South Africa — Infant mortality
Infant Mortality Rate for South Africa, 1976–2024.
Infant mortality for South Africa was 24.2 in 2024, according to the latest World Bank data. The series covers 49 years, from 1976 to 2024. The highest recorded value was 108.9 in 1976. Across that span the compound annual growth rate works out to -3.08% per year.
South Africa ranks 58 of 196 economies on this measure (1 = highest), putting it in the top 30%. The median for Sub-Saharan Africa is 38.0, so South Africa sits below it. It peaked in 1976 and has fallen 78% since. Over the last decade (2014–2024) the figure moved down 21%. Within Sub-Saharan Africa it ranks 44 of 48 economies; Mauritius (13.8) is just below it. Its sharpest one-year move was down 7% in 2009. That is 7% below this series' own ten-year average.
Data highlights
World ranking. Slipped: 46th of 171 in 1976 → 65th of 179 in 1980 → 78th of 196 in 1990 → 66th of 196 in 2000 → 58th of 196 in 2010 → 63rd of 196 in 2020 → 58th of 196 in 2024.
Key figures
Full history — 1976 to 2024
| Year | per 1,000 live births | Change |
|---|---|---|
| 2024 | 24.2 | -0.4% |
| 2023 | 24.3 | +0.0% |
| 2022 | 24.3 | +0.0% |
| 2021 | 24.3 | -0.8% |
| 2020 | 24.5 | -2.4% |
| 2019 | 25.1 | -2.7% |
| 2018 | 25.8 | -3.7% |
| 2017 | 26.8 | -4.3% |
| 2016 | 28 | -4.4% |
| 2015 | 29.3 | -4.6% |
| 2014 | 30.7 | -4.4% |
| 2013 | 32.1 | -3.6% |
| 2012 | 33.3 | -3.5% |
| 2011 | 34.5 | -4.2% |
| 2010 | 36 | -5.8% |
| 2009 | 38.2 | -6.8% |
| 2008 | 41 | -6.8% |
| 2007 | 44 | -4.3% |
| 2006 | 46 | -3.6% |
| 2005 | 47.7 | -2.1% |
| 2004 | 48.7 | +0.8% |
| 2003 | 48.3 | +1.5% |
| 2002 | 47.6 | +0.8% |
| 2001 | 47.2 | +1.5% |
| 2000 | 46.5 | +1.1% |
| 1999 | 46 | +1.3% |
| 1998 | 45.4 | +0.2% |
| 1997 | 45.3 | -0.4% |
| 1996 | 45.5 | -1.1% |
| 1995 | 46 | -1.5% |
| 1994 | 46.7 | -1.7% |
| 1993 | 47.5 | -2.3% |
| 1992 | 48.6 | -3.0% |
| 1991 | 50.1 | -3.8% |
| 1990 | 52.1 | -4.2% |
| 1989 | 54.4 | -4.6% |
| 1988 | 57 | -4.8% |
| 1987 | 59.9 | -4.8% |
| 1986 | 62.9 | -5.0% |
| 1985 | 66.2 | -4.9% |
| 1984 | 69.6 | -4.8% |
| 1983 | 73.1 | -5.1% |
| 1982 | 77 | -5.4% |
| 1981 | 81.4 | -5.5% |
| 1980 | 86.1 | -5.6% |
| 1979 | 91.2 | -5.7% |
| 1978 | 96.7 | -5.8% |
| 1977 | 102.6 | -5.8% |
| 1976 | 108.9 | — |
Frequently asked questions
What was South Africa’s Infant mortality in 1977?
102.6 (1977). The full year-by-year table above lists every published year, most recent first.
Are South Africa’s Infant mortality figures nominal or inflation-adjusted?
They are exactly as the World Bank publishes them — per 1,000 live births — with no inflation restatement and no PPP conversion. Years the source does not report are omitted rather than interpolated.
Is South Africa’s Infant mortality growing or shrinking?
Between 1976 and 2024 the series was shrinking overall: -77.8% in total — about 3.1% a year compounded.
Where does this data come from?
World Bank Open Data (CC BY-4.0), indicator SP.DYN.IMRT.IN. Values are reproduced as published; this page only computes summary statistics such as change, CAGR and extremes.
What are the most recent published figures?
The last five published years: 2024: 24.2; 2023: 24.3; 2022: 24.3; 2021: 24.3; 2020: 24.5. Earlier years are in the full-history table below.
Related data
SP.DYN.IMRT.IN — Infant Mortality Rate. Data licensed under CC BY 4.0. Values are reproduced as published; this page computes the summary statistics (change, CAGR, extremes) from the underlying annual series. View the original dataset on data.worldbank.org.