South Africa life expectancy by year, 1990 to 2024

South Africa: 66.3 years in 2024. Life expectancy peaked at 66.3 years in 2024 in this 1990–2024 series.

Free to edit and export · No signup to start

What the data shows

South Africa: 62.9 years in 1990, 66.3 years in 2024. Its low point was 53.9 years in 2005.
Afghanistan: 45.1 years in 1990, 66.3 years in 2024.
Papua New Guinea: 59.8 years in 1990, 66.3 years in 2024.
Djibouti: 55.5 years in 1990, 66.2 years in 2024. Its low point was 54.4 years in 1992.

About this chart

The sharpest annual fall in South Africa's displayed life expectancy series came in 2021: 3.2 years. South Africa recorded 66.3 years in 2024, compared with 62.9 years in 1990. The displayed annual series runs from 1990 through 2024; its lowest value was 53.9 years in 2005. The preceding annual observation, for 2023, was 66.1 years.

Life expectancy at birth, both sexes: the years a newborn would live if the mortality rates for that year persisted. This is a period estimate, not a forecast for an individual. In 2024, the comparison lines show Afghanistan (66.3 years), Papua New Guinea (66.3 years) and Djibouti (66.2 years). These peers have the closest latest values among reporting countries with over one million people and a continuous common history; they are not selected by geography.

The data

Source: World Bank, World Development Indicators (SP.DYN.LE00.IN), years. Retrieved November 5, 2026. Life expectancy at birth, both sexes: the years a newborn would live if the mortality rates for that year persisted. This is a period estimate, not a forecast for an individual. Peers are selected by proximity to the country's latest value among countries with over one million people and a continuous common series.

South Africa: life expectancy, years, 1990 to 2024; three nearest peers, 1990–2024
Date	🇿🇦 South Africa	🇦🇫 Afghanistan	🇵🇬 Papua New Guinea	🇩🇯 Djibouti
1990	62.9 years	45.1 years	59.8 years	55.5 years
1991	63.0 years	45.5 years	59.9 years	55.2 years
1992	62.8 years	46.6 years	60.3 years	54.4 years
1993	62.6 years	51.0 years	60.5 years	55.7 years
1994	62.1 years	51.0 years	60.7 years	55.6 years
1995	61.6 years	52.1 years	60.9 years	56.2 years
1996	61.1 years	52.8 years	61.1 years	56.3 years
1997	60.5 years	53.2 years	61.3 years	56.2 years
1998	59.9 years	52.5 years	60.4 years	56.4 years
1999	59.2 years	54.5 years	61.5 years	56.6 years
2000	58.4 years	55.0 years	61.6 years	56.7 years
2001	57.2 years	55.5 years	61.6 years	57.5 years
2002	55.6 years	56.2 years	61.6 years	57.8 years
2003	54.2 years	57.2 years	61.7 years	58.0 years
2004	54.0 years	57.8 years	61.8 years	58.1 years
2005	53.9 years	58.2 years	61.9 years	58.5 years
2006	54.2 years	58.6 years	62.0 years	59.0 years
2007	54.9 years	59.0 years	62.2 years	59.4 years
2008	56.0 years	59.7 years	62.5 years	59.8 years
2009	57.4 years	60.2 years	62.8 years	60.4 years
2010	58.9 years	60.7 years	63.1 years	60.7 years
2011	60.6 years	61.2 years	63.4 years	61.3 years
2012	61.7 years	61.7 years	63.6 years	61.7 years
2013	62.4 years	62.2 years	63.9 years	62.1 years
2014	63.2 years	62.3 years	64.2 years	62.4 years
2015	64.1 years	62.3 years	64.5 years	62.8 years
2016	64.7 years	62.6 years	64.7 years	63.3 years
2017	65.4 years	62.4 years	64.9 years	63.7 years
2018	65.7 years	62.4 years	65.1 years	64.1 years
2019	66.1 years	62.9 years	65.3 years	64.4 years
2020	65.2 years	61.5 years	65.1 years	64.2 years
2021	62.0 years	60.4 years	64.4 years	63.8 years
2022	65.5 years	65.6 years	65.3 years	65.5 years
2023	66.1 years	66.0 years	66.1 years	66.0 years
2024	66.3 years	66.3 years	66.3 years	66.2 years

Post it

Suggested caption: “South Africa lost 3.2 years of life expectancy in 2021.” Credit the source in your caption; it heads off the 'source?' comments.

Make it yours

Switch between bar, line, column and donut races with one click.
Pick 9:16 for Reels and TikTok, 4:5 for the feed or 16:9 for YouTube.
Change the theme, font, colors and race length, and add your own captions.
Paste your own numbers from Excel or Google Sheets. See the animated line chart maker for tips.

Frequently asked questions

What is the life expectancy in South Africa?

Life expectancy at birth in South Africa was 66.3 years in 2024, according to the World Bank series for both sexes. This is a period estimate using that year's mortality rates.

When was South Africa's life expectancy highest in this series?

The highest displayed value was 66.3 years in 2024. This comparison covers 1990 through 2024; it is not a claim about years outside the available series.

Why are these countries compared with South Africa?

The comparison selects three countries with the closest 2024 values, among countries with over one million people and at least fifteen consecutive annual observations in common. The matching is based on the indicator level, not economic structure or geographic proximity.

Where does this data come from?

World Bank, World Development Indicators (SP.DYN.LE00.IN), years. Retrieved November 5, 2026. Life expectancy at birth, both sexes: the years a newborn would live if the mortality rates for that year persisted. This is a period estimate, not a forecast for an individual. Peers are selected by proximity to the country's latest value among countries with over one million people and a continuous common series. You can download the full table as a CSV from this page.

Can I turn this chart into a video?

Yes. Open it in the editor, change the title, theme, colors or format (9:16 for Reels and TikTok, 16:9 for YouTube), and export an MP4. Free exports are 720p with a small watermark; Pro ($11.99/month) removes it and adds 1080p, 4K and 60 fps.

Related data

All world charts

WorldReal data

South Africa's population

South Africa: 63.21M in 2023; UN projects 94.31M in 2100. The 1950 estimate was 13.04M. Future values follow the medium scenario.

MoneyReal data

South Africa's GDP

South Africa GDP: $458.2B in 2011, versus $427.2B in 2025. World Bank totals in current US dollars; not adjusted for inflation.

WorldReal data

South Africa: fertility rate

South Africa: 2.21 births per woman in 2024. Fertility rate peaked at 3.72 births per woman in 1990 in this 1990–2024 series.