Human Development & Quality of Life in South Africa
HDI 0.741 · UNDP rank 106 · latest published data
With HDI 0.741 for 2023, South Africa sits at rank 106 in UNDP's latest table and falls in the high human development group. That rank is only the starting point. The GII reading of 0.388 (rank 95) is an important counterpoint to the aggregate HDI. In a different dimension, gender development sits close to parity on the GDI measure at 0.996 (UNDP group 1).
What sits inside South Africa's HDI
For this comparison, South Africa's 2023 HDI inputs include life expectancy of 66.1, expected schooling of 13.8, mean schooling of 11.6, and GNI per capita of $13,694 in 2021 PPP dollars. Together they explain the headline index without turning any single input into a separate ranking.
Inequality changes the headline
IHDI reframes South Africa's HDI by accounting for unequal outcomes within the population. That is a different question from how satisfied people say they are with life. When the indicator is reused, retain the original indicator definition instead of collapsing separate dimensions into one label.
Gender and planetary-pressure adjustments
South Africa's complementary UNDP indicators include GDI 0.996, GII 0.388, PHDI 0.685. They complement one another, but none is treated as a substitute for another.
Quality-of-life coverage is conditional
No dated comparable life-satisfaction figure is included for South Africa in this release. For the profile as a whole, keep the observation year attached so the number is not mistaken for another indicator.
What South Africa's numbers say together
South Africa's additional indicators read as IHDI 0.476 with a 35.8% loss; PHDI 0.685 after a 7.6% adjustment; GDI 0.996. Each measure has a different definition, so they are not combined. When the indicator is reused, avoid turning the indicator into a general country score so the limitation remains visible to the reader.
Looking at the published indicators, the headline UNDP result for South Africa is HDI 0.741, rank 106, for 2023. Broader quality-of-life indicators remain outside that index. For a like-for-like reading, separate the measure from subjective well-being rather than creating a broader claim than the source supports.
The IHDI is 0.476, and UNDP reports an overall loss of 35.8% relative to the headline index.
The GDI value is 0.996 in group 1; it should be read alongside, not merged into, HDI.
The PHDI is 0.685, with a 7.6% adjustment from the HDI value in UNDP's 2023 table.
Frequently asked questions
What is South Africa's HDI?
For South Africa, the 2025 UNDP report publishes a 2023 HDI value of 0.741 and rank 106.
How does inequality affect South Africa's HDI?
IHDI for South Africa is 0.476 in the 2023 table. That represents a 35.8% reduction from the headline development index.
Why is there no life satisfaction score on this page?
For this profile, a subjective well-being figure for South Africa is published only when the source supplies a usable observation. A missing source value is shown as unavailable.
Is HDI the same as quality of life?
No. HDI has three core dimensions: health, knowledge and standard of living. Life satisfaction is shown only as a separate subjective well-being measure.
Sources & methodology
Sources for the development indicators and definitions shown above.
View sources used for this page
Primary source for 2023 HDI and its components, plus IHDI, GDI, GII and PHDI where reported.
Report edition underlying the 2023 human-development indices and ranking.
Data note: Reference years are shown with each indicator; unavailable observations remain unfilled.