South Africa infant mortality rate for 2025 is 22.69, a 1.92% decline from 2024.

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<li>South Africa infant mortality rate for 2024 was <strong>23.13</strong>, a <strong>5.21% decline</strong> from 2023.</li>
<li>South Africa infant mortality rate for 2023 was <strong>24.40</strong>, a <strong>0.41% decline</strong> from 2022.</li>
<li>South Africa infant mortality rate for 2022 was <strong>24.50</strong>, a <strong>0.81% decline</strong> from 2021.</li>
</ul>Infant mortality rate is the number of infants dying before reaching one year of age, per 1,000 live births in a given year.

In 2023, the infant mortality rate in South Africa remained nearly unchanged at around 24.4 deaths per 1,000 live births. But still, the infant mortality rate reached its lowest value of the observation period in 2023. The infant mortality rate refers to the number of infants who do not survive past the first year of life, expressed as a value per 1,000 births.Find more statistics on other topics about South Africa with key insights such as total life expectancy at birth, total fertility rate, and fertility rate of women aged between 15 and 19 years old.

UNICEF's country profile for South Africa, including under-five mortality rates, child health, education and sanitation data.

In the mid-20th century, the infant mortality rate of South Africa was estimated to be just over 130 deaths per thousand live births, meaning that almost one in seven infants born at that time would not survive past their first birthday. Infant mortality in South Africa would steadily decline for most of the late-1900s, falling to just over forty deaths per thousand live births by the early 1990s. However, with the outbreak of the the HIV/AIDS epidemic in the late 1990s, infant mortality would gradually rise in the country until improvements in HIV treatment and prevention would allow for infant mortality to decline from 2005 onwards. As South Africa continues to improve access to healthcare, it is estimated that, in 2020, over 97 percent of all infants will make it past their first birthday.

South Africa ZA: Mortality Rate: Under-5: per 1000 Live Births data was reported at 43.300 Ratio in 2016. This records a decrease from the previous number of 44.100 Ratio for 2015. South Africa ZA: Mortality Rate: Under-5: per 1000 Live Births data is updated yearly, averaging 66.000 Ratio from Dec 1974 (Median) to 2016, with 43 observations. The data reached an all-time high of 125.500 Ratio in 1974 and a record low of 43.300 Ratio in 2016. South Africa ZA: Mortality Rate: Under-5: per 1000 Live Births 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: Health Statistics. Under-five mortality rate is the probability per 1,000 that a newborn baby will die before reaching age five, if subject to age-specific mortality rates of the specified year.; ; Estimates Developed by the UN Inter-agency Group for Child Mortality Estimation (UNICEF, WHO, World Bank, UN DESA Population Division) at www.childmortality.org.; Weighted average; Given that data on the incidence and prevalence of diseases are frequently unavailable, mortality rates are often used to identify vulnerable populations. Moreover, they are among the indicators most frequently used to compare socioeconomic development across countries. Under-five mortality rates are higher for boys than for girls in countries in which parental gender preferences are insignificant. Under-five mortality captures the effect of gender discrimination better than infant mortality does, as malnutrition and medical interventions have more significant impacts to this age group. Where female under-five mortality is higher, girls are likely to have less access to resources than boys.

Mortality rate, infant, female (per 1,000 live births) in South Africa was reported at 22.4 % in 2023, according to the World Bank collection of development indicators, compiled from officially recognized sources. South Africa - Mortality rate, infant, female (per 1,000 live births) - actual values, historical data, forecasts and projections were sourced from the World Bank on July of 2025.

Mortality rate, infant (per 1,000 live births) in South Africa was reported at 24.4 % in 2023, according to the World Bank collection of development indicators, compiled from officially recognized sources. South Africa - Mortality rate, infant (per 1,000 live births) - actual values, historical data, forecasts and projections were sourced from the World Bank on July of 2025.

This statistic shows the 20 countries* with the highest infant mortality rate in 2024. An estimated 101.3 infants per 1,000 live births died in the first year of life in Afghanistan in 2024. Infant and child mortality Infant mortality usually refers to the death of children younger than one year. Child mortality, which is often used synonymously with infant mortality, is the death of children younger than five. Among the main causes are pneumonia, diarrhea – which causes dehydration – and infections in newborns, with malnutrition also posing a severe problem. As can be seen above, most countries with a high infant mortality rate are developing countries or emerging countries, most of which are located in Africa. Good health care and hygiene are crucial in reducing child mortality; among the countries with the lowest infant mortality rate are exclusively developed countries, whose inhabitants usually have access to clean water and comprehensive health care. Access to vaccinations, antibiotics and a balanced nutrition also help reducing child mortality in these regions. In some countries, infants are killed if they turn out to be of a certain gender. India, for example, is known as a country where a lot of girls are aborted or killed right after birth, as they are considered to be too expensive for poorer families, who traditionally have to pay a costly dowry on the girl’s wedding day. Interestingly, the global mortality rate among boys is higher than that for girls, which could be due to the fact that more male infants are actually born than female ones. Other theories include a stronger immune system in girls, or more premature births among boys.

Mortality rate, infant, male (per 1,000 live births) in South Africa was reported at 26.4 % in 2023, according to the World Bank collection of development indicators, compiled from officially recognized sources. South Africa - Mortality rate, infant, male (per 1,000 live births) - actual values, historical data, forecasts and projections were sourced from the World Bank on June of 2025.

South Africa ZA: Mortality Rate: Infant: Female: per 1000 Live Births data was reported at 30.100 Ratio in 2016. This records a decrease from the previous number of 31.500 Ratio for 2015. South Africa ZA: Mortality Rate: Infant: Female: per 1000 Live Births data is updated yearly, averaging 33.000 Ratio from Dec 1990 (Median) to 2016, with 5 observations. The data reached an all-time high of 41.200 Ratio in 2000 and a record low of 30.100 Ratio in 2016. South Africa ZA: Mortality Rate: Infant: Female: per 1000 Live Births 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: Health Statistics. Infant mortality rate, female is the number of female infants dying before reaching one year of age, per 1,000 female live births in a given year.; ; Estimates developed by the UN Inter-agency Group for Child Mortality Estimation (UNICEF, WHO, World Bank, UN DESA Population Division) at www.childmortality.org.; Weighted Average; Given that data on the incidence and prevalence of diseases are frequently unavailable, mortality rates are often used to identify vulnerable populations. Moreover, they are among the indicators most frequently used to compare socioeconomic development across countries. Under-five mortality rates are higher for boys than for girls in countries in which parental gender preferences are insignificant. Under-five mortality captures the effect of gender discrimination better than infant mortality does, as malnutrition and medical interventions have more significant impacts to this age group. Where female under-five mortality is higher, girls are likely to have less access to resources than boys.

South Africa maternal mortality rate for 2023 was 118.00, a 8.53% decline from 2022.

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<li>South Africa maternal mortality rate for 2022 was <strong>129.00</strong>, a <strong>32.46% decline</strong> from 2021.</li>
<li>South Africa maternal mortality rate for 2021 was <strong>191.00</strong>, a <strong>61.86% increase</strong> from 2020.</li>
<li>South Africa maternal mortality rate for 2020 was <strong>118.00</strong>, a <strong>0.84% decline</strong> from 2019.</li>
</ul>Maternal mortality ratio is the number of women who die from pregnancy-related causes while pregnant or within 42 days of pregnancy termination per 100,000 live births. The data are estimated with a regression model using information on the proportion of maternal deaths among non-AIDS deaths in women ages 15-49, fertility, birth attendants, and GDP.

UNICEF's country profile for Central African Republic, including under-five mortality rates, child health, education and sanitation data.

The child mortality rate in Africa has steadily declined over the past seven decades. Between 1950 and 1955, child mortality was estimated at 311 deaths per thousand births, meaning that almost one third of all children born in these years did not make it to their fifth birthday. By 2020, this number has fallen significantly, to an estimated 71 deaths per thousand births in 2020. While the reduction rate varies on a country-by-country basis, the overall decline can be attributed in large part to the expansion of healthcare services, improvements in nutrition and access to clean drinking water, and the implementation of large scale immunization campaigns across the continent. The temporary slowdown in the 1990s has been attributed in part to rapid urbanization of many parts of the continent that coincided with poor economic performance, resulting in the creation of overcrowded slums with poor access to health and sanitation services. Despite significant improvements in the continent-wide averages, there remains a significant imbalance in the continent, with Sub-Saharan countries experiencing much higher child mortality rates than those in North Africa.

Historical chart and dataset showing South Africa birth rate by year from 1950 to 2025.

In 2023, the crude birth rate in South Africa decreased by 0.3 live births per 1,000 inhabitants (-1.57 percent) compared to 2022. This marks the lowest rate during the observed period. The crude birth rate is the annual number of live births divided by the total population, expressed per 1,000 people.Find more statistics on other topics about South Africa with key insights such as total fertility rate, fertility rate of women aged between 15 and 19 years old, and infant mortality rate.

The death rate in South Africa decreased by 0.2 deaths per 1,000 inhabitants (-2.13 percent) in 2023 in comparison to the previous year. The crude death rate is the annual number of deaths in a given population, expressed per 1,000 people. When looked at in unison with the crude birth rate, the rate of natural increase can be determined.Find more statistics on other topics about South Africa with key insights such as crude birth rate, fertility rate of women aged between 15 and 19 years old, and total fertility rate.

In 2023, the under-five child mortality rate in East Africa was highest in Somalia, with 104.02 deaths per one thousand live births. South Sudan followed, with 98.73 deaths per one thousand live births. The under five mortality rate, also known as the child mortality rate, refers to the number of newborns who do not survive past the first five years of life. This is generally expressed as a value per 1,000 live births. Child mortality also includes neonatal mortality (deaths within the first 28 days of life) and infant mortality (deaths within the first year of life).

South Africa death rate for 2025 is 9.39, a 0% increase from 2024.

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<li>South Africa death rate for 2024 was <strong>9.39</strong>, a <strong>1.62% increase</strong> from 2023.</li>
<li>South Africa death rate for 2023 was <strong>9.24</strong>, a <strong>1.73% decline</strong> from 2022.</li>
<li>South Africa death rate for 2022 was <strong>9.40</strong>, a <strong>21.21% decline</strong> from 2021.</li>
</ul>Crude death rate indicates the number of deaths 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.

UNICEF's country profile for Liberia, including under-five mortality rates, child health, education and sanitation data.

South Africa ZA: Completeness of Infant Death Reporting data was reported at 78.213 % in 2008. This records an increase from the previous number of 76.955 % for 2006. South Africa ZA: Completeness of Infant Death Reporting data is updated yearly, averaging 77.584 % from Dec 2006 (Median) to 2008, with 2 observations. The data reached an all-time high of 78.213 % in 2008 and a record low of 76.955 % in 2006. South Africa ZA: Completeness of Infant Death Reporting 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. Completeness of infant death reporting is the number of infant deaths reported by national statistics authorities to the United Nations Statistics Division's Demography Yearbook divided by the number of infant deaths estimated by the United Nations Population Division.; ; The United Nations Statistics Division's Population and Vital Statistics Report and the United Nations Population Division's World Population Prospects.; ;