South Africa: Life expectancy at birth, total (years)
In , South Africa's Life expectancy at birth, total (years) was 66.31.
That's up 0.3% from 2023, the highest value on record.
The global average for this indicator in 2024 was 74.02 . South Africa ranks #183 globally out of 217 reporting countries. Within Sub-Saharan Africa, it ranks #19 of 48.
Source: World Bank Open Data (SP.DYN.LE00.IN) • Data as of 2024
Trend (2005–2024)
- 2020 · COVID-19 pandemic
Highlights
- Peak
- 66.31
- Trough
- 53.91
- 1-year change
- +0.3%
- 5-year change
- +0.4%
- +0.1% / yr
- 10-year change
- +5.0%
- +0.5% / yr
Historical Data — Last 10 Years
| Year | Life expectancy at birth, total (years) |
|---|---|
| 66.3120 | |
| 66.1390 | |
| 65.4540 | |
| 62.0100 | |
| 65.1500 | |
| 66.0710 | |
| 65.7260 | |
| 65.4220 | |
| 64.7490 | |
| 64.0530 |
About Life expectancy at birth, total (years)
Life expectancy at birth indicates the number of years a newborn infant would live if prevailing patterns of mortality at the time of its birth were to stay the same throughout its life.
Indicator code: SP.DYN.LE00.IN • Category: Health & Population
Frequently asked questions
- What was South Africa's Life expectancy at birth, total (years) in 2024?
- In 2024, South Africa's Life expectancy at birth, total (years) was 66.31, according to World Bank Open Data.
- Is South Africa's Life expectancy at birth, total (years) rising or falling?
- South Africa's Life expectancy at birth, total (years) rose 0.3% from 2023 to 2024.
- How does South Africa rank globally on Life expectancy at birth, total (years)?
- In 2024, South Africa ranked #183 out of 217 countries reporting Life expectancy at birth, total (years).
- How does South Africa's Life expectancy at birth, total (years) compare to the world average?
- The global average for Life expectancy at birth, total (years) in 2024 was 74.02, so South Africa is below the world average. Within Sub-Saharan Africa, it ranks #19 of 48.
- What is Life expectancy at birth, total (years) and how is it measured?
- Life expectancy at birth indicates the number of years a newborn infant would live if prevailing patterns of mortality at the time of its birth were to stay the same throughout its life.
Source: World Bank Open Data (SP.DYN.LE00.IN), CC BY 4.0.