Number of births in South Africa
South Africa: Number of births was 1.19 million births in 2023. ▲ Rising
Latest (2023)
1.19 million births
Change on year
down 0.3%
World rank
24th
of 236 countries
All-time high
1.24 million births
in 2008
All-time low
534,108 births
in 1950
Years of data
74
1950–2023
Number of births in South Africa, 1950–2023
Source: UN, World Population Prospects (2024) – processed by Our World in Data. Measured in births.
Analysis
The most recent figure for number of births in South Africa is 1.19 million births, measured in 2023.
The figure is down 0.3% on the previous year and down 0.9% over ten years.
Over the whole period, number of births in South Africa peaked at 1.24 million births in 2008 and was at its lowest, 534,108 births, in 1950.
That places South Africa 24th out of 236 countries with data for 2023, putting it in the top 10%.
The long-run direction has been consistently rising across the 74 years of available data.
Number of births in South Africa, year by year
| Year | births | Change |
|---|---|---|
| 1950 | 534,108 births | — |
| 1951 | 546,874 births | +2.4% |
| 1952 | 559,047 births | +2.2% |
| 1953 | 570,665 births | +2.1% |
| 1954 | 581,444 births | +1.9% |
| 1955 | 593,446 births | +2.1% |
| 1956 | 604,746 births | +1.9% |
| 1957 | 617,087 births | +2.0% |
| 1958 | 630,445 births | +2.2% |
| 1959 | 640,756 births | +1.6% |
| 1960 | 654,647 births | +2.2% |
| 1961 | 671,921 births | +2.6% |
| 1962 | 691,059 births | +2.8% |
| 1963 | 712,678 births | +3.1% |
| 1964 | 733,055 births | +2.9% |
| 1965 | 753,872 births | +2.8% |
| 1966 | 786,790 births | +4.4% |
| 1967 | 811,124 births | +3.1% |
| 1968 | 834,361 births | +2.9% |
| 1969 | 858,270 births | +2.9% |
| 1970 | 877,296 births | +2.2% |
| 1971 | 900,469 births | +2.6% |
| 1972 | 917,234 births | +1.9% |
| 1973 | 932,746 births | +1.7% |
| 1974 | 941,247 births | +0.9% |
| 1975 | 950,848 births | +1.0% |
| 1976 | 958,964 births | +0.9% |
| 1977 | 964,558 births | +0.6% |
| 1978 | 977,732 births | +1.4% |
| 1979 | 1.00 million births | +2.3% |
| 1980 | 1.02 million births | +2.3% |
| 1981 | 1.06 million births | +3.2% |
| 1982 | 1.10 million births | +4.2% |
| 1983 | 1.13 million births | +3.1% |
| 1984 | 1.17 million births | +3.2% |
| 1985 | 1.20 million births | +2.5% |
| 1986 | 1.22 million births | +1.3% |
| 1987 | 1.24 million births | +1.9% |
| 1988 | 1.23 million births | -0.7% |
| 1989 | 1.21 million births | -1.5% |
| 1990 | 1.17 million births | -3.4% |
| 1991 | 1.17 million births | -0.0% |
| 1992 | 1.15 million births | -2.0% |
| 1993 | 1.15 million births | +0.5% |
| 1994 | 1.08 million births | -6.1% |
| 1995 | 1.14 million births | +5.5% |
| 1996 | 1.12 million births | -1.7% |
| 1997 | 1.09 million births | -2.7% |
| 1998 | 1.07 million births | -2.0% |
| 1999 | 1.06 million births | -0.9% |
| 2000 | 1.02 million births | -4.1% |
| 2001 | 1.01 million births | -0.5% |
| 2002 | 1.00 million births | -0.7% |
| 2003 | 1.04 million births | +3.2% |
| 2004 | 1.08 million births | +4.5% |
| 2005 | 1.12 million births | +3.7% |
| 2006 | 1.16 million births | +2.9% |
| 2007 | 1.17 million births | +0.8% |
| 2008 | 1.24 million births | +6.6% |
| 2009 | 1.18 million births | -5.2% |
| 2010 | 1.16 million births | -1.5% |
| 2011 | 1.17 million births | +0.8% |
| 2012 | 1.19 million births | +1.7% |
| 2013 | 1.20 million births | +0.6% |
| 2014 | 1.21 million births | +1.2% |
| 2015 | 1.19 million births | -1.6% |
| 2016 | 1.16 million births | -2.6% |
| 2017 | 1.15 million births | -0.5% |
| 2018 | 1.16 million births | +0.7% |
| 2019 | 1.17 million births | +0.9% |
| 2020 | 1.18 million births | +0.7% |
| 2021 | 1.19 million births | +0.7% |
| 2022 | 1.19 million births | -0.0% |
| 2023 | 1.19 million births | -0.3% |
Averages by decade
| Decade | Average | Lowest | Highest | Years |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1950s | 587,862 births | 534,108 births | 640,756 births | 10 |
| 1960s | 750,778 births | 654,647 births | 858,270 births | 10 |
| 1970s | 942,163 births | 877,296 births | 1.00 million births | 10 |
| 1980s | 1.16 million births | 1.02 million births | 1.24 million births | 10 |
| 1990s | 1.12 million births | 1.06 million births | 1.17 million births | 10 |
| 2000s | 1.10 million births | 1.00 million births | 1.24 million births | 10 |
| 2010s | 1.18 million births | 1.15 million births | 1.21 million births | 10 |
| 2020s | 1.19 million births | 1.18 million births | 1.19 million births | 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)
- 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)
Frequently asked questions
- What is number of births in South Africa?
- Number of births in South Africa was 1.19 million births in 2023, according to UN, World Population Prospects (2024) – processed by Our World in Data.
- What is the highest number of births recorded in South Africa?
- The highest recorded value was 1.24 million births in 2008.
- What is the lowest number of births recorded in South Africa?
- The lowest recorded value was 534,108 births in 1950.
- How does South Africa rank for number of births?
- South Africa ranks 24th out of 236 countries with data for 2023.
- Is number of births rising or falling in South Africa?
- Over the last ten years it is down 0.9%. The long-run trend across the full record is rising.
- Where does this South Africa data come from?
- The figures come from UN, World Population Prospects (2024) – processed by Our World in Data, published as part of Number of births. Statizoid updates them automatically from the source API.
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About this data
Number of live births in a calendar year.