South Africa Population

Population now

63,050,340

World: 24th
Africa: 6th

Male:	30,990,830	(49.16 %)
Female:	32,059,140	(50.84 %)

Births in 2025:	1,575,068
Deaths in 2025:	806,029

Life expectancy & Rates (2025)

Male:	62.02 years
Female:	69.01 years
Total:	65.46 years
Median Age:	27.73 years

Birth Rate:	18.31
Death Rate:	9.37
Growth Rate:	0.95 %
Fertility Rate:	2.26

Population Data Graphs

Total population
Birth & Death rate
Life expectancy
Median Age
Population structure (mid 2025)
Urbanization

South Africa Population History

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Year	Total	Male	Female	Sex Ratio	Growth rate	Birth rate	Death rate	Fertility rate	Life exp., total Life expectancy	Life exp., male	Life exp., female	Median Age	Urbanization	Density, people / km2 Density, people/km2
1960	17M	9M	9M	0.99	1.36%	41.08	17.40	6.04	48.41	45.88	51.16	18.88	46.62%	14.02
1961	18M	9M	9M	0.99	1.39%	40.88	17.10	6.03	48.78	46.26	51.51	18.78	46.79%	14.37
1962	18M	9M	9M	0.99	1.42%	40.66	16.82	6.01	49.14	46.63	51.86	18.68	46.91%	14.73
1963	18M	9M	9M	0.99	1.45%	40.42	16.53	5.99	49.51	47.01	52.21	18.57	47.02%	15.10
1964	19M	9M	9M	0.99	1.47%	40.15	16.23	5.96	49.89	47.41	52.57	18.48	47.13%	15.49
1965	19M	10M	10M	0.99	1.50%	39.87	15.93	5.92	50.28	47.82	52.94	18.41	47.25%	15.89
1966	20M	10M	10M	0.99	1.54%	39.59	15.61	5.88	50.71	48.25	53.34	18.29	47.36%	16.30
1967	20M	10M	10M	0.99	1.57%	39.31	15.29	5.83	51.15	48.71	53.76	18.20	47.48%	16.73
1968	21M	10M	11M	0.99	1.61%	39.05	14.95	5.78	51.62	49.20	54.21	18.15	47.59%	17.17
1969	21M	11M	11M	0.99	1.66%	38.80	14.61	5.73	52.11	49.70	54.68	18.13	47.70%	17.62
1970	22M	11M	11M	0.99	1.70%	38.54	14.26	5.67	52.62	50.23	55.17	18.14	47.81%	18.09
1971	23M	11M	11M	0.99	1.76%	38.27	13.89	5.60	53.16	50.79	55.69	18.13	47.87%	18.58
1972	23M	12M	12M	0.99	1.81%	37.96	13.52	5.53	53.71	51.36	56.23	18.14	47.93%	19.08
1973	24M	12M	12M	0.99	1.86%	37.61	13.15	5.44	54.28	51.95	56.78	18.18	47.99%	19.60
1974	25M	12M	12M	0.99	1.92%	37.24	12.77	5.35	54.86	52.54	57.34	18.23	48.05%	20.13
1975	25M	13M	13M	0.99	1.97%	36.88	12.41	5.27	55.43	53.13	57.89	18.30	48.11%	20.65
1976	26M	13M	13M	0.99	2.03%	36.56	12.05	5.19	55.99	53.70	58.44	18.30	48.17%	21.18
1977	26M	13M	13M	0.99	2.10%	36.32	11.72	5.12	56.54	54.27	58.97	18.32	48.23%	21.71
1978	27M	14M	14M	0.99	2.17%	36.17	11.40	5.06	57.07	54.82	59.48	18.37	48.29%	22.25
1979	28M	14M	14M	0.99	2.25%	36.08	11.10	5.02	57.59	55.35	59.98	18.41	48.35%	22.81
1980	29M	14M	14M	0.99	2.33%	36.03	10.82	4.98	58.11	55.87	60.48	18.43	48.43%	23.41
1981	29M	15M	15M	0.99	2.42%	35.98	10.53	4.95	58.64	56.41	60.99	18.46	48.59%	24.05
1982	30M	15M	15M	0.99	2.51%	35.88	10.23	4.91	59.19	56.97	61.54	18.47	48.76%	24.72
1983	31M	15M	16M	0.99	2.59%	35.68	9.93	4.86	59.77	57.54	62.11	18.48	48.92%	25.41
1984	32M	16M	16M	0.99	2.68%	35.36	9.62	4.79	60.35	58.12	62.71	18.49	49.09%	26.10
1985	33M	16M	16M	0.99	2.75%	34.87	9.31	4.71	60.95	58.68	63.33	18.54	49.37%	26.79
1986	33M	17M	17M	0.99	2.80%	34.21	9.00	4.59	61.54	59.21	63.99	18.52	49.91%	27.46
1987	34M	17M	17M	0.99	2.84%	33.39	8.70	4.46	62.11	59.69	64.66	18.55	50.44%	28.11
1988	35M	17M	18M	0.99	2.85%	32.45	8.43	4.31	62.62	60.08	65.31	18.61	50.97%	28.77
1989	36M	18M	18M	0.99	2.82%	31.41	8.22	4.14	63.04	60.36	65.89	18.69	51.51%	29.45
1990	37M	18M	19M	0.99	2.75%	30.31	8.08	3.96	63.31	60.47	66.34	18.79	52.04%	30.17
1991	38M	19M	19M	0.99	2.63%	29.19	8.04	3.78	63.38	60.39	66.60	19.00	52.55%	30.92
1992	39M	19M	20M	0.98	2.46%	28.10	8.11	3.61	63.25	60.11	66.64	19.29	53.04%	31.70
1993	40M	20M	20M	0.98	2.26%	27.06	8.29	3.44	62.89	59.63	66.43	19.60	53.52%	32.49
1994	41M	20M	21M	0.98	2.04%	26.11	8.58	3.28	62.33	58.98	65.97	19.93	54.00%	33.25
1995	41M	20M	21M	0.97	1.82%	25.28	8.98	3.14	61.56	58.17	65.25	20.26	54.49%	33.97
1996	42M	21M	21M	0.97	1.59%	24.57	9.50	3.02	60.60	57.22	64.27	20.51	54.97%	34.63
1997	43M	21M	22M	0.97	1.37%	23.98	10.11	2.92	59.49	56.18	63.09	20.75	55.45%	35.24
1998	44M	22M	22M	0.97	1.18%	23.50	10.77	2.83	58.32	55.11	61.79	21.01	55.93%	35.81
1999	44M	22M	22M	0.97	1.02%	23.12	11.45	2.75	57.14	54.08	60.46	21.30	56.41%	36.35
2000	45M	22M	23M	0.97	0.89%	22.85	12.11	2.69	56.05	53.14	59.19	21.62	56.89%	36.86
2001	46M	22M	23M	0.97	0.79%	22.72	12.71	2.65	55.09	52.34	58.04	21.83	57.37%	37.36
2002	46M	23M	23M	0.97	0.72%	22.69	13.23	2.62	54.31	51.72	57.09	22.07	57.90%	37.83
2003	47M	23M	24M	0.97	0.67%	22.76	13.63	2.61	53.75	51.28	56.38	22.31	58.45%	38.30
2004	47M	23M	24M	0.97	0.65%	22.90	13.90	2.60	53.44	51.06	55.97	22.56	58.99%	38.77
2005	48M	24M	24M	0.97	0.65%	23.07	13.99	2.60	53.45	51.10	55.93	22.81	59.54%	39.25
2006	48M	24M	25M	0.97	0.67%	23.24	13.90	2.61	53.80	51.44	56.28	23.03	60.08%	39.75
2007	49M	24M	25M	0.97	0.72%	23.37	13.62	2.61	54.45	52.04	56.99	23.25	60.62%	40.27
2008	50M	25M	25M	0.97	0.77%	23.43	13.21	2.61	55.36	52.85	58.00	23.48	61.15%	40.81
2009	50M	25M	26M	0.97	0.85%	23.42	12.68	2.61	56.46	53.83	59.22	23.72	61.69%	41.38
2010	51M	25M	26M	0.97	0.93%	23.31	12.09	2.60	57.67	54.91	60.57	23.96	62.22%	41.98
2011	52M	26M	26M	0.97	1.01%	23.10	11.48	2.58	58.90	55.99	61.94	24.23	62.75%	42.63
2012	53M	26M	27M	0.97	1.09%	22.82	10.92	2.56	60.06	57.03	63.24	24.51	63.27%	43.31
2013	54M	27M	27M	0.97	1.16%	22.48	10.43	2.54	61.10	57.95	64.39	24.81	63.79%	44.01
2014	55M	27M	28M	0.97	1.20%	22.11	10.04	2.51	61.97	58.73	65.36	25.09	64.31%	44.71
2015	55M	27M	28M	0.97	1.22%	21.72	9.77	2.48	62.65	59.34	66.11	25.35	64.83%	45.40
2016	56M	28M	28M	0.97	1.22%	21.31	9.60	2.46	63.15	59.80	66.65	25.61	65.34%	46.08
2017	57M	28M	29M	0.97	1.20%	20.91	9.50	2.43	63.54	60.16	67.06	25.86	65.85%	46.73
2018	58M	28M	29M	0.97	1.17%	20.51	9.44	2.41	63.86	60.46	67.40	26.12	66.36%	47.37
2019	59M	29M	30M	0.97	1.14%	20.13	9.40	2.38	64.13	60.73	67.68	26.37	66.86%	48.00
2020	59M	29M	30M	0.97	1.11%	19.77	9.38	2.36	64.38	60.97	67.93	26.62	67.35%	48.62
2021	60M	30M	30M	0.97	1.11%	19.77	9.38	2.36	64.38	60.97	67.93	26.86	67.85%	49.22
2022	61M	30M	31M	0.97	1.11%	19.77	9.38	2.36	64.38	60.97	67.93	27.08	68.34%	49.80
2023	61M	30M	31M	0.97	1.02%	18.89	9.37	2.30	65.03	61.60	68.58	27.30	68.82%	50.37
2024	62M	31M	32M	0.97	0.99%	18.60	9.37	2.28	65.24	61.81	68.79	27.51	69.30%	50.93
2025	63M	31M	32M	0.97	0.95%	18.31	9.37	2.26	65.46	62.02	69.01	27.73	69.77%	51.48

South Africa Population Projections

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main data
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Year	Total	Male	Female	Sex Ratio	Growth rate	Birth rate	Death rate	Fertility rate	Life exp., total Life expectancy	Life exp., male	Life exp., female	Median Age	Urbanization	Density, people / km2 Density, people/km2
2026	63M	31M	32M	0.97	0.93%	18.10	9.38	2.24	65.67	62.22	69.22	27.91	70.24%	52.02
2027	64M	31M	33M	0.97	0.90%	17.90	9.40	2.23	65.87	62.42	69.43	28.09	70.71%	52.55
2028	65M	32M	33M	0.96	0.88%	17.69	9.41	2.21	66.08	62.61	69.65	28.28	71.17%	53.06
2029	65M	32M	33M	0.96	0.85%	17.49	9.43	2.20	66.28	62.81	69.86	28.46	71.62%	53.57
2030	66M	32M	34M	0.96	0.83%	17.28	9.44	2.18	66.49	63.01	70.07	28.63	72.07%	54.07
2031	67M	33M	34M	0.96	0.81%	17.13	9.48	2.16	66.67	63.19	70.26	28.79	72.51%	54.55
2032	67M	33M	34M	0.96	0.78%	16.98	9.52	2.15	66.86	63.36	70.45	28.93	72.94%	55.03
2033	68M	33M	35M	0.96	0.76%	16.84	9.55	2.13	67.04	63.54	70.64	29.08	73.37%	55.50
2034	68M	33M	35M	0.96	0.74%	16.69	9.59	2.12	67.23	63.71	70.83	29.25	73.79%	55.96
2035	69M	34M	35M	0.96	0.72%	16.54	9.63	2.10	67.41	63.89	71.02	29.45	74.21%	56.41
2036	69M	34M	35M	0.96	0.69%	16.40	9.69	2.09	67.58	64.05	71.20	29.65	74.62%	56.85
2037	70M	34M	36M	0.96	0.67%	16.26	9.74	2.08	67.75	64.21	71.37	29.87	75.02%	57.28
2038	70M	34M	36M	0.96	0.64%	16.11	9.80	2.06	67.91	64.36	71.55	30.09	75.41%	57.70
2039	71M	35M	36M	0.96	0.62%	15.97	9.85	2.05	68.08	64.52	71.72	30.32	75.80%	58.11
2040	71M	35M	37M	0.96	0.60%	15.83	9.91	2.04	68.25	64.68	71.90	30.55	76.18%	58.51
2041	72M	35M	37M	0.95	0.57%	15.68	9.98	2.03	68.41	64.83	72.06	30.77	76.57%	58.90
2042	72M	35M	37M	0.95	0.55%	15.53	10.04	2.02	68.56	64.98	72.23	31.00	76.94%	59.28
2043	73M	35M	37M	0.95	0.52%	15.39	10.11	2.00	68.72	65.13	72.39	31.24	77.31%	59.64
2044	73M	36M	38M	0.95	0.50%	15.24	10.17	1.99	68.87	65.28	72.56	31.48	77.68%	60.00
2045	74M	36M	38M	0.95	0.47%	15.09	10.24	1.98	69.03	65.43	72.72	31.72	78.05%	60.35
2046	74M	36M	38M	0.95	0.45%	14.95	10.32	1.97	69.18	65.57	72.88	31.94	78.40%	60.68
2047	74M	36M	38M	0.95	0.42%	14.81	10.40	1.96	69.32	65.71	73.03	32.17	78.76%	61.01
2048	75M	36M	38M	0.95	0.40%	14.67	10.48	1.95	69.47	65.84	73.19	32.40	79.11%	61.32
2049	75M	37M	39M	0.95	0.38%	14.53	10.56	1.94	69.61	65.98	73.34	32.63	79.46%	61.62
2050	76M	37M	39M	0.95	0.35%	14.39	10.64	1.93	69.76	66.12	73.50	32.87	79.80%	61.90

Highest City Populations in South Africa

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Rank	City	Population, Urban Area	Population, City
1	Johannesburg	6,116,021	5,635,127
2	Cape Town	4,834,644	4,710,000
3	Ethekwini	3,207,503	3,120,282
4	Pretoria	2,771,426	1,619,438
5	Port Elizabeth	1,286,176	967,677
6	Pietermaritzburg	926,806	750,845
7	Vereeniging	788,218	474,681
8	Buffalo City	729,327	478,676
9	Bloemfontein	591,697	556,000
10	Rustenburg	563,134	124,064
11	Msunduzi	541,218	-
12	Witbank	490,546	262,491
13	Polokwane	469,655	123,749

Map of South Africa

All Countries in Africa

Democratic Republic of the Congo104M

South Africa63M

Burkina Faso24M

Republic of the Congo6M

Central African Republic5M

Guinea-Bissau2M

Equatorial Guinea2M

Sao Tome and Principe242k