorded in South Africa?
- The highest recorded value was 69.6 in 2023.
- What is the lowest life expectation at birth by sex recorded in South Africa?
- The lowest recorded value was 44.13 in 1950.
- How does South Africa rank for life expectation at birth by sex?
- South Africa ranks 196th out of 236 countries with data for 2023.
- Is life expectation at birth by sex rising or falling in South Africa?
- Over the last ten years it is up 6.7%. The long-run trend across the full record is rising.
- Where does this South Africa data come from?
- The figures come from Our World in Data, published as part of Life expectation at birth by sex. 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).