Iran vs South Africa: Urban population growth (annual %)
Urban population growth (annual %) over time
- Iran
- South Africa
How they compare
Iran currently reports 1.4% against 1.3% in South Africa, a difference of 0.1%.
The two have swapped places 12 times across 65 shared years of data; in 1961 it was Iran ahead.
Iran ranks 102nd and South Africa ranks 104th of 218 countries.
Across the 7 decades both report, Iran averaged higher in 6 and South Africa in 1.
Head to head by decade
| Decade | Iran | South Africa | Difference | Ahead |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1960s | 5.0% | 3.3% | 1.8% | Iran |
| 1970s | 5.0% | 2.9% | 2.0% | Iran |
| 1980s | 5.2% | 3.9% | 1.3% | Iran |
| 1990s | 2.7% | 2.4% | 0.3% | Iran |
| 2000s | 2.5% | 2.2% | 0.3% | Iran |
| 2010s | 2.0% | 1.6% | 0.4% | Iran |
| 2020s | 1.5% | 1.5% | 0.0% | South Africa |
Averages of every year both report within each decade.
Frequently asked questions
- Which has higher urban population growth, Iran or South Africa?
- Iran, at 1.4% against 1.3% in South Africa as of 2025.
- What is the difference in urban population growth between Iran and South Africa?
- 0.1%, with Iran ahead.
- How many years of comparable data are there for Iran and South Africa?
- 65 years are reported by both, from 1961 to 2025.
- How do Iran and South Africa rank globally for urban population growth?
- Iran ranks 102nd and South Africa ranks 104th of 218 countries.
- Where does this data come from?
- World Urbanization Prospects, United Nations (UN), published as Urban population growth (annual %). Statizoid refreshes it automatically from the source and publishes the full history for both places.
Individual pages
About this data
Annual urban population growth rate for year t is the exponential rate of growth of midyear urban population from year t-1 to t, expressed as a percentage. Urban population refers to people living in urban areas as defined by national statistical offices. It is calculated using World Bank total population estimates and urban ratios from the United Nations World Urbanization Prospects.