South Africa vs Zimbabwe
South Africa vs Zimbabwe: Suicide rate
Suicide rate in 2017: 11.2 per 100,000 people in South Africa and 26.4 per 100,000 people in Zimbabwe, by IHME estimates. In 2017 the value was higher in Zimbabwe, by 15.2 per 100,000 people, or 2.37 times that in South Africa.
deaths per 100,000 people · IHME
What the numbers say
- Zimbabwe has been higher since 1994, when it overtook South Africa.
- In 2017, South Africa ranked 62 and Zimbabwe ranked 4 of 195 countries, counting from the highest.
- The world as a whole: 10 per 100,000 people in 2017.
Every year
deaths per 100,000 people · IHME
| Year | South Africa | Zimbabwe | World |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2017 | 11.2 | 26.4 | 10 |
| 2016 | 10.9 | 26.8 | 10.1 |
| 2015 | 10.8 | 27.2 | 10.2 |
| 2014 | 10.8 | 27.6 | 10.3 |
| 2013 | 11.1 | 28.4 | 10.5 |
| 2012 | 11.9 | 29.4 | 10.7 |
| 2011 | 12.9 | 30.7 | 11 |
| 2010 | 14.6 | 32.4 | 11.2 |
| 2009 | 16.3 | 33.6 | 11.4 |
| 2008 | 17.9 | 34.3 | 11.6 |
| 2007 | 19.2 | 34.6 | 11.7 |
| 2006 | 20.6 | 35 | 12 |
| 2005 | 21.5 | 35.3 | 12.5 |
| 2004 | 22.5 | 35.2 | 12.6 |
| 2003 | 23.1 | 34.4 | 12.8 |
| 2002 | 23.1 | 34 | 13 |
| 2001 | 23 | 31.7 | 13.4 |
| 2000 | 24.3 | 30 | 14.1 |
| 1999 | 22.4 | 27.2 | 14.5 |
| 1998 | 21.6 | 24.9 | 14.7 |
| 1997 | 20.9 | 22.6 | 15.1 |
| 1996 | 19.1 | 21.2 | 15.4 |
| 1995 | 18.6 | 20.7 | 15.9 |
| 1994 | 18.6 | 18.7 | 16.1 |
| 1993 | 18.3 | 17.7 | 16 |
| 1992 | 19.2 | 17.3 | 15.8 |
| 1991 | 18.6 | 17.1 | 15.5 |
| 1990 | 18.6 | 17.8 | 15.4 |
Each country on its own
Good to know
- Deaths by suicide in a year, per 100,000 people.
- Source: IHME, Global Burden of Disease, via Our World in Data.
- Ranks count the 195 countries with a value in 2017, highest first.
- The faint line is the world as a whole, as the same source counts it.
How the layers work, where their data comes from and what they can’t tell you: Countries through time
South Africa vs Zimbabwe
Health
- Life expectancySouth Africa: 66.1 years in 2023Zimbabwe: 62.8 years in 2023
- Child mortalitySouth Africa: 3.5 per 100 live births in 2024Zimbabwe: 6.5 per 100 live births in 2024
- Infant mortalitySouth Africa: 27.9 per 1,000 live births in 2023Zimbabwe: 33.2 per 1,000 live births in 2023
- DepressionSouth Africa: 3.75% in 2017Zimbabwe: 3.19% in 2017
People
- PopulationSouth Africa: 63.2 million people in 2023Zimbabwe: 16.3 million people in 2023
- Population growthSouth Africa: 1.32% a year in 2023Zimbabwe: 1.68% a year in 2023
- Fertility rateSouth Africa: 2.22 births per woman in 2023Zimbabwe: 3.72 births per woman in 2023
- Urban populationSouth Africa: 63.8% in 2025Zimbabwe: 40.5% in 2025
- Median ageSouth Africa: 28.2 years in 2023Zimbabwe: 17.8 years in 2023
- People aged 65 and overSouth Africa: 6.5% in 2023Zimbabwe: 3.6% in 2023
- Net migration rateSouth Africa: 3.6 per 1,000 people in 2023Zimbabwe: -6 per 1,000 people in 2023
Economy
Education
Politics
Conflict
Military
- Military spendingSouth Africa: 0.74% of GDP in 2025Zimbabwe: 0.56% of GDP in 2025
- Military spending in US dollarsSouth Africa: $3B in 2025Zimbabwe: $134M in 2025
- Military spending per personSouth Africa: $49 in 2025Zimbabwe: $10 in 2025
- Military share of state spendingSouth Africa: 2.2% of government spending in 2025Zimbabwe: 5.3% of government spending in 2005
- Armed forces personnelSouth Africa: 89,000 people in 2020Zimbabwe: 51,000 people in 2020
- National powerSouth Africa: 0.55% of world capability in 2022Zimbabwe: 0.08% of world capability in 2022
- Armed forces, share of workersSouth Africa: 0.4% of the labour force in 2020Zimbabwe: 0.88% of the labour force in 2020
- Arms importsSouth Africa: 30 million TIV in 2025Zimbabwe: 20 million TIV in 2023
- Arms exportsSouth Africa: 115 million TIV in 2025Zimbabwe: 4 million TIV in 2001