World 8.2bn peopleGDP $118tnLife expectancy 73.5 yrsOnline 73.6%
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Health · Sub-Saharan Africa · Upper-middle income

South Africa: health in numbers

Life expectancy is 66.3 yrs (2024), 183rd of 217 in the world and 19th of 48 in Sub-Saharan Africa. Life expectancy, women is 69.8 yrs (2024), 177th of 217 in the world and 17th of 48 in Sub-Saharan Africa. Life expectancy, men is 62.8 yrs (2024), 189th of 217 in the world and 22nd of 48 in Sub-Saharan Africa.

Life expectancy66.3 yrs2024 · world 183/217 · region 19/48Life expectancy, women69.8 yrs2024 · world 177/217 · region 17/48Life expectancy, men62.8 yrs2024 · world 189/217 · region 22/48Infant mortality24.22024 · world 58/196 · region 44/48
Life expectancy
South AfricaSub-Saharan AfricaUpper-middle incomeWorld
50607080199520002005201020152020South Africa66.3 yrsSub-Saharan AfricaUpper-middle incomeWorld
Life expectancy, women
South AfricaSub-Saharan AfricaUpper-middle incomeWorld
50607080199520002005201020152020South Africa69.8 yrsSub-Saharan AfricaUpper-middle incomeWorld
18 indicators

Health: South Africa in detail

Latest reported value, world rank and rank within Sub-Saharan Africa; values around 2000, 2010, 2020; group and world columns are World Bank aggregates.

IndicatorLatestWorld rankIn region~2000~2010~202010-year changeRegionIncome groupWorldSince 2000
Life expectancyLife expectancy at birth, years66.3 yrs2024183/21719/4858.4 yrs58.9 yrs65.2 yrs+5.0%since 201462.8 yrs76.0 yrs73.5 yrs
Life expectancy, womenLife expectancy at birth, women, years69.8 yrs2024177/21717/4861.1 yrs61.2 yrs67.9 yrs+5.5%since 201465.0 yrs78.9 yrs76.0 yrs
Life expectancy, menLife expectancy at birth, men, years62.8 yrs2024189/21722/4855.4 yrs56.2 yrs62.2 yrs+4.8%since 201460.7 yrs73.3 yrs71.1 yrs
Infant mortalityInfant mortality, per 1,000 live births24.2202458/19644/4846.536.024.5−21%since 201447.110.927.7
Under-5 mortalityUnder-5 mortality, per 1,000 live births35.1202453/19641/4871.450.333.9−12%since 201471.213.137.4
Neonatal mortalityNeonatal mortality, per 1,000 live births12.4202471/19644/4813.513.011.6+6.0%since 201426.66.817.2
Maternal mortalityMaternal mortality, per 100,000 live births118202361/19442/48175226118−34%since 201344857197
Measles vaccinationMeasles immunisation, % of children 12–23 months76%2024155/19327/4872%72%84%−8.0 ppsince 201469%90%84%
HIV prevalenceHIV prevalence, % of people 15–4917.2%20242/1532/4413.8%17.4%18.4%−1.1 ppsince 20143.0%—0.7%
TuberculosisTuberculosis incidence, per 100,000 people389202412/2084/487621,230562−64%since 201420592131
Health spendingCurrent health expenditure, % of GDP8.9%202347/1937/487.3%7.8%9.0%+0.8 ppsince 20134.9%6.0%10.1%
Out-of-pocket spendingOut-of-pocket health spending, % of health expenditure6.7%2023183/19346/4814.5%8.0%6.4%−0.9 ppsince 201330.4%31.2%17.3%
PhysiciansPhysicians per 1,000 people0.792022113/1803/46·0.700.782021+11%since 20120.252.411.86
Hospital bedsHospital beds per 1,000 people2.2201096/1827/403.020022.2·——4.53.3
Basic waterBasic drinking water, % of population90.2%2024147/2065/4686.0%90.8%91.2%−2.3 ppsince 201467.5%95.9%91.5%
Basic sanitationBasic sanitation, % of population77.4%2024144/2035/4660.5%68.1%74.9%+6.4 ppsince 201437.1%94.2%82.2%
Tobacco useTobacco use, % of adults23.7%202455/1663/3922.6%23.0%23.4%+0.7 ppsince 20108.9%21.5%20.3%
Road deathsRoad traffic deaths, per 100,000 people22.2201959/18644/4844.028.622.22019−22%since 200927.417.216.7
Source: World Bank, World Development Indicators (CC BY 4.0)“·” — no value reported within two years of that date. World rank counts countries with a recent value.

Better than ten years ago

Worse than ten years ago

Only indicators where higher or lower is clearly better are rated (for example, unemployment down is better, life expectancy up is better).

neighbours

South Africa and its neighbours

Countries sharing a land border with South Africa. Latest values since 2005; the highest in each row is marked.

IndicatorSouth AfricaMozambiqueZimbabweNamibiaBotswanaLesotho
Life expectancy66.3 yrs202463.8 yrs202463.1 yrs202467.5 yrs202469.3 yrs202457.8 yrs2024
Life expectancy, women69.8 yrs202466.7 yrs202465.3 yrs202471.5 yrs202471.9 yrs202460.4 yrs2024
Life expectancy, men62.8 yrs202460.5 yrs202460.5 yrs202463.5 yrs202466.8 yrs202455.0 yrs2024
Infant mortality24.2202443.7202462.4202436.4202432.1202456.32024
Under-5 mortality35.1202459.4202464.7202439.5202433.3202460.02024
Neonatal mortality12.4202425.1202433.7202421.4202417.6202428.52024
Maternal mortality11820239920233582023139202315520234782023
Measles vaccination76%202465%202490%202479%202497%202490%2024
HIV prevalence17.2%202411.5%20249.8%20249.0%202415.7%202417.1%2024
Mozambique: healthZimbabwe: healthNamibia: healthBotswana: healthLesotho: health
Health in Sub-Saharan Africaall 48 economies rankedHealth: upper-middle-income countries59 economies rankedHealth: world leaderboardstop and bottom countriesSouth Africa: all key statisticscountry profile