China vs South Africa
China vs South Africa: Population growth
Population growth in 2023: -0.24% a year in China and 1.32% a year in South Africa, by UN estimates. In 2023 the value was higher in South Africa, by 1.55 percentage points.
% a year · UN
What the numbers say
- South Africa has been higher since 2017, when it overtook China.
- In 2023, China ranked 189 and South Africa ranked 87 of 229 countries, counting from the highest.
- The UN projection (medium variant) puts China at -1.68% a year and South Africa at 0.23% a year in 2100.
- The world as a whole: 0.87% a year in 2023.
Every year
% a year · UN
| Year | China | South Africa | World |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2023 | -0.24 | 1.32 | 0.87 |
| 2022 | -0.13 | 1.34 | 0.88 |
| 2021 | -0.05 | 1.49 | 0.8 |
| 2020 | 0.09 | 1.6 | 0.9 |
| 2019 | 0.27 | 1.65 | 1.03 |
| 2018 | 0.37 | 1.65 | 1.07 |
| 2017 | 0.58 | 1.72 | 1.13 |
| 2016 | 0.61 | -0.42 | 1.17 |
| 2015 | 0.53 | 2.31 | 1.18 |
| 2014 | 0.65 | 1.7 | 1.22 |
| 2013 | 0.64 | 1.62 | 1.23 |
| 2012 | 0.74 | 1.69 | 1.27 |
| 2011 | 0.62 | 1.26 | 1.26 |
| 2010 | 0.66 | 1.21 | 1.27 |
| 2009 | 0.68 | 1.15 | 1.28 |
| 2008 | 0.62 | 1.24 | 1.28 |
| 2007 | 0.59 | 1.07 | 1.28 |
| 2006 | 0.59 | 1.04 | 1.28 |
| 2005 | 0.63 | 1 | 1.27 |
| 2004 | 0.58 | 1.02 | 1.28 |
| 2003 | 0.59 | 0.99 | 1.29 |
| 2002 | 0.6 | 1 | 1.3 |
| 2001 | 0.67 | 0.89 | 1.33 |
| 2000 | 0.77 | 0.83 | 1.35 |
| 1999 | 0.72 | 1 | 1.35 |
| 1998 | 0.76 | 1.18 | 1.37 |
| 1997 | 0.79 | 1.25 | 1.39 |
| 1996 | 0.86 | 1.15 | 1.42 |
| 1995 | 0.91 | 1.45 | 1.45 |
| 1994 | 0.92 | 0.98 | 1.47 |
| 1993 | 1.02 | 2.27 | 1.52 |
| 1992 | 1.12 | 1.7 | 1.57 |
| 1991 | 1.22 | 1.89 | 1.63 |
| 1990 | 1.74 | 2.69 | 1.76 |
| 1989 | 1.68 | 2.88 | 1.78 |
| 1988 | 1.65 | 3 | 1.79 |
| 1987 | 1.79 | 3.09 | 1.84 |
| 1986 | 1.7 | 3.15 | 1.83 |
| 1985 | 1.56 | 3.25 | 1.8 |
| 1984 | 1.47 | 3.42 | 1.8 |
| 1983 | 1.38 | 3.5 | 1.78 |
| 1982 | 1.65 | 3.48 | 1.86 |
| 1981 | 1.5 | 3.43 | 1.82 |
| 1980 | 1.44 | 3.38 | 1.8 |
| 1979 | 1.4 | 2.7 | 1.79 |
| 1978 | 1.32 | 2.71 | 1.74 |
| 1977 | 1.33 | 2.75 | 1.75 |
| 1976 | 1.48 | 2.66 | 1.78 |
| 1975 | 1.61 | 2.75 | 1.8 |
| 1974 | 1.87 | 2.79 | 1.88 |
| 1973 | 2.11 | 2.85 | 1.94 |
| 1972 | 2.23 | 2.87 | 1.97 |
| 1971 | 2.37 | 2.87 | 1.97 |
| 1970 | 2.61 | 2.99 | 2.06 |
| 1969 | 2.6 | 3.07 | 2.06 |
| 1968 | 2.75 | 3.11 | 2.09 |
| 1967 | 2.44 | 3.13 | 2 |
| 1966 | 2.52 | 3.11 | 2.04 |
| 1965 | 2.66 | 3.09 | 2.09 |
| 1964 | 2.55 | 3.06 | 2.16 |
| 1963 | 3.29 | 3.05 | 2.28 |
| 1962 | 2.47 | 3.02 | 2.11 |
| 1961 | 0.33 | 2.93 | 1.67 |
| 1960 | -0.03 | 2.68 | 1.58 |
| 1959 | 0.67 | 2.56 | 1.73 |
| 1958 | 1.95 | 2.43 | 2 |
| 1957 | 2.4 | 2.44 | 2.07 |
| 1956 | 2.02 | 2.39 | 1.98 |
| 1955 | 2.25 | 2.33 | 2.01 |
| 1954 | 2.25 | 2.26 | 1.99 |
| 1953 | 2.05 | 2.17 | 1.9 |
| 1952 | 2.31 | 2.16 | 1.94 |
| 1951 | 1.76 | 2.1 | 1.75 |
| 1950 | 1.79 | 2.01 | 1.74 |
UN projection (medium variant) · 2024–2100
| Year | China | South Africa | World |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2024 | -0.22-0.42–-0.02 | 1.190.34–1.98 | 0.86 |
| 2025 | -0.23-0.46–-0.02 | 1.120.23–2.01 | 0.84 |
| 2026 | -0.22-0.45–0.01 | 1.050.1–1.94 | 0.83 |
| 2027 | -0.24-0.5–-0.01 | 1.040.12–1.97 | 0.81 |
| 2028 | -0.26-0.54–-0.01 | 1.030.07–2.02 | 0.8 |
| 2029 | -0.29-0.58–-0.03 | 0.990.04–1.9 | 0.78 |
| 2030 | -0.3-0.6–-0.04 | 0.94-0.03–1.93 | 0.76 |
| 2031 | -0.33-0.64–-0.04 | 0.920–1.95 | 0.75 |
| 2032 | -0.35-0.68–-0.03 | 0.9-0.06–1.9 | 0.73 |
| 2033 | -0.37-0.71–-0.05 | 0.87-0.12–1.84 | 0.72 |
| 2034 | -0.39-0.74–-0.06 | 0.84-0.19–1.83 | 0.7 |
| 2035 | -0.41-0.78–-0.07 | 0.83-0.15–1.82 | 0.69 |
| 2036 | -0.42-0.81–-0.08 | 0.8-0.19–1.74 | 0.67 |
| 2037 | -0.44-0.84–-0.08 | 0.79-0.26–1.8 | 0.65 |
| 2038 | -0.46-0.88–-0.09 | 0.76-0.27–1.73 | 0.64 |
| 2039 | -0.48-0.9–-0.12 | 0.73-0.31–1.74 | 0.62 |
| 2040 | -0.5-0.95–-0.12 | 0.73-0.37–1.71 | 0.61 |
| 2041 | -0.52-0.98–-0.12 | 0.72-0.33–1.73 | 0.59 |
| 2042 | -0.54-1–-0.14 | 0.71-0.31–1.81 | 0.57 |
| 2043 | -0.56-1.04–-0.17 | 0.7-0.31–1.75 | 0.56 |
| 2044 | -0.59-1.08–-0.18 | 0.68-0.34–1.72 | 0.54 |
| 2045 | -0.62-1.14–-0.21 | 0.67-0.35–1.76 | 0.52 |
| 2046 | -0.66-1.15–-0.25 | 0.68-0.29–1.74 | 0.5 |
| 2047 | -0.69-1.2–-0.29 | 0.66-0.38–1.71 | 0.48 |
| 2048 | -0.73-1.24–-0.32 | 0.62-0.43–1.66 | 0.46 |
| 2049 | -0.78-1.29–-0.35 | 0.61-0.42–1.71 | 0.44 |
| 2050 | -0.82-1.36–-0.4 | 0.6-0.46–1.66 | 0.42 |
| 2051 | -0.87-1.4–-0.46 | 0.6-0.43–1.72 | 0.4 |
| 2052 | -0.92-1.45–-0.48 | 0.56-0.46–1.69 | 0.38 |
| 2053 | -0.97-1.5–-0.52 | 0.54-0.51–1.6 | 0.36 |
| 2054 | -1.01-1.56–-0.57 | 0.54-0.55–1.62 | 0.34 |
| 2055 | -1.06-1.59–-0.6 | 0.52-0.56–1.6 | 0.33 |
| 2056 | -1.1-1.65–-0.63 | 0.5-0.6–1.6 | 0.31 |
| 2057 | -1.14-1.69–-0.67 | 0.5-0.66–1.66 | 0.3 |
| 2058 | -1.17-1.71–-0.68 | 0.49-0.58–1.71 | 0.28 |
| 2059 | -1.2-1.75–-0.72 | 0.47-0.66–1.64 | 0.27 |
| 2060 | -1.23-1.8–-0.71 | 0.46-0.65–1.62 | 0.25 |
| 2061 | -1.25-1.81–-0.74 | 0.44-0.69–1.57 | 0.24 |
| 2062 | -1.26-1.83–-0.73 | 0.44-0.73–1.59 | 0.23 |
| 2063 | -1.27-1.87–-0.73 | 0.43-0.75–1.56 | 0.22 |
| 2064 | -1.28-1.9–-0.75 | 0.42-0.74–1.6 | 0.21 |
| 2065 | -1.29-1.91–-0.75 | 0.39-0.74–1.52 | 0.2 |
| 2066 | -1.29-1.92–-0.71 | 0.39-0.76–1.53 | 0.19 |
| 2067 | -1.3-1.96–-0.73 | 0.37-0.8–1.52 | 0.18 |
| 2068 | -1.3-1.97–-0.71 | 0.36-0.86–1.53 | 0.17 |
| 2069 | -1.3-1.98–-0.7 | 0.35-0.89–1.54 | 0.16 |
| 2070 | -1.3-2.02–-0.69 | 0.38-0.87–1.6 | 0.15 |
| 2071 | -1.31-2.05–-0.67 | 0.37-0.83–1.6 | 0.14 |
| 2072 | -1.32-2.09–-0.68 | 0.32-0.85–1.52 | 0.13 |
| 2073 | -1.34-2.09–-0.65 | 0.32-0.88–1.45 | 0.12 |
| 2074 | -1.35-2.15–-0.64 | 0.32-0.92–1.58 | 0.1 |
| 2075 | -1.37-2.19–-0.67 | 0.31-0.94–1.44 | 0.09 |
| 2076 | -1.39-2.25–-0.68 | 0.3-0.96–1.37 | 0.08 |
| 2077 | -1.41-2.29–-0.7 | 0.31-0.93–1.51 | 0.07 |
| 2078 | -1.43-2.36–-0.69 | 0.31-0.93–1.53 | 0.06 |
| 2079 | -1.46-2.4–-0.73 | 0.3-1.05–1.53 | 0.05 |
| 2080 | -1.49-2.44–-0.75 | 0.3-1.01–1.52 | 0.04 |
| 2081 | -1.51-2.44–-0.76 | 0.3-0.99–1.52 | 0.03 |
| 2082 | -1.52-2.49–-0.76 | 0.29-1.04–1.49 | 0.02 |
| 2083 | -1.54-2.56–-0.77 | 0.29-1.04–1.51 | 0.01 |
| 2084 | -1.56-2.6–-0.78 | 0.27-1.01–1.55 | -0 |
| 2085 | -1.57-2.64–-0.78 | 0.25-1.1–1.51 | -0.01 |
| 2086 | -1.57-2.64–-0.8 | 0.28-1.09–1.53 | -0.02 |
| 2087 | -1.58-2.66–-0.81 | 0.27-1.06–1.54 | -0.03 |
| 2088 | -1.58-2.64–-0.8 | 0.26-1.13–1.51 | -0.04 |
| 2089 | -1.59-2.68–-0.77 | 0.26-1.11–1.51 | -0.05 |
| 2090 | -1.59-2.71–-0.77 | 0.25-1.16–1.52 | -0.05 |
| 2091 | -1.59-2.77–-0.77 | 0.27-1.09–1.45 | -0.06 |
| 2092 | -1.59-2.79–-0.76 | 0.24-1.17–1.46 | -0.07 |
| 2093 | -1.6-2.78–-0.73 | 0.24-1.19–1.54 | -0.07 |
| 2094 | -1.61-2.85–-0.75 | 0.24-1.21–1.48 | -0.08 |
| 2095 | -1.62-2.9–-0.74 | 0.22-1.12–1.52 | -0.09 |
| 2096 | -1.63-2.99–-0.76 | 0.21-1.14–1.48 | -0.1 |
| 2097 | -1.64-3.07–-0.73 | 0.2-1.23–1.49 | -0.11 |
| 2098 | -1.65-3.12–-0.69 | 0.22-1.19–1.5 | -0.11 |
| 2099 | -1.67-3.22–-0.69 | 0.22-1.1–1.46 | -0.12 |
| 2100 | -1.68-3.24–-0.67 | 0.23-1.2–1.45 | -0.13 |
Each country on its own
Good to know
- How fast the population grew or shrank in a year: births minus deaths, plus people moving in minus people moving out.
- 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
Health
- Life expectancyChina: 78 years in 2023South Africa: 66.1 years in 2023
- Child mortalityChina: 0.6 per 100 live births in 2024South Africa: 3.5 per 100 live births in 2024
- Infant mortalityChina: 5.1 per 1,000 live births in 2023South Africa: 27.9 per 1,000 live births in 2023
- DepressionChina: 3.31% in 2017South Africa: 3.75% in 2017
- Suicide rateChina: 7.2 per 100,000 people in 2017South Africa: 11.2 per 100,000 people in 2017
People
- PopulationChina: 1.42 billion people in 2023South Africa: 63.2 million people in 2023
- Fertility rateChina: 1 births per woman in 2023South Africa: 2.22 births per woman in 2023
- Urban populationChina: 66.3% in 2025South Africa: 63.8% in 2025
- Median ageChina: 39.1 years in 2023South Africa: 28.2 years in 2023
- People aged 65 and overChina: 14.3% in 2023South Africa: 6.5% in 2023
- Net migration rateChina: -0.4 per 1,000 people in 2023South Africa: 3.6 per 1,000 people in 2023
Economy
Education
Politics
Conflict
Military
- Military spendingChina: 1.73% of GDP in 2025South Africa: 0.74% of GDP in 2025
- Military spending in US dollarsChina: $335B in 2025South Africa: $3B in 2025
- Military spending per personChina: $237 in 2025South Africa: $49 in 2025
- Military share of state spendingChina: 5.1% of government spending in 2025South Africa: 2.2% of government spending in 2025
- Armed forces personnelChina: 2.54 million people in 2020South Africa: 89,000 people in 2020
- National powerChina: 23.41% of world capability in 2022South Africa: 0.55% of world capability in 2022
- Armed forces, share of workersChina: 0.33% of the labour force in 2020South Africa: 0.4% of the labour force in 2020
- Arms importsChina: 207 million TIV in 2025South Africa: 30 million TIV in 2025
- Arms exportsChina: 880 million TIV in 2025South Africa: 115 million TIV in 2025