Fertility rate in South Africa
The fertility rate in South Africa was 2.21 births per woman in 2024. The value for 2024 is the lowest in the series, which starts in 1960.
South Africa, 2024
2.21
Change from 2023
−0.5%
World, 2024
2.19 births per woman
Median of G20 countries, 2024
1.50 births per woman
Position in 2024
94th of 217
Fertility rate in South Africa over time
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South Africa
World
×
The chart loads when you scroll to it. The table below shows the same data.
The chart shows a calculation from the published values. The table below keeps the published values.
Births per woman. Source: World Bank, World Development Indicators. Gaps mean no published value; points are not joined across missing years.
| Period | South Africa | World |
|---|---|---|
| 2024 | 2.21 births per woman | 2.19 births per woman |
| 2023 | 2.22 births per woman | 2.20 births per woman |
| 2022 | 2.23 births per woman | 2.22 births per woman |
| 2021 | 2.25 births per woman | 2.25 births per woman |
| 2020 | 2.26 births per woman | 2.28 births per woman |
| 2019 | 2.26 births per woman | 2.35 births per woman |
| 2018 | 2.27 births per woman | 2.39 births per woman |
| 2017 | 2.28 births per woman | 2.46 births per woman |
| 2016 | 2.26 births per woman | 2.49 births per woman |
| 2015 | 2.36 births per woman | 2.49 births per woman |
| 2014 | 2.42 births per woman | 2.52 births per woman |
| 2013 | 2.43 births per woman | 2.52 births per woman |
| 2012 | 2.45 births per woman | 2.56 births per woman |
| 2011 | 2.44 births per woman | 2.55 births per woman |
| 2010 | 2.45 births per woman | 2.57 births per woman |
| 2009 | 2.50 births per woman | 2.59 births per woman |
| 2008 | 2.68 births per woman | 2.60 births per woman |
| 2007 | 2.55 births per woman | 2.60 births per woman |
| 2006 | 2.55 births per woman | 2.61 births per woman |
| 2005 | 2.51 births per woman | 2.61 births per woman |
| 2004 | 2.44 births per woman | 2.63 births per woman |
| 2003 | 2.36 births per woman | 2.64 births per woman |
| 2002 | 2.32 births per woman | 2.66 births per woman |
| 2001 | 2.37 births per woman | 2.69 births per woman |
| 2000 | 2.41 births per woman | 2.73 births per woman |
A dash means no value was published for that period.
In short
- That is a change of −0.5% from 2.22 births per woman in 2023.
- Since 2014, when it was 2.42 births per woman, the figure has changed by −9.0%.
- Among the 217 countries with data for 2024, South Africa has the 94th highest value.
- The figure for the world in 2024 was 2.19 births per woman.
More for South Africa
All statistics for South Africa
Crude birth rate
18.5 per 1,000 people
2024 · World Bank
Population estimates and projections
63,212,384 people
2023 · UN Population Division
Median age estimates and projections
28.2 years
2023 · UN Population Division
Fertility rate estimates and projections
2.22 births per woman
2023 · UN Population Division
Population growth estimates and projections
1.32%
2023 · UN Population Division
Population
64,747,319 people
2025 · World Bank