South Africa Population (LIVE)

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South Africa Population (1950 - 2024)
Yearly Population Growth Rate (%)
  • The current population of South Africa is 60,847,131 as of Tuesday, March 19, 2024, based on Worldometer elaboration of the latest United Nations data 1.
  • South Africa 2023 population is estimated at 60,414,495 people at mid year.
  • South Africa population is equivalent to 0.75% of the total world population.
  • South Africa ranks number 24 in the list of countries (and dependencies) by population.
  • The population density in South Africa is 50 per Km2 (129 people per mi2).
  • The total land area is 1,213,090 Km2 (468,376 sq. miles)
  • 69.0 % of the population is urban (41,711,727 people in 2023)
  • The median age in South Africa is 27.6 years.
1. Updated on July 16, 2023 with the latest July 2023-July 2024 estimates from the United Nations, Department of Economic and Social Affairs, Population Division. World Population Prospects: The 2022 Revision. (Medium-fertility variant).

Population of South Africa (2024 and historical)

YearPopulationYearly %
Change
Yearly
Change
Migrants (net)Median AgeFertility RateDensity (P/Km²)Urban
Pop %
Urban PopulationCountry's Share of
World Pop
World PopulationSouth Africa
Global Rank
2024 61,020,221 1.00 % 605,726 58,496 27.8 2.29 50 69.5 % 42,416,701 0.75 % 8,118,835,999 24
2023 60,414,495 0.87 % 520,610 58,496 27.6 2.32 50 69.0 % 41,711,727 0.75 % 8,045,311,447 24
2022 59,893,885 0.84 % 501,630 58,496 27.4 2.34 49 68.5 % 40,998,414 0.75 % 7,975,105,156 24
2020 58,801,927 1.23 % 714,872 30,852 26.9 2.40 48 67.3 % 39,550,889 0.75 % 7,840,952,880 25
2015 55,876,504 1.53 % 818,317 644,996 25.3 2.36 46 64.1 % 35,844,349 0.75 % 7,426,597,537 24
2010 51,784,921 1.10 % 553,555 68,599 23.6 2.45 43 62.0 % 32,094,811 0.74 % 6,985,603,105 24
2005 49,017,147 0.92 % 440,776 31,424 22.3 2.51 40 59.3 % 29,065,720 0.75 % 6,558,176,119 24
2000 46,813,266 1.25 % 565,436-80,388 20.9 2.41 39 55.6 % 26,015,136 0.76 % 6,148,898,975 25
1995 43,986,084 1.98 % 821,703 -98,300 20.4 3.17 36 52.1 % 22,932,019 0.77 % 5,743,219,454 25
1990 39,877,570 3.39 % 1,224,921 231,224 20.0 3.72 33 49.0 % 19,545,369 0.75 % 5,316,175,862 26
1985 33,752,964 2.76 % 857,883 123,316 18.8 4.50 28 49.3 % 16,653,360 0.69 % 4,861,730,613 28
1980 29,463,549 2.71 % 737,117 52,736 19.2 4.78 24 48.9 % 14,411,610 0.66 % 4,444,007,706 28
1975 25,777,964 2.88 % 681,932 38,750 18.3 5.19 21 48.9 % 12,610,547 0.63 % 4,069,437,231 29
1970 22,368,306 3.12 % 636,222 61,524 17.8 5.63 18 48.8 % 10,919,359 0.61 % 3,695,390,336 29
1965 19,187,194 3.04 % 533,351 80,687 17.7 5.97 16 49.1 % 9,422,320 0.57 % 3,337,111,983 31
1960 16,520,441 2.51 % 385,262 18,909 17.7 6.16 14 49.3 % 8,138,204 0.55 % 3,019,233,434 31
1955 14,594,129 2.27 % 310,057 -2,753 18.5 6.17 12 46.8 % 6,829,341 0.53 % 2,746,072,141 31
Source: Worldometer (www.Worldometers.info)
Elaboration of data by United Nations, Department of Economic and Social Affairs, Population Division. World Population Prospects: The 2022 Revision. (Medium-fertility variant).
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South Africa Population Forecast

58,496
YearPopulationYearly %
Change
Yearly
Change
Migrants (net)Median AgeFertility RateDensity (P/Km²)Urban
Pop %
Urban PopulationCountry's Share of
World Pop
World PopulationSouth Africa
Global Rank
2025 61,673,081 0.96 % 574,231 58,496 28.1 2.27 51 69.9 % 43,112,579 0.75 % 8,191,988,453 24
2030 64,659,278 0.95 % 597,239 58,496 29.0 2.16 53 71.8 % 46,457,072 0.76 % 8,546,141,327 24
2035 67,314,133 0.81 % 530,971 58,496 29.6 2.09 55 73.7 % 49,631,106 0.76 % 8,879,397,401 24
2040 69,713,937 0.70 % 479,961 58,496 30.7 2.02 57 75.5 % 52,625,241 0.76 % 9,188,250,492 26
2045 71,816,201 0.60 % 420,453 58,496 31.9 1.97 59 77.2 % 55,447,449 0.76 % 9,467,543,575 24
2050 73,529,753 0.47 % 342,710   33.1 1.93 61 79.0 % 58,056,843 0.76 % 9,709,491,761 26
Source: Worldometer (www.Worldometers.info)
Elaboration of data by United Nations, Department of Economic and Social Affairs, Population Division. World Population Prospects: The 2022 Revision. (Medium-fertility variant).

South Africa Demographics

Main Page: Demographics of South Africa
Life Expectancy
62.89 years
(life expectancy at birth, both sexes)
View by sex and historical chart
Infant Mortality
26.8
(infant deaths per 1,000 live births)
View historical chart
Deaths under age 5
36.0
(per 1,000 live births)
View historical chart

Main Cities by Population in South Africa

(includes boroughs, districts, urban agglomerations, etc.)

# CITY NAME POPULATION
1 Cape Town 3,433,441
2 Durban 3,120,282
3 Johannesburg 2,026,469
4 Soweto 1,695,047
5 Pretoria 1,619,438
6 Port Elizabeth 967,677
7 Pietermaritzburg 750,845
8 Benoni 605,344
9 Tembisa 511,655
10 East London 478,676
11 Vereeniging 474,681
12 Bloemfontein 463,064
13 Boksburg 445,168
14 Welkom 431,944
15 Newcastle 404,838
16 Krugersdorp 378,821
17 Diepsloot 350,000
18 Randburg 337,053
19 Botshabelo 309,714
20 Brakpan 305,692
21 Witbank 262,491
22 Richards Bay 252,968
23 Vanderbijlpark 246,754
24 Centurion 233,386
25 Uitenhage 228,912
26 Roodepoort 225,000
27 Paarl 190,000
28 Springs 186,394
29 Carletonville 182,304
30 Klerksdorp 178,921
31 Midrand 173,009
32 Westonaria 156,831
33 Middelburg 154,706
34 Vryheid 150,012
35 Orkney 145,801
36 Kimberley 142,089
37 eMbalenhle 141,741
38 Nigel 140,644
39 Mpumalanga 140,121
40 Bhisho 137,287
41 Randfontein 133,654
42 Worcester 127,597
43 Rustenburg 124,064
44 Polokwane 123,749
45 Potchefstroom 123,669
46 Virginia 122,502
47 Brits 122,497
48 Alberton 121,536
49 Nelspruit 110,159
50 Phalaborwa 109,468
51 Queenstown 105,309
52 Kroonstad 103,992
53 Bethal 101,919
54 Mokopane 101,090
55 Mabopane 97,417
56 Kutloanong 95,008
57 Stellenbosch 94,263
58 Stilfontein 93,110
59 Delmas 92,046
60 Grahamstown 91,548
61 Warmbaths 90,210
62 Louis Trichardt 86,854
63 Dundee 84,413
64 Piet Retief 84,349
65 Phuthaditjhaba 84,258
66 Bethlehem 83,654
67 Mthatha 78,663
68 Sasolburg 77,016
69 Mmabatho 76,754
70 Standerton 74,021

See also

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Notes

The South Africa Population (Live) counter shows a continuously updated estimate of the current population of South Africa delivered by Worldometer's RTS algorithm, which processes data collected from the United Nations Population Division.

The Population of South Africa (1950 - 2023) chart plots the total population count as of July 1 of each year, from 1950 to 2023.

The Yearly Population Growth Rate chart plots the annual percentage changes in population registered on July 1 of each year, from 1951 to 2023. This value can differ from the Yearly % Change shown in the historical table, which shows the last year equivalent percentage change assuming homogeneous change in the preceding five year period.

Definitions

Year: as of July 1 of the year indicated.

Population: Overall total population (both sexes and all ages) in the country as of July 1 of the year indicated, as estimated by the United Nations, Department of Economic and Social Affairs, Population Division. World Population Prospects: The 2022 Revision. For forecasted years, the U.N. medium-fertility variant is used.


Yearly % Change: For 2023: percentage change in total population over the last year (from July 1, 2022 to June 30 2023). For all other years: latest year annual percentage change equivalent assuming homogeneous change in the preceding five year period, calculated through reverse compounding.

Yearly Change: For 2023: absolute change in total population (increase or decrease in number of people) over the last year (from July 1, 2022 to June 30 2023). For all other years: average annual numerical change over the preceding five year period.

Migrants (net): The average annual number of immigrants minus the number of emigrants over the preceding five year period (running from July 1 to June 30 of the initial and final years), or subsequent five year period (for 2016 data). A negative number means that there are more emigrants than immigrants.

Median Age: age that divides the population into two numerically equal groups: half of the people are older than the median age indicated and half are younger. This parameter provides an indication of age distribution.

Fertility Rate: (Total Fertility Rate, or TFR), it is expressed as children per woman. It is calculated as the average number of children an average woman will have during her reproductive period (15 to 49 years old) based on the current fertility rates of every age group in the country, and assuming she is not subject to mortality.

Density (P/Km²): (Population Density) Population per square Kilometer (Km²).

Urban Pop % : Urban population as a percentage of total population.

Urban Population: Population living in areas classified as urban according to the criteria used by each country.

Country's Share of World Pop: Total population in the country as a percentage of total World Population as of July 1 of the year indicated.

World Population: Total World Population as of July 1 of the year indicated.

Global Rank: Position held by South Africa in the list of all countries worldwide ranked by population (from the highest population to the lowest population) as of July 1 of the year indicated.