China vs South Africa: Median age

Median age in 2023: 39.1 years in China and 28.2 years in South Africa, by UN estimates. In 2023 the value was higher in China, by 10.9 years, or 1.38 times that in South Africa.

Watch it change on the map

years · UN

ChinaSouth AfricaUN projection (medium variant)95% prediction intervalWorld

What the numbers say

China has been higher in every year both have figures for since 1950.
In 2023, China ranked 60 and South Africa ranked 139 of 229 countries, counting from the highest.
The UN projection (medium variant) puts China at 60.7 years and South Africa at 38.3 years in 2100.
The world as a whole: 30.4 years in 2023.

Every year

years · UN

Year	China	South Africa	World
2023	39.1	28.2	30.4
2022	38.5	27.9	30.1
2021	38	27.6	29.8
2020	37.5	27.3	29.6
2019	37	26.9	29.3
2018	36.6	26.5	29
2017	36.3	26.1	28.8
2016	36	25.7	28.5
2015	35.7	25.4	28.3
2014	35.4	25	28.1
2013	35.1	24.7	27.8
2012	34.9	24.3	27.6
2011	34.5	24	27.4
2010	34.1	23.6	27.2
2009	33.7	23.3	27
2008	33.3	23	26.7
2007	32.8	22.7	26.5
2006	32.3	22.4	26.3
2005	31.8	22.1	26.1
2004	31.2	21.9	25.9
2003	30.7	21.6	25.7
2002	30.1	21.3	25.5
2001	29.5	21.1	25.3
2000	29	20.8	25.1
1999	28.4	20.6	24.9
1998	27.8	20.3	24.7
1997	27.2	20.1	24.4
1996	26.7	20.2	24.2
1995	26.1	20.5	24
1994	25.6	20.9	23.8
1993	25.1	20.9	23.5
1992	24.6	20.5	23.3
1991	24.1	20.5	23.1
1990	23.7	20.3	22.9
1989	23.4	20	22.8
1988	23	19.8	22.6
1987	22.6	19.7	22.4
1986	22.2	19.5	22.2
1985	21.7	19.4	22
1984	21.4	19.2	21.9
1983	21.2	19	21.8
1982	21.2	18.8	21.7
1981	21.1	18.6	21.6
1980	20.9	18.4	21.5
1979	20.6	18.2	21.3
1978	20.2	18.1	21.1
1977	19.8	18	21
1976	19.4	17.9	20.8
1975	19.1	17.9	20.7
1974	18.8	17.8	20.5
1973	18.5	17.8	20.4
1972	18.3	17.7	20.4
1971	18.1	17.7	20.3
1970	18	17.7	20.3
1969	18	17.7	20.3
1968	18.1	17.8	20.4
1967	18.1	17.8	20.5
1966	18.2	17.8	20.6
1965	18.5	17.8	20.8
1964	18.9	17.8	21
1963	19.4	17.8	21.2
1962	19.9	17.8	21.4
1961	20	17.9	21.4
1960	19.9	17.9	21.5
1959	19.9	18	21.5
1958	19.9	18.1	21.5
1957	20.2	18.3	21.6
1956	20.5	18.4	21.7
1955	20.7	18.6	21.8
1954	21	18.7	21.9
1953	21.3	18.9	22
1952	21.6	19	22.1
1951	22	19.1	22.1
1950	22.3	19.2	22.2

UN projection (medium variant) · 2024–2100

Year	China	South Africa	World
2024	39.639.6–39.6	28.528.3–28.6	30.6
2025	40.140–40.2	28.728.3–29	30.9
2026	40.740.5–40.7	28.928.3–29.4	31.1
2027	41.241.1–41.3	29.128.2–29.8	31.3
2028	41.841.6–41.9	29.328.2–30.1	31.6
2029	42.342.2–42.5	29.528.1–30.5	31.8
2030	42.942.7–43.1	29.628.1–30.8	32
2031	43.543.3–43.7	29.728–31.2	32.2
2032	44.143.8–44.3	29.927.9–31.5	32.4
2033	44.744.4–44.9	3027.9–31.8	32.6
2034	45.345–45.5	30.128–32.1	32.8
2035	45.845.5–46.1	30.228.1–32.3	33
2036	46.446.1–46.7	30.328.1–32.5	33.2
2037	4746.6–47.3	30.528.3–32.8	33.4
2038	47.547.2–47.8	30.628.4–33	33.6
2039	48.147.7–48.4	30.828.4–33.2	33.8
2040	48.648.2–49	3128.5–33.5	34
2041	49.148.6–49.5	31.228.6–33.8	34.2
2042	49.549–50	31.328.6–34.1	34.4
2043	49.949.3–50.4	31.528.7–34.4	34.6
2044	50.349.6–50.8	31.628.7–34.6	34.8
2045	50.649.9–51.2	31.828.7–34.9	35
2046	5150.2–51.6	31.928.7–35.1	35.2
2047	51.350.5–51.9	3228.8–35.3	35.4
2048	51.650.7–52.3	32.128.8–35.5	35.6
2049	51.951–52.6	32.228.9–35.7	35.9
2050	52.151.2–52.9	32.329–35.9	36.1
2051	52.451.4–53.2	32.429.1–36.1	36.3
2052	52.751.6–53.5	32.629.2–36.3	36.5
2053	52.951.8–53.8	32.729.3–36.5	36.7
2054	53.252.1–54.1	32.929.4–36.6	36.9
2055	53.452.3–54.4	33.129.6–36.9	37.1
2056	53.752.5–54.7	33.329.7–37.1	37.3
2057	53.952.8–55	33.529.8–37.3	37.5
2058	54.253–55.2	33.630–37.6	37.6
2059	54.453.2–55.5	33.830.1–37.9	37.8
2060	54.753.4–55.8	3430.2–38.2	37.9
2061	54.953.6–56.1	34.130.3–38.5	38
2062	55.253.8–56.4	34.230.5–38.7	38.1
2063	55.554.1–56.8	34.430.6–39	38.3
2064	55.854.4–57.1	34.530.7–39.2	38.4
2065	56.154.7–57.5	34.630.8–39.4	38.5
2066	56.454.9–57.9	34.830.9–39.6	38.6
2067	56.755.2–58.3	34.931–39.7	38.7
2068	57.155.5–58.7	3531.1–39.8	38.8
2069	57.455.7–59.1	35.131.2–39.9	38.9
2070	57.756–59.5	35.231.3–40	39
2071	58.156.3–60	35.331.4–40.1	39.1
2072	58.556.6–60.4	35.431.5–40.2	39.2
2073	58.956.9–60.9	35.531.5–40.3	39.3
2074	59.257.2–61.3	35.631.6–40.4	39.4
2075	59.657.5–61.8	35.731.7–40.5	39.5
2076	6057.7–62.3	35.831.8–40.7	39.6
2077	60.357.9–62.7	35.931.9–40.7	39.7
2078	60.758.1–63.2	3632–40.8	39.8
2079	61.158.1–63.7	36.132.1–40.9	40
2080	61.457.9–64.2	36.232.2–41	40.1
2081	61.757.6–64.7	36.332.4–41.1	40.2
2082	6257.2–65.2	36.432.5–41.2	40.3
2083	62.257.1–65.7	36.532.6–41.2	40.4
2084	62.256.9–66.3	36.632.6–41.3	40.5
2085	62.256.7–66.8	36.732.7–41.4	40.6
2086	6256.6–67.3	36.832.9–41.6	40.7
2087	61.956.4–67.8	36.933–41.7	40.9
2088	61.756.3–68.2	37.133.1–41.9	41
2089	61.656.2–68.6	37.233.2–42	41.1
2090	61.456.1–69	37.333.3–42.2	41.2
2091	61.356.1–69.3	37.433.4–42.3	41.3
2092	61.256–69.6	37.533.5–42.4	41.4
2093	61.156–69.7	37.633.5–42.6	41.5
2094	6156–69.8	37.733.6–42.7	41.6
2095	60.956–69.8	37.833.7–42.8	41.7
2096	60.856.1–69.7	37.933.8–43	41.8
2097	60.856.2–69.6	3833.9–43.1	41.9
2098	60.756.3–69.5	38.134–43.2	42
2099	60.756.4–69.3	38.234.1–43.3	42
2100	60.756.5–69.1	38.334.1–43.4	42.1

Each country on its own

Good to know

Half the people are older than this age and half are younger.
Source: UN DESA, World Population Prospects 2024.
The dashed line is the UN projection (medium variant), a scenario rather than a forecast; the band is its 95% prediction interval.
Ranks count the 229 countries with a value in 2023, highest first.
The faint line is the world as a whole, as the same source counts it.

How the layers work, where their data comes from and what they can’t tell you: Countries through time

China vs South Africa: Median age

What the numbers say

Every year

Each country on its own

Good to know

China vs South Africa

Health

People

Economy

Education

Politics

Conflict

Military

Climate

Technology and environment