In 1925, the crude birth rate in South Africa was just under 49 births per thousand people, meaning that almost five percent of the population was born in that year. This figure would follow the country’s trends in fertility, remaining largely unchanged until the 1950s when, following the implementation of apartheid rule in the country in 1948, declines in fertility from the government's family planning programs would lead to the birth rate's rapid decline. Apart from a brief pause in the early-1980s, births rates would decline throughout the second half of the 20th century, falling to just under 24 births per thousand people by 2000. The crude birth rate would see a brief increase in the early 2000s, largely attributed to a diversion of healthcare funding away from contraceptives to funding for treatments for the HIV/AIDS epidemic in the country, but since then, birth rates have resumed their decline, and in 2020, it is estimated that South Africa had a birth rate just under 21 births for every thousand people.

In 2023, the total fertility rate in children per woman in South Africa was 2.22. Between 1960 and 2023, the figure dropped by 3.89, though the decline followed an uneven course rather than a steady trajectory.

In 2023, the crude birth rate in live births per 1,000 inhabitants in South Africa was 18.78. Between 1960 and 2023, the figure dropped by 21.04, though the decline followed an uneven course rather than a steady trajectory.

Graph and download economic data for Crude Birth Rate for South Africa (SPDYNCBRTINZAF) from 1960 to 2023 about birth, South Africa, crude, and rate.

South Africa ZA: Fertility Rate: Total: Births per Woman data was reported at 2.458 Ratio in 2016. This records a decrease from the previous number of 2.485 Ratio for 2015. South Africa ZA: Fertility Rate: Total: Births per Woman data is updated yearly, averaging 3.924 Ratio from Dec 1960 (Median) to 2016, with 57 observations. The data reached an all-time high of 6.041 Ratio in 1960 and a record low of 2.458 Ratio in 2016. South Africa ZA: Fertility Rate: Total: Births per Woman data remains active status in CEIC and is reported by World Bank. The data is categorized under Global Database’s South Africa – Table ZA.World Bank.WDI: Health Statistics. Total fertility rate represents the number of children that would be born to a woman if she were to live to the end of her childbearing years and bear children in accordance with age-specific fertility rates of the specified year.; ; (1) United Nations Population Division. World Population Prospects: 2017 Revision. (2) Census reports and other statistical publications from national statistical offices, (3) Eurostat: Demographic Statistics, (4) United Nations Statistical Division. Population and Vital Statistics Reprot (various years), (5) U.S. Census Bureau: International Database, and (6) Secretariat of the Pacific Community: Statistics and Demography Programme.; Weighted average; Relevance to gender indicator: it can indicate the status of women within households and a woman’s decision about the number and spacing of children.

Birth rate, crude (per 1,000 people) in South Africa was reported at 18.77 % in 2023, according to the World Bank collection of development indicators, compiled from officially recognized sources. South Africa - Birth rate, crude - actual values, historical data, forecasts and projections were sourced from the World Bank on August of 2025.

This bar chart displays birth rate (per 1,000 people) by capital city using the aggregation average, weighted by population in South Africa. The data is filtered where the date is 2021. The data is about countries per year.

This dataset is about countries per year in Southern Africa. It has 320 rows. It features 3 columns: country, and birth rate.

South Africa ZA: Birth Rate: Crude: per 1000 People data was reported at 20.981 Ratio in 2016. This records a decrease from the previous number of 21.297 Ratio for 2015. South Africa ZA: Birth Rate: Crude: per 1000 People data is updated yearly, averaging 30.616 Ratio from Dec 1960 (Median) to 2016, with 57 observations. The data reached an all-time high of 40.222 Ratio in 1960 and a record low of 20.981 Ratio in 2016. South Africa ZA: Birth Rate: Crude: per 1000 People data remains active status in CEIC and is reported by World Bank. The data is categorized under Global Database’s South Africa – Table ZA.World Bank: Population and Urbanization Statistics. Crude birth rate indicates the number of live births occurring during the year, per 1,000 population estimated at midyear. Subtracting the crude death rate from the crude birth rate provides the rate of natural increase, which is equal to the rate of population change in the absence of migration.; ; (1) United Nations Population Division. World Population Prospects: 2017 Revision. (2) Census reports and other statistical publications from national statistical offices, (3) Eurostat: Demographic Statistics, (4) United Nations Statistical Division. Population and Vital Statistics Reprot (various years), (5) U.S. Census Bureau: International Database, and (6) Secretariat of the Pacific Community: Statistics and Demography Programme.; Weighted average;

Graph and download economic data for Adolescent Fertility Rate for South Africa (SPADOTFRTZAF) from 1960 to 2023 about 15 to 19 years, fertility, South Africa, and rate.

While the BRICS countries are grouped together in terms of economic development, demographic progress varies across these five countries. In 2019, India and South Africa were the only BRICS countries with a fertility rate above replacement level (2.1 births per woman). Fertility rates since 2000 show that fertility in China and Russia has either fluctuated or remained fairly steady, as these two countries are at a later stage of the demographic transition than the other three, while Brazil has reached this stage more recently. Fertility rates in India are following a similar trend to Brazil, while South Africa's rate is progressing at a much slower pace. Demographic development is inextricably linked with economic growth; for example, as fertility rates drop, female participation in the workforce increases, as does the average age, which then leads to higher productivity and a more profitable domestic market.

This line chart displays fertility rate (births per woman) by date using the aggregation average, weighted by population female in Southern Africa. The data is about countries per year.

Abstract

The Recorded Live Births (RLB) dataset provides information on all registered live births in South Africa. The RLB dataset is part of a regular series of cumulative releases that is published by Statistics South Africa (Stats SA) and based on data collected through the civil registration system. RLB 1998-2023 is the latest release in the series, which replaces and includes the data of the previous release (i.e. RLB 1998-2023 includes the data from RLB 1998-2022). The main objective of this dataset is to outline emerging trends and differentials in birth occurrence and registration, by selected socio-demographic and geographic characteristics, in South Africa over time. Reliable birth statistics are necessary for population health assessment, health policy, service planning and programme evaluation. These data are particularly critical for planning, implementing and monitoring development policies and programmes such as the National Development Plan (NDP) in South Africa, Agenda 2063 at regional level and the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) at international level.

Geographic coverage

This dataset has national coverage.

Analysis unit

Individuals

Universe

This dataset is based on information on birth occurences from the South African civil registration system. It covers all birth notification forms from the Department of Home Affairs (DHA) for births that occurred from 1998-2023 and that were registered between January 2023 and February 2024. The dataset excludes all births that occurred in South Africa but where the parents were non-South African citizens or not permanent residents.

Kind of data

Administrative records

Mode of data collection

Other

Research instrument

The form used to record live births is the Notice of Birth form of the Department of Home Affairs (Form DHA-24). Previously there were three forms used:

Form BI-24 (for births registered within the first year) Form BI-24/1 (for births registered between a year and 14 years) Form BI-24/15 (for births registered after 15 years or more)

Data appraisal

The Statistics South Africa metadata document mentions two birth forms, however this seems incorrect. There is only one form used, the DHA-24.

This horizontal bar chart displays fertility rate (births per woman) by countries yearly using the aggregation average, weighted by population female in Southern Africa. The data is about countries per year.

South Africa ZA: UCB Projection: Crude Birth Rate: per 1000 Persons data was reported at 13.500 NA in 2050. This records a decrease from the previous number of 13.600 NA for 2049. South Africa ZA: UCB Projection: Crude Birth Rate: per 1000 Persons data is updated yearly, averaging 20.050 NA from Jun 1985 (Median) to 2050, with 66 observations. The data reached an all-time high of 33.600 NA in 1985 and a record low of 13.500 NA in 2050. South Africa ZA: UCB Projection: Crude Birth Rate: per 1000 Persons data remains active status in CEIC and is reported by US Census Bureau. The data is categorized under Global Database’s South Africa – Table ZA.US Census Bureau: Demographic Projection.

The total fertility rate represents the average number of children that a woman will have over the course of their reproductive years. In South Africa in the early-1920s, the average woman would have 6.5 children over the course of their reproductive years, a rate that would remain fairly constant until 1950. From this point until 2005, South Africa’s fertility rate would drop consistently, and would reach 2.9 children per woman by the beginning of the 21st century. There was a slight increase in fertility in 2005, largely attributed to a diversion of healthcare funding away from contraceptives to funding for treatments for the HIV/AIDS epidemic in the country, however, the fertility rate would again decrease in the years following this. In 2020, the total fertility rate for South Africa is estimated to be just 2.41 children per woman, a rate much lower than most other Sub-Saharan countries.

Adolescent fertility rate (births per 1,000 women ages 15-19) in South Africa was reported at 51.56 % in 2023, according to the World Bank collection of development indicators, compiled from officially recognized sources. South Africa - Adolescent fertility rate (births per 1,000 women ages 15-19) - actual values, historical data, forecasts and projections were sourced from the World Bank on July of 2025.

Fertility rate, total (births per woman) in South Africa was reported at 2.216 % in 2023, according to the World Bank collection of development indicators, compiled from officially recognized sources. South Africa - Fertility rate, total (births per woman) - actual values, historical data, forecasts and projections were sourced from the World Bank on August of 2025.

This horizontal bar chart displays birth rate (per 1,000 people) by ISO 3 country code using the aggregation average, weighted by population in Southern Africa. The data is about countries per year.

Education- and age-specific fertility rates for 50 African and Latin American countries between 1970 and 2020.

The fertility rates are consistent with the United Nation's World Population Prospects (UN WPP) 2022 fertility rates.

The Bayesian model developed to reconstruct the fertility rates using Demographic and Health Surveys and the UN WPP is published in a working paper.

Abstract:

Consistent and reliable time series of education- and age-specific fertility rates for the past are difficult to obtain in developing countries, although they are needed to evaluate the impact of women’s education on fertility along periods and cohorts. In this paper, we propose a Bayesian framework to reconstruct age-specific fertility rates by level of education using prior information from the birth history module of the Demographic and Health Surveys (DHS) and the UN World Population Prospects. In our case study regions, we reconstruct age- and education-specific fertility rates which are consistent with the UN age specific fertility rates by four levels of education for 50 African and Latin American countries from 1970 to 2020 in five-year steps. Our results show that the Bayesian approach allows for estimating reliable education- and age-specific fertility rates using multiple rounds of the DHS surveys. The time series obtained confirm the main findings of the literature on fertility trends, and age and education specific differentials.

Funding:

These data sets are part of the BayesEdu Project at Wittgenstein Centre for Demography and Global Human Capital (IIASA, OeAW, University of Vienna) funded from the “Innovation Fund Research, Science and Society” by the Austrian Academy of Sciences (ÖAW).

Variables:

Country: Country names

Education: Four education levels, No Education, Primary Education, Secondary Education and Higher Education.

Age group: Five-year age groups between 15-19 and 45-49.

Year: Five-year periods between 1970 and 2020.

Median: Median education and age-specific fertility rate estimate

Upper_CI: 95% Upper Credible Interval

Lower_CI: 95% Lower Credible Interval

List of countries:

Angola

Benin

Brazil

Burkina Faso

Burundi

Cameroon

Central African Republic

Chad

Colombia

Comoros

Congo

Côte D'Ivoire

DR Congo

Ecuador

Egypt

Eswatini

Ethiopia

Gabon

Gambia

Ghana

Guatemala

Guinea

Honduras

Kenya

Lesotho

Liberia

Madagascar

Malawi

Mali

Mexico

Morocco

Mozambique

Namibia

Nicaragua

Niger

Nigeria

Paraguay

Peru

Rwanda

Sao Tome and Principe

Senegal

Sierra Leone

South Africa

Sudan

Tanzania

Togo

Tunisia

Uganda

Zambia

Zimbabwe