Birth rate in South Africa
South Africa: Birth rate was 18.77 births per 1,000 people in 2023. ▼ Falling
Birth rate in South Africa, 1950–2023
Source: Human Mortality Database (2025); UN, World Population Prospects (2024) – processed by Our World in Data. Measured in births per 1,000 people.
Analysis
South Africa recorded 18.77 births per 1,000 people for birth rate in 2023. That is the lowest value across all 74 years on record.
Compared with earlier readings it is down 1.6% on the previous year and down 14.2% over ten years.
Over the whole period, birth rate in South Africa peaked at 41.12 births per 1,000 people in 1952 and was at its lowest, 18.77 births per 1,000 people, in 2023.
South Africa ranks 86th 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.
Averages by decade
| Decade | Average | Lowest | Highest | Years |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1950s | 40.75 births per 1,000 people | 40.01 births per 1,000 people | 41.12 births per 1,000 people | 10 |
| 1960s | 39.74 births per 1,000 people | 39.49 births per 1,000 people | 39.96 births per 1,000 people | 10 |
| 1970s | 37.25 births per 1,000 people | 34.94 births per 1,000 people | 39.38 births per 1,000 people | 10 |
| 1980s | 33.68 births per 1,000 people | 30.58 births per 1,000 people | 34.8 births per 1,000 people | 10 |
| 1990s | 25.52 births per 1,000 people | 22.7 births per 1,000 people | 28.73 births per 1,000 people | 10 |
| 2000s | 22.33 births per 1,000 people | 20.93 births per 1,000 people | 24.33 births per 1,000 people | 10 |
| 2010s | 21.09 births per 1,000 people | 19.69 births per 1,000 people | 22.18 births per 1,000 people | 10 |
| 2020s | 19.18 births per 1,000 people | 18.77 births per 1,000 people | 19.52 births per 1,000 people | 4 |
Countries ranked near South Africa
More population data for South Africa
- 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)
- Population growth rate, by level of development 0.2% (2100)
- Total fertility rate vs. contraceptive prevalence 2.21 births per woman (2024)
- Fertility rate vs. unmet need for contraception 2.21 births per woman (2024)
- Refugees by country of asylum 71,171 people (2024)
- Total fertility rate vs. wanted fertility rate 2.21 births per woman (2024)
- Fertility rate vs. Share of people who are religious 2.22 live births per woman (2023)
- Fertility rate accounting for survival until childbearing age 2.07 children per women (2023)
Frequently asked questions
- What is birth rate in South Africa?
- Birth rate in South Africa was 18.77 births per 1,000 people in 2023, according to Human Mortality Database (2025); UN, World Population Prospects (2024) – processed by Our World in Data.
- What is the highest birth rate recorded in South Africa?
- The highest recorded value was 41.12 births per 1,000 people in 1952.
- What is the lowest birth rate recorded in South Africa?
- The lowest recorded value was 18.77 births per 1,000 people in 2023.
- How does South Africa rank for birth rate?
- South Africa ranks 86th out of 236 countries with data for 2023.
- Is birth rate rising or falling in South Africa?
- Over the last ten years it is down 14.2%. The long-run trend across the full record is falling.
- Where does this South Africa data come from?
- The figures come from Human Mortality Database (2025); UN, World Population Prospects (2024) – processed by Our World in Data, published as part of Birth rate. 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
The total number of births per 1,000 people in a given year.