Rank #173 by World Population
🇿🇦South Africa
South Africa has a population of 63,212,384, ranking #173 in the world. The capital is Pretoria. Located in Sub-Saharan Africa .
World Bank: Upper middle income
63,212,384
Population
#173
World Rank
66.1
Life Expectancy
$6,034
GDP Per Capita
South Africa, #173 by world population
South Africa Population History (1960-2024)
The country of South Africa had a population of 16,440,172 in 1960 and 64,007,187 in 2024, a 3.9× growth over 64 years. The peak was 64,007,187 in 2024. Average annual growth rate: 2.15%.
64,007,187
Population (2024)
16,440,172
Population (1960)
64,007,187
Peak (2024)
2.15%
Avg Annual Growth
| Year | Population |
|---|---|
| 1960 | 16,440,172 |
| 1961 | 16,908,035 |
| 1962 | 17,418,522 |
| 1963 | 17,954,564 |
| 1964 | 18,511,361 |
| 1965 | 19,089,380 |
| 1966 | 19,690,087 |
| 1967 | 20,314,066 |
| 1968 | 20,957,287 |
| 1969 | 21,614,676 |
| 1970 | 22,279,984 |
| 1971 | 22,942,143 |
| 1972 | 23,609,456 |
| 1973 | 24,294,263 |
| 1974 | 24,989,108 |
| 1975 | 25,690,940 |
| 1976 | 26,395,450 |
| 1977 | 27,118,952 |
| 1978 | 27,869,507 |
| 1979 | 28,634,162 |
| 1980 | 29,518,857 |
| 1981 | 30,541,044 |
| 1982 | 31,615,339 |
| 1983 | 32,739,304 |
| 1984 | 33,892,788 |
| 1985 | 35,042,093 |
| 1986 | 36,180,515 |
| 1987 | 37,326,190 |
| 1988 | 38,480,649 |
| 1989 | 39,628,575 |
| 1990 | 40,746,268 |
| 1991 | 41,687,898 |
| 1992 | 42,443,509 |
| 1993 | 43,297,156 |
| 1994 | 44,004,139 |
| 1995 | 44,541,554 |
| 1996 | 45,123,018 |
| 1997 | 45,666,838 |
| 1998 | 46,223,880 |
| 1999 | 46,730,335 |
| 2000 | 47,159,719 |
| 2001 | 47,566,800 |
| 2002 | 48,019,415 |
| 2003 | 48,500,348 |
| 2004 | 48,991,421 |
| 2005 | 49,490,033 |
| 2006 | 49,998,277 |
| 2007 | 50,528,584 |
| 2008 | 51,114,599 |
| 2009 | 51,728,516 |
| 2010 | 52,344,051 |
| 2011 | 52,995,205 |
| 2012 | 53,782,567 |
| 2013 | 54,678,791 |
| 2014 | 55,594,838 |
| 2015 | 56,723,537 |
| 2016 | 57,259,551 |
| 2017 | 57,635,162 |
| 2018 | 58,613,001 |
| 2019 | 59,587,885 |
| 2020 | 60,562,381 |
| 2021 | 61,502,603 |
| 2022 | 62,378,410 |
| 2023 | 63,212,384 |
| 2024 | 64,007,187 |
Demographics
| Population | 63,212,384 |
| Population Growth Rate | 1.33% |
| Urban Population | 63.6% |
| Fertility Rate | 2.22 births/woman |
| Life Expectancy | 66.1 years |
| Infant Mortality Rate | 24.3 per 1,000 |
| Literacy Rate | 90.0% |
Economy & Trade
$6,034
GDP Per Capita
32.1%
Unemployment Rate
Upper middle income
Income Level
54.1
Gini Index (inequality)
65.7%
Trade (% of GDP)
3,886,600.098
Tourism Arrivals
Health & Education
8.9%
Health Expenditure (% GDP)
0.79
Physicians per 1,000
6.1%
Education Expenditure (% GDP)
90.0%
Literacy Rate
24.3
Infant Mortality (per 1,000)
Development & Connectivity
87.7%
Electricity Access
78.3%
Internet Users
163
Mobile Subs per 100
52.1
People per km2
228,222
Net Migration
Environment
14.0%
Forest Area
Other Countries in Sub-Saharan Africa
Compare South Africa
South Africa in global context
South Africa is one of 212 countries tracked. See how it ranks globally, regional shares of world population, and projections to 2050 / 2100.
World Population 2026: Top 10 Countries, Regions & Trends →Other related entities
Country rankings
Frequently Asked Questions
South Africa has a population of 63,212,384, ranking #173 in the world. The annual population growth rate is 1.33%.
Life expectancy in South Africa is 66.1 years. The infant mortality rate is 24.3 per 1,000 live births.
South Africa's GDP per capita is $6,034. It is classified as a upper middle income country by the World Bank.
63.6% of South Africa's population lives in urban areas. The overall population density is 52.1 people per square kilometer.
The adult literacy rate in South Africa is 90.0%. The country spends 6.1% of GDP on education.
International data from the World Bank Open Data API. Population figures are latest available estimates. GDP per capita in current US dollars.
For this entity, the underlying data on this page comes from the U.S. Census Bureau ACS and decennial files. The breakdown above is the federal record; the paragraphs below add the per-entity context that makes the headline numbers usable for a real decision rather than just a data lookup.
The methodology behind every numeric value on this page is publicly documented on the the U.S. Census Bureau ACS and decennial files portal and described in detail on this site’s methodology page. Refresh cadence varies by underlying series; the page surfaces the as-of date for each number so readers can trace any figure back to the source release.
For readers using this page as a decision input, the related-entity pages elsewhere on the site provide the comparison set. The most useful comparison for this entity is typically a peer within U.S. states, metros, cities, and ZIPs with similar size, similar exposure, or similar geography — not the national-level summary alone.
Source: U.S. Census Bureau ACS, 2026.