Urban population, per square kilometre in South Africa
South Africa: Urban population, per square kilometre was 33.13 units per square kilometre in 2023. ▲ Rising
Urban population, per square kilometre in South Africa, 1961–2023
Source: Statizoid (derived). Measured in units per square kilometre.
Analysis
South Africa recorded 33.13 units per square kilometre for urban population, per square kilometre in 2023. That is the highest value across all 63 years on record.
Compared with earlier readings it is up 1.5% on the previous year and up 16.6% over ten years.
Over the whole period, urban population, per square kilometre in South Africa peaked at 33.13 units per square kilometre in 2023 and was at its lowest, 6.53 units per square kilometre, in 1961.
That places South Africa 135th out of 216 countries with data for 2023, putting it in the middle of the range.
The long-run direction has been consistently rising across the 63 years of available data.
Urban population, per square kilometre in South Africa, year by year
| Year | units per square kilometre | Change |
|---|---|---|
| 1961 | 6.53 units per square kilometre | — |
| 1962 | 6.75 units per square kilometre | +3.3% |
| 1963 | 6.98 units per square kilometre | +3.4% |
| 1964 | 7.21 units per square kilometre | +3.4% |
| 1965 | 7.45 units per square kilometre | +3.3% |
| 1966 | 7.7 units per square kilometre | +3.4% |
| 1967 | 7.96 units per square kilometre | +3.4% |
| 1968 | 8.23 units per square kilometre | +3.3% |
| 1969 | 8.5 units per square kilometre | +3.3% |
| 1970 | 8.77 units per square kilometre | +3.2% |
| 1971 | 9.05 units per square kilometre | +3.1% |
| 1972 | 9.32 units per square kilometre | +3.0% |
| 1973 | 9.61 units per square kilometre | +3.0% |
| 1974 | 9.89 units per square kilometre | +3.0% |
| 1975 | 10.18 units per square kilometre | +2.9% |
| 1976 | 10.47 units per square kilometre | +2.9% |
| 1977 | 10.77 units per square kilometre | +2.9% |
| 1978 | 11.08 units per square kilometre | +2.9% |
| 1979 | 11.4 units per square kilometre | +2.9% |
| 1980 | 11.78 units per square kilometre | +3.3% |
| 1981 | 12.21 units per square kilometre | +3.7% |
| 1982 | 12.67 units per square kilometre | +3.8% |
| 1983 | 13.17 units per square kilometre | +3.9% |
| 1984 | 13.68 units per square kilometre | +3.9% |
| 1985 | 14.21 units per square kilometre | +3.9% |
| 1986 | 14.78 units per square kilometre | +4.0% |
| 1987 | 15.42 units per square kilometre | +4.3% |
| 1988 | 16.09 units per square kilometre | +4.4% |
| 1989 | 16.79 units per square kilometre | +4.3% |
| 1990 | 17.46 units per square kilometre | +4.0% |
| 1991 | 18.01 units per square kilometre | +3.2% |
| 1992 | 18.43 units per square kilometre | +2.4% |
| 1993 | 18.88 units per square kilometre | +2.4% |
| 1994 | 19.26 units per square kilometre | +2.0% |
| 1995 | 19.57 units per square kilometre | +1.6% |
| 1996 | 19.93 units per square kilometre | +1.8% |
| 1997 | 20.33 units per square kilometre | +2.0% |
| 1998 | 20.83 units per square kilometre | +2.4% |
| 1999 | 21.36 units per square kilometre | +2.5% |
| 2000 | 21.87 units per square kilometre | +2.4% |
| 2001 | 22.35 units per square kilometre | +2.2% |
| 2002 | 22.83 units per square kilometre | +2.1% |
| 2003 | 23.34 units per square kilometre | +2.2% |
| 2004 | 23.87 units per square kilometre | +2.3% |
| 2005 | 24.41 units per square kilometre | +2.3% |
| 2006 | 24.95 units per square kilometre | +2.2% |
| 2007 | 25.48 units per square kilometre | +2.2% |
| 2008 | 26.03 units per square kilometre | +2.1% |
| 2009 | 26.55 units per square kilometre | +2.0% |
| 2010 | 27.02 units per square kilometre | +1.8% |
| 2011 | 27.46 units per square kilometre | +1.6% |
| 2012 | 27.91 units per square kilometre | +1.7% |
| 2013 | 28.42 units per square kilometre | +1.8% |
| 2014 | 28.93 units per square kilometre | +1.8% |
| 2015 | 29.56 units per square kilometre | +2.2% |
| 2016 | 29.87 units per square kilometre | +1.0% |
| 2017 | 30.09 units per square kilometre | +0.7% |
| 2018 | 30.62 units per square kilometre | +1.8% |
| 2019 | 31.15 units per square kilometre | +1.7% |
| 2020 | 31.67 units per square kilometre | +1.7% |
| 2021 | 32.17 units per square kilometre | +1.6% |
| 2022 | 32.64 units per square kilometre | +1.5% |
| 2023 | 33.13 units per square kilometre | +1.5% |
Averages by decade
| Decade | Average | Lowest | Highest | Years |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1960s | 7.48 units per square kilometre | 6.53 units per square kilometre | 8.5 units per square kilometre | 9 |
| 1970s | 10.06 units per square kilometre | 8.77 units per square kilometre | 11.4 units per square kilometre | 10 |
| 1980s | 14.08 units per square kilometre | 11.78 units per square kilometre | 16.79 units per square kilometre | 10 |
| 1990s | 19.4 units per square kilometre | 17.46 units per square kilometre | 21.36 units per square kilometre | 10 |
| 2000s | 24.17 units per square kilometre | 21.87 units per square kilometre | 26.55 units per square kilometre | 10 |
| 2010s | 29.1 units per square kilometre | 27.02 units per square kilometre | 31.15 units per square kilometre | 10 |
| 2020s | 32.4 units per square kilometre | 31.67 units per square kilometre | 33.13 units per square kilometre | 4 |
Countries ranked near South Africa
- 132 Belarus 35.64 units per square kilometre compare
- 133 Guinea-Bissau 34.91 units per square kilometre compare
- 134 Nicaragua 33.53 units per square kilometre compare
- 136 Cameroon 33.09 units per square kilometre compare
- 137 Lesotho 32.49 units per square kilometre compare
- 138 Georgia 32.48 units per square kilometre 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 urban population, per square kilometre in South Africa?
- Urban population, per square kilometre in South Africa was 33.13 units per square kilometre in 2023, according to Statizoid (derived).
- What is the highest urban population, per square kilometre recorded in South Africa?
- The highest recorded value was 33.13 units per square kilometre in 2023.
- What is the lowest urban population, per square kilometre recorded in South Africa?
- The lowest recorded value was 6.53 units per square kilometre in 1961.
- How does South Africa rank for urban population, per square kilometre?
- South Africa ranks 135th out of 216 countries with data for 2023.
- Is urban population, per square kilometre rising or falling in South Africa?
- Over the last ten years it is up 16.6%. The long-run trend across the full record is rising.
- Where does this South Africa data come from?
- The figures come from Statizoid (derived), published as part of Urban population, per square kilometre. Statizoid updates them automatically from the source API.
Download this data
CSV · JSON — 63 observations, free to reuse under Derived by Statizoid from the sources named on the page.
How this figure is calculated
Urban population divided by Land area (sq. km), matched on country and year. Neither publisher issues this ratio as a series; it is computed here from both.
Urban population ÷ Land area (sq. km)
Computed from
- Urban population World Urbanization Prospects, United Nations (UN)
- Land area FAOSTAT, Food and Agriculture Organization of the United Nations (FAO)
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
Urban population divided by Land area (sq. km), matched on country and year. Neither publisher issues this ratio as a series; it is computed here from both.