# Life-Span For South Africans **URL:** \ **Category:** Factual Questions\ **Created:** [July 14, 2009, 6:51pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/life-span-for-south-africans/503015 "2009-07-14T18:51:11Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 5\ **Page:** 1
**Author:** ![Qin\_Shi\_Huangdi](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/q/f04885/32.png) [@Qin\_Shi\_Huangdi](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Qin_Shi_Huangdi)\ **Post date:** [July 14, 2009, 6:51pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/life-span-for-south-africans/503015/1 "2009-07-14T18:51:11Z")
I know that the average life-span for South Africans is in the mid-forties. But what is it for non-AIDS victims especially whites? Because I’m guessing that white South Africans like white Americans usually are wealthier and have better health then blacks. ---
**Author:** ![Captain\_Amazing](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/c/6de8d8/32.png) [@Captain\_Amazing](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Captain_Amazing)\ **Post date:** [July 14, 2009, 7:28pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/life-span-for-south-africans/503015/2 "2009-07-14T19:28:43Z")
it’s old stats, but from [here](http://countrystudies.us/south-africa/44.htm) > [@](#): > > Life expectancy at birth was 62.7 years for males and 68.3 years for females in 1996, placing South Africa just below the global median. These figures, too, varied considerably by race; for black males, life expectancy was about nine years less than for white males. ---
**Author:** ![Captain\_Amazing](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/c/6de8d8/32.png) [@Captain\_Amazing](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Captain_Amazing)\ **Post date:** [July 14, 2009, 7:32pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/life-span-for-south-africans/503015/3 "2009-07-14T19:32:58Z")
Regarding the role of AIDS on life expectancy, check this article from the African Journal of Health Studies. [http://www.bioline.org.br/pdf?jh07029](http://www.bioline.org.br/pdf?jh07029) ---
**Author:** ![Colophon](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/c/f05b48/32.png) [@Colophon](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Colophon)\ **Post date:** [July 14, 2009, 8:48pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/life-span-for-south-africans/503015/4 "2009-07-14T20:48:19Z")
Do you mean South Africans as in citizens of the Republic of South Africa, or inhabitants of southern Africa in general? Countries such as Zimbabwe, Lesotho, Zambia, Mozambique and especially Swaziland have been propping up the [life expectancy table](http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/List_of_countries_by_life_expectancy) for some time now, but it appears South Africa’s figures have got significantly worse since the figures **Captain Amazing** posted. [This article](http://www.justlanded.com/english/South-Africa/South-Africa-Guide/Health/Introduction) says: > [@](#): > > Although South Africa’s life expectancy statistics can come as a shock to Westerners (in 2003, life expectancy at birth was 46.56 years for the total population), life expectancy for white South Africans is similar to that of most Europeans, Australasians and North Americans thanks to better access to health information, contraception and healthcare, as well as a much lower death rate from murder… ---
**Author:** ![Colophon](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/c/f05b48/32.png) [@Colophon](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Colophon)\ **Post date:** [July 14, 2009, 8:53pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/life-span-for-south-africans/503015/5 "2009-07-14T20:53:54Z")
Missed the edit window… And another site, (which doesn’t seem to be working so [here’s](http://209.85.229.132/search?q=cache:DvRftfyELqYJ:www.newint.org/issue265/facts.htm+life+expectancy+%22white+south+africans%22&cd=10&hl=en&ct=clnk&gl=uk) the Google cache), places the UN Human Development Index, “which merges income per capita, life expectancy and literacy to give a sense of a country’s quality of life” for white South Africans in 24th rank, between Spain and Hong Kong, while their black compatriots are at number 123, between Cape Verde and Congo.