Population, total in South Africa
South Africa: Population, total was 64.75 million in 2025. ▲ Rising
Latest (2025)
64.75 million
Change on year
up 1.2%
World rank
24th
of 218 countries
All-time high
64.75 million
in 2025
All-time low
16.44 million
in 1960
Years of data
66
1960–2025
Population, total in South Africa, 1960–2025
Source: World Population Prospects, United Nations (UN).
Analysis
The most recent figure for population, total in South Africa is 64.75 million, measured in 2025. That is the highest value across all 66 years on record.
The figure is up 1.2% on the previous year and up 14.1% over ten years.
Over the whole period, population, total in South Africa peaked at 64.75 million in 2025 and was at its lowest, 16.44 million, in 1960.
South Africa ranks 24th of 218 countries on this measure, in the top quarter.
The long-run direction has been consistently rising across the 66 years of available data.
Population, total in South Africa, year by year
| Year | Value | Change |
|---|---|---|
| 1960 | 16.44 million | — |
| 1961 | 16.91 million | +2.8% |
| 1962 | 17.42 million | +3.0% |
| 1963 | 17.95 million | +3.1% |
| 1964 | 18.51 million | +3.1% |
| 1965 | 19.09 million | +3.1% |
| 1966 | 19.69 million | +3.1% |
| 1967 | 20.31 million | +3.2% |
| 1968 | 20.96 million | +3.2% |
| 1969 | 21.61 million | +3.1% |
| 1970 | 22.28 million | +3.1% |
| 1971 | 22.94 million | +3.0% |
| 1972 | 23.61 million | +2.9% |
| 1973 | 24.29 million | +2.9% |
| 1974 | 24.99 million | +2.9% |
| 1975 | 25.69 million | +2.8% |
| 1976 | 26.40 million | +2.7% |
| 1977 | 27.12 million | +2.7% |
| 1978 | 27.87 million | +2.8% |
| 1979 | 28.63 million | +2.7% |
| 1980 | 29.52 million | +3.1% |
| 1981 | 30.54 million | +3.5% |
| 1982 | 31.62 million | +3.5% |
| 1983 | 32.74 million | +3.6% |
| 1984 | 33.89 million | +3.5% |
| 1985 | 35.04 million | +3.4% |
| 1986 | 36.18 million | +3.2% |
| 1987 | 37.33 million | +3.2% |
| 1988 | 38.48 million | +3.1% |
| 1989 | 39.63 million | +3.0% |
| 1990 | 40.75 million | +2.8% |
| 1991 | 41.69 million | +2.3% |
| 1992 | 42.44 million | +1.8% |
| 1993 | 43.30 million | +2.0% |
| 1994 | 44.00 million | +1.6% |
| 1995 | 44.54 million | +1.2% |
| 1996 | 45.12 million | +1.3% |
| 1997 | 45.67 million | +1.2% |
| 1998 | 46.22 million | +1.2% |
| 1999 | 46.73 million | +1.1% |
| 2000 | 47.16 million | +0.9% |
| 2001 | 47.57 million | +0.9% |
| 2002 | 48.02 million | +1.0% |
| 2003 | 48.50 million | +1.0% |
| 2004 | 48.99 million | +1.0% |
| 2005 | 49.49 million | +1.0% |
| 2006 | 50.00 million | +1.0% |
| 2007 | 50.53 million | +1.1% |
| 2008 | 51.11 million | +1.2% |
| 2009 | 51.73 million | +1.2% |
| 2010 | 52.34 million | +1.2% |
| 2011 | 53.00 million | +1.2% |
| 2012 | 53.78 million | +1.5% |
| 2013 | 54.68 million | +1.7% |
| 2014 | 55.59 million | +1.7% |
| 2015 | 56.72 million | +2.0% |
| 2016 | 57.26 million | +0.9% |
| 2017 | 57.64 million | +0.7% |
| 2018 | 58.61 million | +1.7% |
| 2019 | 59.59 million | +1.7% |
| 2020 | 60.56 million | +1.6% |
| 2021 | 61.50 million | +1.6% |
| 2022 | 62.38 million | +1.4% |
| 2023 | 63.21 million | +1.3% |
| 2024 | 64.01 million | +1.3% |
| 2025 | 64.75 million | +1.2% |
South Africa compared with similar countries
- South Africa's 64.75 million is above the median for upper middle income countries, which is 6.55 million, 9.9× the median. (59 countries reporting)
- South Africa's 64.75 million is above the median for Sub-Saharan Africa, which is 14.96 million, 4.3× the median. (48 countries reporting)
Averages by decade
| Decade | Average | Lowest | Highest | Years |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1960s | 18.89 million | 16.44 million | 21.61 million | 10 |
| 1970s | 25.38 million | 22.28 million | 28.63 million | 10 |
| 1980s | 34.50 million | 29.52 million | 39.63 million | 10 |
| 1990s | 44.05 million | 40.75 million | 46.73 million | 10 |
| 2000s | 49.31 million | 47.16 million | 51.73 million | 10 |
| 2010s | 55.92 million | 52.34 million | 59.59 million | 10 |
| 2020s | 62.74 million | 60.56 million | 64.75 million | 6 |
Countries ranked near South Africa
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 in South Africa?
- Population, total in South Africa was 64.75 million in 2025, according to World Population Prospects, United Nations (UN).
- What is the highest population, total recorded in South Africa?
- The highest recorded value was 64.75 million in 2025.
- What is the lowest population, total recorded in South Africa?
- The lowest recorded value was 16.44 million in 1960.
- How does South Africa rank for population, total?
- South Africa ranks 24th out of 218 countries with data for 2025.
- Is population, total rising or falling in South Africa?
- Over the last ten years it is up 14.1%. The long-run trend across the full record is rising.
- Where does this South Africa data come from?
- The figures come from World Population Prospects, United Nations (UN), published as part of Population, total. Statizoid updates them automatically from the source API.
Download this data
CSV · JSON — 66 observations, free to reuse under CC BY 4.0 (World Bank Open Data).
About this data
Total population is based on the de facto definition of population, which counts all residents regardless of legal status or citizenship. The values shown are midyear estimates.