Population, total, annual growth rate in South Africa
South Africa: Population, total, annual growth rate was 1.16 % change on previous year in 2025. ▼ Falling
Population, total, annual growth rate in South Africa, 1961–2025
Source: Statizoid (derived). Measured in % change on previous year.
Analysis
In 2025, population, total, annual growth rate in South Africa stood at 1.16 % change on previous year.
The figure is down 8.0% on the previous year and down 43.0% over ten years.
Over the whole period, population, total, annual growth rate in South Africa peaked at 3.56 % change on previous year in 1983 and was at its lowest, 0.656 % change on previous year, in 2017.
South Africa ranks 93rd of 218 countries on this measure, in the middle of the range.
The long-run direction has been consistently falling across the 65 years of available data.
Population, total, annual growth rate in South Africa, year by year
| Year | % change on previous year | Change |
|---|---|---|
| 1961 | 2.85 % change on previous year | — |
| 1962 | 3.02 % change on previous year | +6.1% |
| 1963 | 3.08 % change on previous year | +1.9% |
| 1964 | 3.1 % change on previous year | +0.8% |
| 1965 | 3.12 % change on previous year | +0.7% |
| 1966 | 3.15 % change on previous year | +0.8% |
| 1967 | 3.17 % change on previous year | +0.7% |
| 1968 | 3.17 % change on previous year | -0.1% |
| 1969 | 3.14 % change on previous year | -0.9% |
| 1970 | 3.08 % change on previous year | -1.9% |
| 1971 | 2.97 % change on previous year | -3.5% |
| 1972 | 2.91 % change on previous year | -2.1% |
| 1973 | 2.9 % change on previous year | -0.3% |
| 1974 | 2.86 % change on previous year | -1.4% |
| 1975 | 2.81 % change on previous year | -1.8% |
| 1976 | 2.74 % change on previous year | -2.4% |
| 1977 | 2.74 % change on previous year | -0.0% |
| 1978 | 2.77 % change on previous year | +0.9% |
| 1979 | 2.74 % change on previous year | -0.9% |
| 1980 | 3.09 % change on previous year | +12.6% |
| 1981 | 3.46 % change on previous year | +12.1% |
| 1982 | 3.52 % change on previous year | +1.6% |
| 1983 | 3.56 % change on previous year | +1.1% |
| 1984 | 3.52 % change on previous year | -0.9% |
| 1985 | 3.39 % change on previous year | -3.8% |
| 1986 | 3.25 % change on previous year | -4.2% |
| 1987 | 3.17 % change on previous year | -2.5% |
| 1988 | 3.09 % change on previous year | -2.3% |
| 1989 | 2.98 % change on previous year | -3.5% |
| 1990 | 2.82 % change on previous year | -5.5% |
| 1991 | 2.31 % change on previous year | -18.1% |
| 1992 | 1.81 % change on previous year | -21.6% |
| 1993 | 2.01 % change on previous year | +11.0% |
| 1994 | 1.63 % change on previous year | -18.8% |
| 1995 | 1.22 % change on previous year | -25.2% |
| 1996 | 1.31 % change on previous year | +6.9% |
| 1997 | 1.21 % change on previous year | -7.7% |
| 1998 | 1.22 % change on previous year | +1.2% |
| 1999 | 1.1 % change on previous year | -10.2% |
| 2000 | 0.9189 % change on previous year | -16.1% |
| 2001 | 0.8632 % change on previous year | -6.1% |
| 2002 | 0.9515 % change on previous year | +10.2% |
| 2003 | 1 % change on previous year | +5.3% |
| 2004 | 1.01 % change on previous year | +1.1% |
| 2005 | 1.02 % change on previous year | +0.5% |
| 2006 | 1.03 % change on previous year | +0.9% |
| 2007 | 1.06 % change on previous year | +3.3% |
| 2008 | 1.16 % change on previous year | +9.3% |
| 2009 | 1.2 % change on previous year | +3.6% |
| 2010 | 1.19 % change on previous year | -0.9% |
| 2011 | 1.24 % change on previous year | +4.5% |
| 2012 | 1.49 % change on previous year | +19.4% |
| 2013 | 1.67 % change on previous year | +12.2% |
| 2014 | 1.68 % change on previous year | +0.5% |
| 2015 | 2.03 % change on previous year | +21.2% |
| 2016 | 0.9451 % change on previous year | -53.4% |
| 2017 | 0.656 % change on previous year | -30.6% |
| 2018 | 1.7 % change on previous year | +158.6% |
| 2019 | 1.66 % change on previous year | -2.0% |
| 2020 | 1.64 % change on previous year | -1.7% |
| 2021 | 1.55 % change on previous year | -5.1% |
| 2022 | 1.42 % change on previous year | -8.3% |
| 2023 | 1.34 % change on previous year | -6.1% |
| 2024 | 1.26 % change on previous year | -6.0% |
| 2025 | 1.16 % change on previous year | -8.0% |
Biggest year-on-year movements
Years where Population, total, annual growth rate in South Africa changed far more than this series normally does. A large move can be a real event or a change in how the figure was measured — the source note below says who published it.
| Year | Change | From | To |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2018 | +158.6% | 0.656 % change on previous year | 1.7 % change on previous year |
| 2016 | -53.4% | 2.03 % change on previous year | 0.9451 % change on previous year |
| 2017 | -30.6% | 0.9451 % change on previous year | 0.656 % change on previous year |
Averages by decade
| Decade | Average | Lowest | Highest | Years |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1960s | 3.09 % change on previous year | 2.85 % change on previous year | 3.17 % change on previous year | 9 |
| 1970s | 2.85 % change on previous year | 2.74 % change on previous year | 3.08 % change on previous year | 10 |
| 1980s | 3.3 % change on previous year | 2.98 % change on previous year | 3.56 % change on previous year | 10 |
| 1990s | 1.66 % change on previous year | 1.1 % change on previous year | 2.82 % change on previous year | 10 |
| 2000s | 1.02 % change on previous year | 0.8632 % change on previous year | 1.2 % change on previous year | 10 |
| 2010s | 1.43 % change on previous year | 0.656 % change on previous year | 2.03 % change on previous year | 10 |
| 2020s | 1.39 % change on previous year | 1.16 % change on previous year | 1.64 % change on previous year | 6 |
Countries ranked near South Africa
- 90 Cambodia 1.19 % change on previous year compare
- 91 Malaysia 1.18 % change on previous year compare
- 92 Andorra 1.18 % change on previous year compare
- 94 Haiti 1.13 % change on previous year compare
- 95 Seychelles 1.13 % change on previous year compare
- 96 Lesotho 1.11 % change on previous year compare
More climate change data for South Africa
- Nutrient nitrogen N (total) — Synthetic fertilizers (Agricultural) 717.27 million kg (2050)
- Emissions from livestock — Emissions (CO2eq) 34,365 kt (2050)
- Emissions from livestock — Emissions (CO2eq) from N2O 11,741 kt (2050)
- Emissions from livestock — Emissions (CO2eq) from CH4 22,624 kt (2050)
- Emissions from livestock — Emissions 44.31 kt (2050)
- Emissions from livestock — Emissions 807.99 kt (2050)
- Emissions from crops — Emissions (CO2eq) 5,495 kt (2050)
- Emissions from crops — Emissions (CO2eq) from N2O 5,119 kt (2050)
- Emissions from crops — Emissions (CO2eq) from CH4 376.6 kt (2050)
- Emissions from crops — Emissions 19.32 kt (2050)
Frequently asked questions
- What is population, total, annual growth rate in South Africa?
- Population, total, annual growth rate in South Africa was 1.16 % change on previous year in 2025, according to Statizoid (derived).
- What is the highest population, total, annual growth rate recorded in South Africa?
- The highest recorded value was 3.56 % change on previous year in 1983.
- What is the lowest population, total, annual growth rate recorded in South Africa?
- The lowest recorded value was 0.656 % change on previous year in 2017.
- How does South Africa rank for population, total, annual growth rate?
- South Africa ranks 93rd out of 218 countries with data for 2025.
- Is population, total, annual growth rate rising or falling in South Africa?
- Over the last ten years it is down 43.0%. The long-run trend across the full record is falling.
- Where does this South Africa data come from?
- The figures come from Statizoid (derived), published as part of Population, total, annual growth rate. Statizoid updates them automatically from the source API.
Download this data
CSV · JSON — 65 observations, free to reuse under Derived by Statizoid from the sources named on the page.
How this figure is calculated
The year-on-year percentage change in Population, total. Computed from consecutive annual observations; years either side of a gap are skipped rather than bridged.
Computed from
- Population, total World Population Prospects, United Nations (UN)
Statizoid computes this series; the underlying measurements belong to the publishers named above. The arithmetic is applied to every country and year where both inputs report, and nothing is estimated unless the page says so.
About this data
The year-on-year percentage change in Population, total. Computed from consecutive annual observations; years either side of a gap are skipped rather than bridged.