Child Mortality (under 5) in South Africa: 1800 to Today (and Tomorrow)

Behind every data point on MYRIAD is the quiet reality of human lives actually lived. In South Africa, these statistics measure how many children born into the world never reached their fifth birthday. Every single decimal place and integer represents a family, a community, and a fragile beginning. It is a record written in the most fundamental terms of human existence, tracking the changing odds of simply growing up and the heavy silence that follows a life ended too soon.

The historical arc reveals a profound transformation in the baseline of survival. From an 1800s estimate of 361.38 per 1,000 births, the trajectory moved downward through the decades. By 1900 it was 313.87 per 1,000 births, continuing past the 1950s at 210.17 and the 1980s at 105.05. This steady decline persists into the future, with projections seeing the rate falling to 26.24 in the 2030s and eventually reaching 5.5 by the 2100s projection.

In the 2020s, child mortality stands at 32.8 per 1,000 births, ranking #113 of 157 countries. If you were born here, your statistical reality would be vastly different from those in the 1810s estimate of 356.63 or the 1890s estimate of 318.62. While the risks have plummeted compared to the 2010s at 54.69, the current global ranking highlights a continuing journey toward safety and stability for every child entering the world.

Discover how your own birth year compares to the tides of history by computing your parallel lives on MYRIAD.