Southern Africa Population (LIVE)

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Southern Africa Population (1950 - 2024)
Yearly Population Growth Rate (%)

Countries in Southern Africa

CountryPopulation (2024)
South Africa64,007,187
Namibia3,030,131
Botswana2,521,139
Lesotho2,337,423
Eswatini1,242,822
  • The current population of Southern Africa is 73,554,746 as of Saturday, December 21, 2024, based on the latest United Nations estimates.
  • Southern Africa population is equivalent to 0.9% of the total world population.
  • Southern Africa ranks number 5 in Africa among subregions ranked by Population.
  • The population density in Southern Africa is 28 per Km2 (71 people per mi2).
  • The total land area is 2,650,670 Km2 (1,023,429 sq. miles)
  • 64.4 % of the population is urban (47,072,642 people in 2024).
  • The median age in Southern Africa is 27.7years.

Population of Southern Africa (2024 and historical)

YearPopulationYearly %
Change
Yearly
Change
Migrants (net)Median AgeFertility RateDensity (P/Km²)Urban
Pop %
Urban PopulationSouthern Africa's
Share of
World Pop
World PopulationSouthern Africa
Rank within
Africa
2024 73,138,701 1.30 % 941,000 153,543.0 27.7 2.3 28 64.4 % 47,072,642 0.9 % 8,161,972,572 5
2020 69,085,492 1.66 % 1,125,750 377,936 25.1 2.44 26 63.2 % 43,688,187 0.9 % 7,887,001,292 5
2015 64,548,533 1.61 % 990,732 624,600 24.8 2.47 24 61 % 39,358,000 0.9 % 7,470,491,872 5
2010 59,594,873 1.13 % 653,257 48,000 23.2 2.55 22 58.8 % 35,033,133 0.9 % 7,021,732,148 5
2005 56,328,588 0.96 % 525,503 -18,600 21.7 2.62 21 56 % 31,525,848 0.9 % 6,586,970,132 5
2000 53,701,075 1.21 % 627,329 -156,100 20.4 2.56 20 52.4 % 28,155,877 0.9 % 6,171,702,993 5
1995 50,564,431 1.86 % 892,208 -100,800 20.0 3.28 19 48.9 % 24,706,851 0.9 % 5,758,878,982 5
1990 46,103,391 3.09 % 1,302,378 261,800 19.8 3.86 17 45.4 % 20,912,450 0.9 % 5,327,803,110 5
1985 39,591,503 3.43 % 1,230,112 252,700 19.0 4.62 15 44.4 % 17,575,710 0.9 % 4,868,943,465 5
1980 33,440,942 2.88 % 885,455 230,200 18.1 4.93 13 45.1 % 15,079,862 0.8 % 4,447,606,236 5
1975 29,013,667 2.95 % 784,999 55,300 17.7 5.32 11 45.2 % 13,119,613 0.8 % 4,070,735,277 5
1970 25,088,674 3.07 % 704,329 52,600 17.5 5.71 9 45 % 11,279,997 0.8 % 3,694,683,794 5
1965 21,567,028 2.97 % 587,478 67,100 17.6 5.94 8 32.2 % 6,950,244 0.7 % 3,334,533,703 5
1960 18,629,639 2.47 % 427,172 11,200 17.8 6.12 7 44.6 % 8,305,736 0.7 % 3,015,470,894 5
1955 16,493,778 2.17 % 335,158 -13,600 18.4 6.13 6 42.1 % 6,950,244 0.7 % 2,740,213,792 5

Source: Worldometer (www.Worldometers.info)

Elaboration of data by United Nations, Department of Economic and Social Affairs, Population Division. World Population Prospects: The 2024 Revision. (Medium-fertility variant).
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Southern Africa Population Forecast

YearPopulationYearly %
Change
Yearly
Change
Migrants (net)Median AgeFertility RateDensity (P/Km²)Urban
Pop %
Urban PopulationSouthern Africa's
Share of
World Pop
World PopulationSouthern Africa
Rank within
Africa
2025 74,021,757 1.39 % 987,253 131,600 27.9 2.27 28 64.7 % 47,899,966 0.9 % 8,231,613,070 5
2030 78,131,971 1.09 % 822,043 129,500 28.8 2.18 29 66.4 % 51,909,443 0.9 % 8,569,124,911 5
2035 81,874,030 0.94 % 748,412 147,400 29.4 2.10 31 68.1 % 55,757,861 0.9 % 8,885,210,181 5
2040 85,312,325 0.83 % 687,659 142,100 30.3 2.04 32 69.7 % 59,431,696 1.0 % 9,177,190,203 5
2045 88,563,576 0.75 % 650,250 155,300 31.1 1.99 33 71.1 % 62,936,121 1.0 % 9,439,639,668 5
2050 91,625,466 0.68 % 612,378 167,800 31.8 1.94 35 72.3 % 66,231,499 1.0 % 9,664,378,587 5
Source: Worldometer (www.Worldometers.info)
Elaboration of data by United Nations, Department of Economic and Social Affairs, Population Division. World Population Prospects: The 2024 Revision. (Medium-fertility variant).
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Notes

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

The Population of Southern Africa (1950 - 2024) chart plots the total population count as of July 1 of each year, from 1950 to 2024.

The Yearly Population Growth Rate chart plots the annual percentage changes in population registered on July 1 of each year, from 1951 to 2024. 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 sub-region 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 2024 Revision. For forecasted years, the U.N. medium-fertility variant is used.

Yearly % Change: For 2024: percentage change in total population over the last year (from July 1, 2023 to June 30 2024). 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 2024: absolute change in total population (increase or decrease in number of people) over the last year (from July 1, 2023 to June 30 2024). 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. 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 countries within Southern Africa, 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.

Southern Africa's Share of World Pop: Total population 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.

Rank within Africa: Position held by Southern Africa in the list of all regions within Africa ranked by population (from the highest population to the lowest population) as of July 1 of the year indicated.

See also