Statizoid

Sex ratio at age 5 in South Africa

South Africa: Sex ratio at age 5 was 100.39 males per 100 females in 2023. ▬ Flat

Latest (2023)
100.39 males per 100 females
Change on year
down 0.2%
World rank
219th
of 236 countries
All-time high
103.47 males per 100 females
in 2010
All-time low
100.39 males per 100 females
in 2023
Years of data
74
1950–2023

Sex ratio at age 5 in South Africa, 1950–2023

0255075100195019862023

Source: UN, World Population Prospects (2024) – processed by Our World in Data. Measured in males per 100 females.

Analysis

The most recent figure for sex ratio at age 5 in South Africa is 100.39 males per 100 females, measured in 2023. That is the lowest value across all 74 years on record.

Compared with earlier readings it is down 0.2% on the previous year and down 2.6% over ten years.

Over the whole period, sex ratio at age 5 in South Africa peaked at 103.47 males per 100 females in 2010 and was at its lowest, 100.39 males per 100 females, in 2023.

That places South Africa 219th out of 236 countries with data for 2023, putting it in the bottom quarter.

Sex ratio at age 5 in South Africa, year by year

Year males per 100 females Change
1950 101.92 males per 100 females —
1951 101.75 males per 100 females -0.2%
1952 101.78 males per 100 females +0.0%
1953 102.22 males per 100 females +0.4%
1954 102.52 males per 100 females +0.3%
1955 102.48 males per 100 females -0.0%
1956 102.48 males per 100 females +0.0%
1957 102.42 males per 100 females -0.1%
1958 102.4 males per 100 females -0.0%
1959 102.4 males per 100 females +0.0%
1960 102.41 males per 100 females +0.0%
1961 102.42 males per 100 females +0.0%
1962 102.41 males per 100 females -0.0%
1963 102.41 males per 100 females -0.0%
1964 102.41 males per 100 females +0.0%
1965 102.41 males per 100 females -0.0%
1966 102.43 males per 100 females +0.0%
1967 102.47 males per 100 females +0.0%
1968 102.5 males per 100 females +0.0%
1969 102.53 males per 100 females +0.0%
1970 102.56 males per 100 females +0.0%
1971 102.6 males per 100 females +0.0%
1972 102.61 males per 100 females +0.0%
1973 102.61 males per 100 females -0.0%
1974 102.61 males per 100 females -0.0%
1975 102.61 males per 100 females +0.0%
1976 102.63 males per 100 females +0.0%
1977 102.63 males per 100 females +0.0%
1978 102.63 males per 100 females -0.0%
1979 102.64 males per 100 females +0.0%
1980 102.71 males per 100 females +0.1%
1981 102.8 males per 100 females +0.1%
1982 102.76 males per 100 females -0.0%
1983 102.61 males per 100 females -0.1%
1984 102.53 males per 100 females -0.1%
1985 102.69 males per 100 females +0.2%
1986 102.88 males per 100 females +0.2%
1987 102.89 males per 100 females +0.0%
1988 102.78 males per 100 females -0.1%
1989 102.61 males per 100 females -0.2%
1990 102.56 males per 100 females -0.1%
1991 102.6 males per 100 females +0.0%
1992 102.66 males per 100 females +0.1%
1993 102.72 males per 100 females +0.1%
1994 102.78 males per 100 females +0.1%
1995 102.81 males per 100 females +0.0%
1996 102.79 males per 100 females -0.0%
1997 102.76 males per 100 females -0.0%
1998 102.79 males per 100 females +0.0%
1999 102.84 males per 100 females +0.0%
2000 102.89 males per 100 females +0.1%
2001 102.94 males per 100 females +0.0%
2002 102.96 males per 100 females +0.0%
2003 103 males per 100 females +0.0%
2004 103.11 males per 100 females +0.1%
2005 103.29 males per 100 females +0.2%
2006 103.38 males per 100 females +0.1%
2007 103.36 males per 100 females -0.0%
2008 103.34 males per 100 females -0.0%
2009 103.39 males per 100 females +0.1%
2010 103.47 males per 100 females +0.1%
2011 103.44 males per 100 females -0.0%
2012 103.3 males per 100 females -0.1%
2013 103.1 males per 100 females -0.2%
2014 102.99 males per 100 females -0.1%
2015 103.06 males per 100 females +0.1%
2016 103.09 males per 100 females +0.0%
2017 102.88 males per 100 females -0.2%
2018 102.5 males per 100 females -0.4%
2019 102.09 males per 100 females -0.4%
2020 101.65 males per 100 females -0.4%
2021 101.02 males per 100 females -0.6%
2022 100.56 males per 100 females -0.5%
2023 100.39 males per 100 females -0.2%

South Africa compared with similar countries

  • South Africa's 100.39 males per 100 females is below the median for upper middle income countries, which is 104.7 males per 100 females, 96% of the median. (58 countries reporting)
  • South Africa's 100.39 males per 100 females is below the median for Sub-Saharan Africa, which is 102.02 males per 100 females, 98% of the median. (48 countries reporting)

Averages by decade

DecadeAverage LowestHighest Years
1950s 102.24 males per 100 females 101.75 males per 100 females 102.52 males per 100 females 10
1960s 102.44 males per 100 females 102.41 males per 100 females 102.53 males per 100 females 10
1970s 102.61 males per 100 females 102.56 males per 100 females 102.64 males per 100 females 10
1980s 102.73 males per 100 females 102.53 males per 100 females 102.89 males per 100 females 10
1990s 102.73 males per 100 females 102.56 males per 100 females 102.84 males per 100 females 10
2000s 103.17 males per 100 females 102.89 males per 100 females 103.39 males per 100 females 10
2010s 102.99 males per 100 females 102.09 males per 100 females 103.47 males per 100 females 10
2020s 100.9 males per 100 females 100.39 males per 100 females 101.65 males per 100 females 4

Countries ranked near South Africa

  1. 216 Mozambique 100.94 males per 100 females compare
  2. 217 Saint Martin (French Part) 100.54 males per 100 females compare
  3. 218 Democratic Republic of Congo 100.48 males per 100 females compare
  4. 220 Saint Kitts and Nevis 100.34 males per 100 females compare
  5. 221 Malawi 100.29 males per 100 females compare
  6. 222 Cayman Islands 100.26 males per 100 females compare

See the full ranking of 236 places →

More gender data for South Africa

All data for South Africa →

Frequently asked questions

What is sex ratio at age 5 in South Africa?
Sex ratio at age 5 in South Africa was 100.39 males per 100 females in 2023, according to UN, World Population Prospects (2024) – processed by Our World in Data.
What is the highest sex ratio at age 5 recorded in South Africa?
The highest recorded value was 103.47 males per 100 females in 2010.
What is the lowest sex ratio at age 5 recorded in South Africa?
The lowest recorded value was 100.39 males per 100 females in 2023.
How does South Africa rank for sex ratio at age 5?
South Africa ranks 219th out of 236 countries with data for 2023.
Is sex ratio at age 5 rising or falling in South Africa?
Over the last ten years it is down 2.6%. The long-run trend across the full record is flat.
Where does this South Africa data come from?
The figures come from UN, World Population Prospects (2024) – processed by Our World in Data, published as part of Sex ratio at age 5. Statizoid updates them automatically from the source API.

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Sex ratio at age 5 in South Africa. Statizoid, drawing on UN, World Population Prospects (2024) – processed by Our World in Data. Retrieved 09 November 2026, from https://gender.statizoid.com/stat/sex-ratio-at-five-years-old/south-africa/

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About this data

Indicator
Sex ratio at age 5
Unit
males per 100 females
Source
UN, World Population Prospects (2024) – processed by Our World in Data
Licence
CC BY 4.0 (Our World in Data)
Coverage
236 places, 17,464 data points, 1950–2023
Last refreshed

Number of males per 100 females at age 5.