Median age vs births per woman in South Africa
South Africa: Median age vs births per woman was 28.21 in 2023. ▲ Rising
Latest (2023)
28.21
Change on year
up 1.1%
World rank
143rd
of 236 countries
All-time high
28.21
in 2023
All-time low
17.71
in 1971
Years of data
74
1950–2023
Median age vs births per woman in South Africa, 1950–2023
Source: Our World in Data.
Analysis
In 2023, median age vs births per woman in South Africa stood at 28.21. That is the highest value across all 74 years on record.
Compared with earlier readings it is up 1.1% on the previous year and up 14.3% over ten years.
Over the whole period, median age vs births per woman in South Africa peaked at 28.21 in 2023 and was at its lowest, 17.71, in 1971.
South Africa ranks 143rd of 236 countries on this measure, in the middle of the range.
The long-run direction has been consistently rising across the 74 years of available data.
Median age vs births per woman in South Africa, year by year
| Year | Value | Change |
|---|---|---|
| 1950 | 19.21 | — |
| 1951 | 19.1 | -0.5% |
| 1952 | 18.99 | -0.6% |
| 1953 | 18.86 | -0.7% |
| 1954 | 18.72 | -0.7% |
| 1955 | 18.57 | -0.8% |
| 1956 | 18.43 | -0.8% |
| 1957 | 18.29 | -0.8% |
| 1958 | 18.14 | -0.8% |
| 1959 | 18.02 | -0.7% |
| 1960 | 17.93 | -0.5% |
| 1961 | 17.87 | -0.3% |
| 1962 | 17.82 | -0.3% |
| 1963 | 17.79 | -0.2% |
| 1964 | 17.77 | -0.1% |
| 1965 | 17.77 | -0.0% |
| 1966 | 17.77 | +0.0% |
| 1967 | 17.77 | +0.0% |
| 1968 | 17.77 | -0.1% |
| 1969 | 17.73 | -0.2% |
| 1970 | 17.71 | -0.1% |
| 1971 | 17.71 | -0.0% |
| 1972 | 17.73 | +0.1% |
| 1973 | 17.76 | +0.2% |
| 1974 | 17.8 | +0.3% |
| 1975 | 17.86 | +0.3% |
| 1976 | 17.93 | +0.4% |
| 1977 | 18.01 | +0.5% |
| 1978 | 18.11 | +0.6% |
| 1979 | 18.21 | +0.6% |
| 1980 | 18.37 | +0.8% |
| 1981 | 18.57 | +1.1% |
| 1982 | 18.77 | +1.1% |
| 1983 | 18.97 | +1.1% |
| 1984 | 19.18 | +1.1% |
| 1985 | 19.36 | +1.0% |
| 1986 | 19.51 | +0.7% |
| 1987 | 19.65 | +0.7% |
| 1988 | 19.82 | +0.8% |
| 1989 | 20.02 | +1.0% |
| 1990 | 20.26 | +1.2% |
| 1991 | 20.46 | +1.0% |
| 1992 | 20.49 | +0.2% |
| 1993 | 20.88 | +1.9% |
| 1994 | 20.94 | +0.3% |
| 1995 | 20.49 | -2.1% |
| 1996 | 20.2 | -1.4% |
| 1997 | 20.11 | -0.5% |
| 1998 | 20.33 | +1.1% |
| 1999 | 20.56 | +1.1% |
| 2000 | 20.8 | +1.2% |
| 2001 | 21.07 | +1.2% |
| 2002 | 21.33 | +1.3% |
| 2003 | 21.61 | +1.3% |
| 2004 | 21.88 | +1.2% |
| 2005 | 22.14 | +1.2% |
| 2006 | 22.42 | +1.3% |
| 2007 | 22.71 | +1.3% |
| 2008 | 23 | +1.3% |
| 2009 | 23.31 | +1.3% |
| 2010 | 23.64 | +1.4% |
| 2011 | 23.98 | +1.4% |
| 2012 | 24.33 | +1.4% |
| 2013 | 24.68 | +1.5% |
| 2014 | 25.03 | +1.4% |
| 2015 | 25.36 | +1.4% |
| 2016 | 25.69 | +1.3% |
| 2017 | 26.06 | +1.4% |
| 2018 | 26.47 | +1.6% |
| 2019 | 26.87 | +1.5% |
| 2020 | 27.27 | +1.5% |
| 2021 | 27.61 | +1.3% |
| 2022 | 27.92 | +1.1% |
| 2023 | 28.21 | +1.1% |
South Africa compared with similar countries
- South Africa's 28.21 is below the median for upper middle income countries, which is 29.94, 94% of the median. (58 countries reporting)
- South Africa's 28.21 is above the median for Sub-Saharan Africa, which is 18.22, 1.5× the median. (48 countries reporting)
Averages by decade
| Decade | Average | Lowest | Highest | Years |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1950s | 18.63 | 18.02 | 19.21 | 10 |
| 1960s | 17.8 | 17.73 | 17.93 | 10 |
| 1970s | 17.88 | 17.71 | 18.21 | 10 |
| 1980s | 19.22 | 18.37 | 20.02 | 10 |
| 1990s | 20.47 | 20.11 | 20.94 | 10 |
| 2000s | 22.03 | 20.8 | 23.31 | 10 |
| 2010s | 25.21 | 23.64 | 26.87 | 10 |
| 2020s | 27.75 | 27.27 | 28.21 | 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 median age vs births per woman in South Africa?
- Median age vs births per woman in South Africa was 28.21 in 2023, according to Our World in Data.
- What is the highest median age vs births per woman recorded in South Africa?
- The highest recorded value was 28.21 in 2023.
- What is the lowest median age vs births per woman recorded in South Africa?
- The lowest recorded value was 17.71 in 1971.
- How does South Africa rank for median age vs births per woman?
- South Africa ranks 143rd out of 236 countries with data for 2023.
- Is median age vs births per woman rising or falling in South Africa?
- Over the last ten years it is up 14.3%. 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 Median age vs births per woman. Statizoid updates them automatically from the source API.
Download this data
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