Average age of mothers at childbirth in South Africa
South Africa: Average age of mothers at childbirth was 28.3 years in 2023. ▼ Falling
Latest (2023)
28.3 years
Change on year
up 0.0%
World rank
178th
of 236 countries
All-time high
30.26 years
in 1951
All-time low
27.85 years
in 2000
Years of data
74
1950–2023
Average age of mothers at childbirth in South Africa, 1950–2023
Source: Human Fertility Database (2026); UN, World Population Prospects (2024) – with major processing by Our World in Data. Measured in years.
Analysis
In 2023, average age of mothers at childbirth in South Africa stood at 28.3 years.
The figure is down 0.3% over ten years.
Over the whole period, average age of mothers at childbirth in South Africa peaked at 30.26 years in 1951 and was at its lowest, 27.85 years, in 2000.
South Africa ranks 178th of 236 countries on this measure, in the bottom quarter.
The long-run direction has been consistently falling across the 74 years of available data.
Average age of mothers at childbirth in South Africa, year by year
| Year | years | Change |
|---|---|---|
| 1950 | 30.26 years | — |
| 1951 | 30.26 years | +0.0% |
| 1952 | 30.25 years | -0.1% |
| 1953 | 30.23 years | -0.1% |
| 1954 | 30.21 years | -0.1% |
| 1955 | 30.2 years | -0.1% |
| 1956 | 30.19 years | -0.0% |
| 1957 | 30.18 years | -0.0% |
| 1958 | 30.16 years | -0.0% |
| 1959 | 30.14 years | -0.1% |
| 1960 | 30.13 years | -0.0% |
| 1961 | 30.11 years | -0.1% |
| 1962 | 30.09 years | -0.1% |
| 1963 | 30.06 years | -0.1% |
| 1964 | 30.03 years | -0.1% |
| 1965 | 30 years | -0.1% |
| 1966 | 29.96 years | -0.1% |
| 1967 | 29.91 years | -0.2% |
| 1968 | 29.84 years | -0.2% |
| 1969 | 29.79 years | -0.2% |
| 1970 | 29.77 years | -0.1% |
| 1971 | 29.68 years | -0.3% |
| 1972 | 29.59 years | -0.3% |
| 1973 | 29.55 years | -0.2% |
| 1974 | 29.5 years | -0.2% |
| 1975 | 29.45 years | -0.2% |
| 1976 | 29.35 years | -0.3% |
| 1977 | 29.25 years | -0.3% |
| 1978 | 29.15 years | -0.3% |
| 1979 | 29.08 years | -0.3% |
| 1980 | 29 years | -0.3% |
| 1981 | 28.86 years | -0.5% |
| 1982 | 28.79 years | -0.3% |
| 1983 | 28.68 years | -0.4% |
| 1984 | 28.59 years | -0.3% |
| 1985 | 28.58 years | -0.0% |
| 1986 | 28.67 years | +0.3% |
| 1987 | 28.68 years | +0.0% |
| 1988 | 28.64 years | -0.2% |
| 1989 | 28.56 years | -0.3% |
| 1990 | 28.44 years | -0.4% |
| 1991 | 28.43 years | -0.0% |
| 1992 | 28.41 years | -0.1% |
| 1993 | 28.37 years | -0.1% |
| 1994 | 28.3 years | -0.2% |
| 1995 | 28.27 years | -0.1% |
| 1996 | 28.18 years | -0.3% |
| 1997 | 28.04 years | -0.5% |
| 1998 | 27.96 years | -0.3% |
| 1999 | 27.89 years | -0.3% |
| 2000 | 27.85 years | -0.1% |
| 2001 | 27.98 years | +0.5% |
| 2002 | 28.04 years | +0.2% |
| 2003 | 28.04 years | +0.0% |
| 2004 | 28.19 years | +0.5% |
| 2005 | 28.53 years | +1.2% |
| 2006 | 28.49 years | -0.1% |
| 2007 | 28.65 years | +0.5% |
| 2008 | 28.6 years | -0.2% |
| 2009 | 28.46 years | -0.5% |
| 2010 | 28.65 years | +0.7% |
| 2011 | 28.64 years | -0.0% |
| 2012 | 28.56 years | -0.3% |
| 2013 | 28.38 years | -0.6% |
| 2014 | 28.19 years | -0.7% |
| 2015 | 28.21 years | +0.1% |
| 2016 | 28.36 years | +0.5% |
| 2017 | 28.48 years | +0.4% |
| 2018 | 28.53 years | +0.2% |
| 2019 | 28.38 years | -0.5% |
| 2020 | 28.41 years | +0.1% |
| 2021 | 28.28 years | -0.4% |
| 2022 | 28.3 years | +0.0% |
| 2023 | 28.3 years | +0.0% |
South Africa compared with similar countries
- South Africa's 28.3 years is below the median for upper middle income countries, which is 28.64 years, 99% of the median. (58 countries reporting)
- South Africa's 28.3 years is below the median for Sub-Saharan Africa, which is 28.9 years, 98% of the median. (48 countries reporting)
Averages by decade
| Decade | Average | Lowest | Highest | Years |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1950s | 30.21 years | 30.14 years | 30.26 years | 10 |
| 1960s | 29.99 years | 29.79 years | 30.13 years | 10 |
| 1970s | 29.44 years | 29.08 years | 29.77 years | 10 |
| 1980s | 28.71 years | 28.56 years | 29 years | 10 |
| 1990s | 28.23 years | 27.89 years | 28.44 years | 10 |
| 2000s | 28.28 years | 27.85 years | 28.65 years | 10 |
| 2010s | 28.44 years | 28.19 years | 28.65 years | 10 |
| 2020s | 28.32 years | 28.28 years | 28.41 years | 4 |
Countries ranked near South Africa
More reference data data for South Africa
- Emission Totals - Indirect emissions (N2O) - Manure applied to Soils 0.5111 (2050)
- Emission Totals - Indirect emissions (N2O) - Manure left on Pasture 8.71 (2050)
- Emission Totals - Indirect emissions (N2O) - IPCC Agriculture 13.63 (2050)
- Emission Totals - Indirect emissions (N2O) - Crop Residues 0.7468 (2050)
- Emission Totals - Indirect emissions (N2O) - Agricultural Soils 13.63 (2050)
- Emission Totals - Emissions (N2O) - Manure applied to Soils 1.71 (2050)
- Emission Totals - Emissions (N2O) - Manure Management 1.49 (2050)
- Emission Totals - Emissions (N2O) - Manure left on Pasture 41.1 (2050)
- Emission Totals - Emissions (N2O) - IPCC Agriculture 63.65 (2050)
- Emission Totals - Emissions (N2O) - Crop Residues 4.07 (2050)
Frequently asked questions
- What is average age of mothers at childbirth in South Africa?
- Average age of mothers at childbirth in South Africa was 28.3 years in 2023, according to Human Fertility Database (2026); UN, World Population Prospects (2024) – with major processing by Our World in Data.
- What is the highest average age of mothers at childbirth recorded in South Africa?
- The highest recorded value was 30.26 years in 1951.
- What is the lowest average age of mothers at childbirth recorded in South Africa?
- The lowest recorded value was 27.85 years in 2000.
- How does South Africa rank for average age of mothers at childbirth?
- South Africa ranks 178th out of 236 countries with data for 2023.
- Is average age of mothers at childbirth rising or falling in South Africa?
- Over the last ten years it is down 0.3%. The long-run trend across the full record is falling.
- Where does this South Africa data come from?
- The figures come from Human Fertility Database (2026); UN, World Population Prospects (2024) – with major processing by Our World in Data, published as part of Average age of mothers at childbirth. Statizoid updates them automatically from the source API.
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About this data
Mean age of mothers at the birth of their children if women were subject throughout their lives to the age-specific fertility rates observed in a given year.