How does South Africa rank for children per woman that survived childhood vs. those that died in childhood?

South Africa ranks 57th out of 200 countries with data for 2024.

Is children per woman that survived childhood vs. those that died in childhood rising or falling in South Africa?

Over the last ten years it is down 17.8%. The long-run trend across the full record is volatile.

Where does this South Africa data come from?

The figures come from Gapminder (2015); UN Inter-agency Group for Child Mortality Estimation (2025) – processed by Our World in Data, published as part of Children per woman that survived childhood vs. those that died in childhood. Statizoid updates them automatically from the source API.

Children per woman that survived childhood vs. those that died in childhood in South Africa

Name: Children per woman that survived childhood vs. those that died in childhood in South Africa
Creator: Gapminder (2015); UN Inter-agency Group for Child Mortality Estimation (2025) – processed by Our World in Data
License: CC BY 4.0 (Our World in Data)

South Africa: Children per woman that survived childhood vs. those that died in childhood was 0.0792 under-five deaths per woman in 2024. ◆ Volatile

Latest (2024)

0.0792 under-five deaths per woman

Change on year

down 0.4%

World rank

57th

of 200 countries

All-time high

0.7007 under-five deaths per woman

in 1974

All-time low

0.0792 under-five deaths per woman

in 2024

Years of data

1974–2024

Children per woman that survived childhood vs. those that died in childhood in South Africa, 1974–2024

Source: Gapminder (2015); UN Inter-agency Group for Child Mortality Estimation (2025) – processed by Our World in Data. Measured in under-five deaths per woman.

Analysis

In 2024, children per woman that survived childhood vs. those that died in childhood in South Africa stood at 0.0792 under-five deaths per woman. That is the lowest value across all 51 years on record.

Compared with earlier readings it is down 0.4% on the previous year and down 17.8% over ten years.

Over the whole period, children per woman that survived childhood vs. those that died in childhood in South Africa peaked at 0.7007 under-five deaths per woman in 1974 and was at its lowest, 0.0792 under-five deaths per woman, in 2024.

South Africa ranks 57th of 200 countries on this measure, in the middle of the range.

The series is highly variable year to year, so single readings are best treated with caution.

Averages by decade

Decade	Average	Lowest	Highest	Years
1970s	0.5798 under-five deaths per woman	0.4759 under-five deaths per woman	0.7007 under-five deaths per woman	6
1980s	0.3388 under-five deaths per woman	0.2393 under-five deaths per woman	0.4467 under-five deaths per woman	10
1990s	0.1887 under-five deaths per woman	0.1719 under-five deaths per woman	0.2164 under-five deaths per woman	10
2000s	0.1802 under-five deaths per woman	0.1422 under-five deaths per woman	0.2004 under-five deaths per woman	10
2010s	0.0962 under-five deaths per woman	0.0833 under-five deaths per woman	0.1229 under-five deaths per woman	10
2020s	0.08 under-five deaths per woman	0.0792 under-five deaths per woman	0.0814 under-five deaths per woman	5

Countries ranked near South Africa

54 Tajikistan 0.0855 under-five deaths per woman compare
55 Botswana 0.0809 under-five deaths per woman compare
56 Marshall Islands 0.0801 under-five deaths per woman compare
58 Myanmar 0.0757 under-five deaths per woman compare
59 Philippines 0.0712 under-five deaths per woman compare
60 Solomon Islands 0.069 under-five deaths per woman compare

See the full ranking of 200 places →

More health data for South Africa

Age population, age 13, female, interpolated 530,309 (2025)
Population ages 65 and above, female 2.73 million (2025)
Age population, age 15, female, interpolated 540,082 (2025)
Age population, age 14, male, interpolated 539,301 (2025)
Age population, age 14, female, interpolated 535,290 (2025)
Age population, age 13, male, interpolated 533,937 (2025)
Age population, age 11, male, interpolated 521,292 (2025)
Age population, age 10, male, interpolated 515,776 (2025)
Age population, age 11, female, interpolated 518,894 (2025)
Population ages 65 and above, female 8.2% (2025)

All data for South Africa →

Frequently asked questions

What is children per woman that survived childhood vs. those that died in childhood in South Africa?: Children per woman that survived childhood vs. those that died in childhood in South Africa was 0.0792 under-five deaths per woman in 2024, according to Gapminder (2015); UN Inter-agency Group for Child Mortality Estimation (2025) – processed by Our World in Data.
What is the highest children per woman that survived childhood vs. those that died in childhood recorded in South Africa?: The highest recorded value was 0.7007 under-five deaths per woman in 1974.
What is the lowest children per woman that survived childhood vs. those that died in childhood recorded in South Africa?: The lowest recorded value was 0.0792 under-five deaths per woman in 2024.
How does South Africa rank for children per woman that survived childhood vs. those that died in childhood?: South Africa ranks 57th out of 200 countries with data for 2024.
Is children per woman that survived childhood vs. those that died in childhood rising or falling in South Africa?: Over the last ten years it is down 17.8%. The long-run trend across the full record is volatile.
Where does this South Africa data come from?: The figures come from Gapminder (2015); UN Inter-agency Group for Child Mortality Estimation (2025) – processed by Our World in Data, published as part of Children per woman that survived childhood vs. those that died in childhood. Statizoid updates them automatically from the source API.

Download this data

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About this data

Indicator: Children per woman that survived childhood vs. those that died in childhood
Unit: under-five deaths per woman
Source: Gapminder (2015); UN Inter-agency Group for Child Mortality Estimation (2025) – processed by Our World in Data
Licence: CC BY 4.0 (Our World in Data)
Coverage: 200 places, 16,060 data points, 1800–2024
Last refreshed: 06 August 2026

The fertility rate (average number of children per woman) multiplied by the under-five mortality rate (probability of dying before age five).