Life expectancy at birth: males in South Africa
In 2025, male life expectancy at birth in South Africa was 63.0 years, up from 62.8 years in 2024. This gives South Africa the 10th-highest among BRICS+ countries, the 19th-highest among G20 countries, and the 208th-highest globally (out of 236 economies with available data).
Life expectancy at birth: males
Average years of life for males
South Africa
How South Africa compares
About this indicator
Male life expectancy at birth represents the average number of years a newborn boy is expected to live, assuming that current mortality conditions remain the same throughout his life. Because we cannot know future death rates in advance, this indicator uses a "snapshot" of today’s conditions to estimate lifespan. If healthcare and living standards continue to improve over time, actual lifespans will likely be higher than this current estimate.
Sources and updates
Data sources
The data for this indicator are drawn from the United Nations World Population Prospects.
Last update
This indicator was last updated on Econorama on 18 June 2026 and reflects the latest data available from the underlying sources at that time.
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Current spending on healthcare goods and services
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Share of adults aged 18+ with BMI ≥ 30
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Share of the population aged 15+ who smoke
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Liters of pure alcohol consumed per adult (15+)
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Life expectancy at birth
Average years of life
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Life expectancy at birth: females
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Gross debt of the general government
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Gross debt of the general government, in current international dollars
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Positive values indicate a surplus; negative values indicate a deficit
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