South Africa birth & fertility rate charts by year

Fertility rate in South Africa by year

According to the latest birth rate data available, the fertility rate in South Africa is 2.22, which is above the replacement level of 2.1 children per woman. In 1993, the fertility rate was 3.37 — a 34.3% decline in 30 years.

Check population clock for a dynamic visualization of the changing population.

The chart above shows the historical changes in fertility rate and ranking compared to other countries, where a lower rank number indicates a higher relative fertility rate.

Births, deaths, and natural population change by year

Over the past 10 years, the natural population change in South Africa (from births and deaths only, excluding migration) has been +1.05% annually. On average, 619,002 more people were born each year than died.

Excluding migration, the natural population change due to births and deaths from 2022 to 2023 was 0.95% — 602,793 more people were born than died.

In 2023, South Africa ranks 33/196 for absolute natural population change and 97/196 for natural change rate, where a lower rank number indicates faster natural growth and a higher number indicates greater decline.

Birth rates by women's age

Above is a chart displaying birth rates in South Africa by maternal age. In 2026, of all live births, 12.1% will be to women under age 20, 48% to women ages 20-29, and 39.9% to women ages 30 and above. The respective shares in 1990 were 15.9%, 52.4%, and 31.7%.

Children 0-14 years as share of population by year

Chart Table

South Africa

Factual

UN forecast

World

Factual

UN forecast

1x

Year	Children 0-14 as share of population
	South Africa	World
2100	17.9%	16.5%
2099	18%	16.6%
2098	18%	16.6%
2097	18.1%	16.7%
2096	18.1%	16.8%
2095	18.2%	16.8%
2094	18.2%	16.9%
2093	18.3%	17%
2092	18.3%	17%
2091	18.4%	17.1%
2090	18.4%	17.2%
2089	18.5%	17.2%
2088	18.5%	17.3%
2087	18.6%	17.4%
2086	18.6%	17.4%
2085	18.7%	17.5%
2084	18.7%	17.5%
2083	18.8%	17.6%
2082	18.9%	17.7%
2081	18.9%	17.7%
2080	19%	17.8%
2079	19%	17.8%
2078	19.1%	17.9%
2077	19.2%	17.9%
2076	19.3%	18%
2075	19.3%	18%
2074	19.4%	18.1%
2073	19.5%	18.2%
2072	19.6%	18.2%
2071	19.6%	18.3%
2070	19.7%	18.3%
2069	19.8%	18.4%
2068	19.9%	18.5%
2067	20%	18.6%
2066	20.1%	18.6%
2065	20.2%	18.7%
2064	20.3%	18.8%
2063	20.4%	18.9%
2062	20.5%	19.1%
2061	20.6%	19.2%
2060	20.7%	19.3%
2059	20.8%	19.4%
2058	20.9%	19.5%
2057	21%	19.6%
2056	21.1%	19.8%
2055	21.1%	19.9%
2054	21.2%	20%
2053	21.3%	20.1%
2052	21.4%	20.2%
2051	21.5%	20.3%
2050	21.6%	20.4%
2049	21.7%	20.5%
2048	21.8%	20.6%
2047	21.9%	20.7%
2046	22%	20.8%
2045	22.1%	20.9%
2044	22.3%	20.9%
2043	22.4%	21%
2042	22.6%	21.1%
2041	22.8%	21.2%
2040	23%	21.2%
2039	23.3%	21.3%
2038	23.5%	21.4%
2037	23.7%	21.5%
2036	24.1%	21.6%
2035	24.4%	21.8%
2034	24.7%	22%
2033	24.9%	22.2%
2032	25%	22.4%
2031	25.1%	22.7%
2030	25.2%	23%
2029	25.3%	23.3%
2028	25.4%	23.6%
2027	25.5%	23.9%
2026	25.6%	24.2%
2025	25.8%	24.6%
2024	25.9%	24.7%
2023	26.1%	25%
2022	26.3%	25.3%
2021	26.6%	25.6%
2020	27%	25.8%
2019	27.4%	26%
2018	27.9%	26.2%
2017	28.3%	26.4%
2016	28.3%	26.5%
2015	28.3%	26.6%
2014	28.5%	26.8%
2013	28.7%	26.9%
2012	28.9%	27%
2011	29.1%	27.1%
2010	29.4%	27.3%
2009	29.7%	27.5%
2008	29.9%	27.6%
2007	30.2%	27.9%
2006	30.6%	28.1%
2005	31.1%	28.5%
2004	31.6%	28.8%
2003	32.3%	29.2%
2002	33.2%	29.6%
2001	34%	30%
2000	34.9%	30.4%
1999	35.7%	30.8%
1998	36.5%	31.1%
1997	37.2%	31.5%
1996	37.5%	31.8%
1995	37.5%	32.1%
1994	37.2%	32.3%
1993	37.3%	32.5%
1992	37.6%	32.7%
1991	37.5%	32.9%
1990	37.7%	33%
1989	38.1%	33.2%
1988	38.4%	33.4%
1987	38.7%	33.6%
1986	38.9%	33.8%
1985	39.2%	34%
1984	39.5%	34.3%
1983	39.8%	34.6%
1982	40.1%	34.9%
1981	40.5%	35.2%
1980	40.9%	35.5%
1979	41.3%	35.9%
1978	41.5%	36.3%
1977	41.7%	36.7%
1976	41.8%	36.9%
1975	41.9%	37.1%
1974	42%	37.2%
1973	42.1%	37.3%
1972	42.2%	37.5%
1971	42.2%	37.6%
1970	42.3%	37.7%
1969	42.2%	37.8%
1968	42.2%	37.9%
1967	42.2%	38%
1966	42.1%	38%
1965	42.1%	38%
1964	42.1%	38%
1963	42.1%	37.8%
1962	42.1%	37.6%
1961	42.1%	37.5%
1960	42.1%	37.4%

The share of children aged 0-14 in South Africa was 42.1% in 1960, 37.6% in 1992, and 25.9% as of the latest data in 2024.

More about the demographics of South Africa.

Maternal mortality by year

Chart Table

South Africa

World's average

1x

Year	Maternal mortality per 100K births
	South Africa	World
2023	118	197
2022	129	203
2021	191	242
2020	118	211
2019	119	207
2018	128	211
2017	134	215
2016	141	220
2015	150	228
2014	162	231
2013	180	235
2012	194	239
2011	202	247
2010	226	253
2009	241	258
2008	272	264
2007	272	269
2006	283	276
2005	279	283
2004	259	291
2003	245	301
2002	225	311
2001	192	321
2000	175	328
1999	151	340
1998	152	360
1997	152	358
1996	150	366
1995	125	371
1994	133	382
1993	145	389
1992	152	395
1991	162	395
1990	170	391
1989	177	401
1988	184	414
1987	192	429
1986	200	438
1985	208	460

The maternal mortality rate in South Africa was 118 deaths per 100,000 live births in 2023 — a 0.12% chance of dying during childbirth or within 42 days of pregnancy termination. This is a 32.6% decrease compared to the year 2000.

Under-five mortality by year

Chart Table

South Africa

World's average

Probability that a newborn baby will die before reaching age five

1x

Year	Under 5 mortality rate
	South Africa	World
2023	3.47%	2.49%
2022	3.44%	2.59%
2021	3.41%	2.66%
2020	3.41%	2.75%
2019	3.45%	2.86%
2018	3.49%	2.97%
2017	3.58%	3.11%
2016	3.68%	3.22%
2015	3.82%	3.35%
2014	3.96%	3.48%
2013	4.1%	3.61%
2012	4.25%	3.77%
2011	4.5%	3.97%
2010	5%	4.11%
2009	5.7%	4.31%
2008	6.42%	4.5%
2007	7.19%	4.7%
2006	7.75%	4.92%
2005	8.03%	5.16%
2004	8.1%	5.43%
2003	7.93%	5.65%
2002	7.69%	5.94%
2001	7.43%	6.21%
2000	7.11%	6.48%
1999	6.85%	6.75%
1998	6.56%	7.05%
1997	6.29%	7.28%
1996	6.11%	7.52%
1995	5.95%	7.76%
1994	5.82%	7.98%
1993	5.7%	8.19%
1992	5.66%	8.46%
1991	5.7%	8.66%
1990	5.82%	8.81%
1989	6.01%	9.02%
1988	6.26%	9.31%
1987	6.56%	9.47%
1986	6.89%	9.81%
1985	7.24%	10.1%
1984	7.6%	10.4%
1983	7.98%	10.6%
1982	8.39%	10.8%
1981	8.84%	11%
1980	9.35%	11.4%
1979	9.88%	11.7%
1978	10.5%	12.2%
1977	11.1%	12.6%
1976	11.8%	13%
1975	12.5%	13.4%
1974	13.2%	13.8%
1973	-	14.1%
1972	-	14.5%
1971	-	15.1%
1970	-	15.2%
1969	-	15.4%
1968	-	15.6%
1967	-	15.9%
1966	-	16.1%
1965	-	16.4%
1964	-	16.6%
1963	-	16.5%
1962	-	16.7%
1961	-	17%
1960	-	17.2%

The under-5 mortality rate in South Africa was 34.7 deaths per 1,000 live births in 2023 — a 3.47% chance that a newborn baby will die before reaching age five. This is down from 71.1 deaths per 1,000 live births in 2000.