South Africa vs Spain: Urban population growth
Urban population growth over time
- South Africa
- Spain
How they compare
South Africa currently reports 1.3% against 1.3% in Spain, a difference of 0.0%.
That makes South Africa's figure about 1.1 times Spain's.
The two have swapped places 2 times across 65 shared years of data; in 1961 it was South Africa ahead.
South Africa ranks 104th and Spain ranks 107th of 218 countries.
South Africa has averaged higher in every one of the 7 decades both report.
Head to head by decade
| Decade | South Africa | Spain | Difference | Ahead |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1960s | 3.3% | 2.7% | 0.6% | South Africa |
| 1970s | 2.9% | 1.9% | 1.0% | South Africa |
| 1980s | 3.9% | 0.9% | 3.0% | South Africa |
| 1990s | 2.4% | 0.6% | 1.8% | South Africa |
| 2000s | 2.2% | 1.7% | 0.5% | South Africa |
| 2010s | 1.6% | 0.3% | 1.3% | South Africa |
| 2020s | 1.5% | 1.0% | 0.5% | South Africa |
Averages of every year both report within each decade.
Frequently asked questions
- Which has higher urban population growth, South Africa or Spain?
- South Africa, at 1.3% against 1.3% in Spain as of 2025.
- What is the difference in urban population growth between South Africa and Spain?
- 0.0%, with South Africa ahead.
- How many years of comparable data are there for South Africa and Spain?
- 65 years are reported by both, from 1961 to 2025.
- How do South Africa and Spain rank globally for urban population growth?
- South Africa ranks 104th and Spain ranks 107th 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.