Contact Contacts
Human development index — all countries

Human development index — South Africa

Human development index in South Africa in 2023 — 0.741 index. Ranked 106 in the world out of 193. Since 1990, the indicator has risen by 17.1%.

2023 0.741 index +0.54% vs 2022
World rank 106of 193
Period maximum 0.742 index2019
Period minimum 0.61 index2003

Trend over time

1990–2023 · index, 0–1

Human development index — South Africa, 1990–20230.60.650.70.751990199419982002200620102014201820221990: 0.633 index1991: 0.641 index1992: 0.645 index1993: 0.65 index1994: 0.654 index1995: 0.654 index1996: 0.649 index1997: 0.642 index1998: 0.634 index1999: 0.626 index2000: 0.618 index2001: 0.613 index2002: 0.614 index2003: 0.61 index2004: 0.613 index2005: 0.616 index2006: 0.622 index2007: 0.632 index2008: 0.643 index2009: 0.657 index2010: 0.669 index2011: 0.683 index2012: 0.696 index2013: 0.705 index2014: 0.713 index2015: 0.722 index2016: 0.722 index2017: 0.726 index2018: 0.732 index2019: 0.742 index2020: 0.724 index2021: 0.721 index2022: 0.737 index2023: 0.741 index
Change over the period: +0.108 (+17.06%) Average annual rate: 0.48 %

Comparison, 2023

How the value compares with the world and the groups this territory belongs to: South Africa

South Africa 0.741 index
World 0.756 index
Sub-Saharan Africa computed 0.547 index
Southern Africa computed 0.731 index
Upper-middle-income countries computed 0.787 index
Human development index — South Africa, by year South Africa All countries CSV XLSX
Year index Change Change, %
2023 0.741 +0.004 +0.54%
2022 0.737 +0.016 +2.22%
2021 0.721 −0.003 −0.41%
2020 0.724 −0.018 −2.43%
2019 0.742 +0.01 +1.37%
2018 0.732 +0.006 +0.83%
2017 0.726 +0.004 +0.55%
2016 0.722 +0 +0%
2015 0.722 +0.009 +1.26%
2014 0.713 +0.008 +1.13%
2013 0.705 +0.009 +1.29%
2012 0.696 +0.013 +1.9%
2011 0.683 +0.014 +2.09%
2010 0.669 +0.012 +1.83%
2009 0.657 +0.014 +2.18%
2008 0.643 +0.011 +1.74%
2007 0.632 +0.01 +1.61%
2006 0.622 +0.006 +0.97%
2005 0.616 +0.003 +0.49%
2004 0.613 +0.003 +0.49%
2003 0.61 −0.004 −0.65%
2002 0.614 +0.001 +0.16%
2001 0.613 −0.005 −0.81%
2000 0.618 −0.008 −1.28%
1999 0.626 −0.008 −1.26%
1998 0.634 −0.008 −1.25%
1997 0.642 −0.007 −1.08%
1996 0.649 −0.005 −0.76%
1995 0.654 +0 +0%
1994 0.654 +0.004 +0.62%
1993 0.65 +0.005 +0.78%
1992 0.645 +0.004 +0.62%
1991 0.641 +0.008 +1.26%
1990 0.633 — —

Southern Africa, 2023

The same indicator for neighboring countries — with links to their pages

ZA South Africa 0.741 BW Botswana 0.731 SZ Eswatini 0.695 NA Namibia 0.665 LS Lesotho 0.55
Full table for all countries

About the indicator

The UNDP Human Development Index is the geometric mean of three components: life expectancy, years of schooling and national income per capita at PPP. The index was devised as an objection to the use of GDP alone as a measure of development, and its point is that the three components are multiplied rather than added: a failure on any one of them cannot be made up for by success on the other two. Values run from zero to one, and since 1990 the index has risen in almost every country in the world.

Important: The aggregate value for country groups is weighted by population, whereas UNDP computes group indexes from group components — the numbers may therefore differ slightly from the report.

Source: Human Development Report (UNDP), license CC BY 3.0 IGO.

Other indicators for South Africa

Indexes Gender development index

The ratio of the Human Development Index of women to the same index of men.

South Africa by year Indexes Gender inequality index

A composite measure of inequality between the sexes: health, representation and labor market participation.

South Africa by year Indexes Human capital index

What share of their potential a child born today will manage to realize.

South Africa by year Demography Life expectancy at birth

Life expectancy at birth — how many years a newborn will live on average.

South Africa by year
All indicators for South Africa