Share of women who are married or in a union in South Africa
South Africa: Share of women who are married or in a union was 0.9% in 2020. ▼ Falling
Share of women who are married or in a union in South Africa, 1970–2020
Source: United Nations (2024) – with minor processing by Our World in Data. Measured in %.
Analysis
South Africa recorded 0.9% for share of women who are married or in a union in 2020. That is the lowest value across all 51 years on record.
That represents a change of down 15.0% on the previous year and down 63.8% over ten years.
Over the whole period, share of women who are married or in a union in South Africa peaked at 5.5% in 1970 and was at its lowest, 0.9%, in 2020.
That places South Africa 197th out of 221 countries with data for 2020, putting it in the bottom quarter.
The long-run direction has been consistently falling across the 51 years of available data.
Share of women who are married or in a union in South Africa, year by year
| Year | % | Change |
|---|---|---|
| 1970 | 5.5% | — |
| 1971 | 5.5% | +0.0% |
| 1972 | 5.5% | +0.0% |
| 1973 | 5.5% | +0.0% |
| 1974 | 5.5% | +0.0% |
| 1975 | 5.5% | +0.0% |
| 1976 | 5.5% | +0.0% |
| 1977 | 5.5% | +0.0% |
| 1978 | 5.5% | +0.0% |
| 1979 | 5.5% | +0.0% |
| 1980 | 5.5% | +0.0% |
| 1981 | 5.4% | -1.5% |
| 1982 | 5.3% | -1.5% |
| 1983 | 5.2% | -1.5% |
| 1984 | 5.2% | -1.6% |
| 1985 | 5.1% | -1.6% |
| 1986 | 5.0% | -1.6% |
| 1987 | 4.9% | -1.6% |
| 1988 | 4.8% | -1.7% |
| 1989 | 4.8% | -1.7% |
| 1990 | 4.7% | -1.7% |
| 1991 | 4.6% | -1.8% |
| 1992 | 4.5% | -1.8% |
| 1993 | 4.4% | -1.8% |
| 1994 | 4.3% | -1.9% |
| 1995 | 4.3% | -1.9% |
| 1996 | 4.2% | -1.9% |
| 1997 | 4.1% | -2.0% |
| 1998 | 4.0% | -2.0% |
| 1999 | 3.9% | -2.0% |
| 2000 | 3.8% | -2.1% |
| 2001 | 3.8% | -2.1% |
| 2002 | 3.7% | -2.2% |
| 2003 | 3.6% | -2.2% |
| 2004 | 3.4% | -4.4% |
| 2005 | 3.3% | -4.6% |
| 2006 | 3.1% | -4.8% |
| 2007 | 3.0% | -5.1% |
| 2008 | 2.8% | -5.4% |
| 2009 | 2.6% | -5.7% |
| 2010 | 2.5% | -6.0% |
| 2011 | 2.3% | -6.4% |
| 2012 | 2.2% | -6.8% |
| 2013 | 2.0% | -7.3% |
| 2014 | 1.9% | -7.9% |
| 2015 | 1.7% | -8.6% |
| 2016 | 1.5% | -9.4% |
| 2017 | 1.4% | -10.3% |
| 2018 | 1.2% | -11.5% |
| 2019 | 1.1% | -13.0% |
| 2020 | 0.9% | -15.0% |
Averages by decade
| Decade | Average | Lowest | Highest | Years |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1970s | 5.5% | 5.5% | 5.5% | 10 |
| 1980s | 5.1% | 4.8% | 5.5% | 10 |
| 1990s | 4.3% | 3.9% | 4.7% | 10 |
| 2000s | 3.3% | 2.6% | 3.8% | 10 |
| 2010s | 1.8% | 1.1% | 2.5% | 10 |
| 2020s | 0.9% | 0.9% | 0.9% | 1 |
Countries ranked near South Africa
More gender data for South Africa
- Child population (UN estimates and projections) 17,151 (2030)
- Child population (UN estimates and projections) (0-14), annual growth 0.6591 % change on previous year (2030)
- Population 51,011 (2030)
- Working-age population (UN estimates and projections) 51,011 (2030)
- Population (UN estimates and projections), annual growth rate 1.07 % change on previous year (2030)
- Age population, age 00, female, interpolated 570,099 (2025)
- Age population, age 00, male, interpolated 589,533 (2025)
- Age population, age 01, female, interpolated 570,599 (2025)
- Age population, age 01, male, interpolated 589,626 (2025)
- Age population, age 02, female, interpolated 569,634 (2025)
Frequently asked questions
- What is share of women who are married or in a union in South Africa?
- Share of women who are married or in a union in South Africa was 0.9% in 2020, according to United Nations (2024) – with minor processing by Our World in Data.
- What is the highest share of women who are married or in a union recorded in South Africa?
- The highest recorded value was 5.5% in 1970.
- What is the lowest share of women who are married or in a union recorded in South Africa?
- The lowest recorded value was 0.9% in 2020.
- How does South Africa rank for share of women who are married or in a union?
- South Africa ranks 197th out of 221 countries with data for 2020.
- Is share of women who are married or in a union rising or falling in South Africa?
- Over the last ten years it is down 63.8%. The long-run trend across the full record is falling.
- Where does this South Africa data come from?
- The figures come from United Nations (2024) – with minor processing by Our World in Data, published as part of Share of women who are married or in a union. Statizoid updates them automatically from the source API.
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About this data
Percentage of women aged 15-19 sharing a household with their partner, whether married, cohabiting, in consensual partnerships, or in other non-marital unions.