China vs South Africa: Urban population
Urban population in 2025: 66.3% in China and 63.8% in South Africa, by UN estimates. In 2025 the value was higher in China, by 2.5 percentage points, or 1.04 times that in South Africa.
ChinaSouth Africa
Watch it change on the map% of people · UN
Latest figures
% of people · UN
| Country | Latest | 10 years before | Rank in 2025 | Projected |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| China | 66.3 2025 | 57.3 | 108 of 229 | 89.7 2050 |
| South Africa | 63.8 2025 | 63.2 | 118 of 229 | 70.9 2050 |
What the numbers say
- China has been higher since 2020, when it overtook South Africa.
- In 2025, China ranked 108 and South Africa ranked 118 of 229 countries, counting from the highest.
- The UN projection (World Urbanization Prospects 2025) puts China at 89.7% and South Africa at 70.9% in 2050.
Every year
% of people · UN
| Year | China | South Africa |
|---|---|---|
| 2025 | 66.3 | 63.8 |
| 2024 | 65.9 | 63.7 |
| 2023 | 65.5 | 63.6 |
| 2022 | 65.2 | 63.5 |
| 2021 | 64.7 | 63.5 |
| 2020 | 63.5 | 63.4 |
| 2019 | 62.7 | 63.4 |
| 2018 | 61.5 | 63.4 |
| 2017 | 60.2 | 63.3 |
| 2016 | 58.8 | 63.3 |
| 2015 | 57.3 | 63.2 |
| 2014 | 55.8 | 63.1 |
| 2013 | 54.5 | 63.1 |
| 2012 | 53.1 | 63 |
| 2011 | 51.8 | 62.9 |
| 2010 | 49.2 | 62.6 |
| 2009 | 48.3 | 62.3 |
| 2008 | 47 | 61.8 |
| 2007 | 45.9 | 61.2 |
| 2006 | 44.3 | 60.5 |
| 2005 | 43 | 59.8 |
| 2004 | 41.8 | 59.1 |
| 2003 | 40.5 | 58.4 |
| 2002 | 39.1 | 57.7 |
| 2001 | 37.7 | 57 |
| 2000 | 36.4 | 56.3 |
| 1999 | 34.8 | 55.4 |
| 1998 | 33.4 | 54.7 |
| 1997 | 31.9 | 54 |
| 1996 | 30.5 | 53.6 |
| 1995 | 29 | 53.3 |
| 1994 | 28.5 | 53.1 |
| 1993 | 28 | 52.9 |
| 1992 | 27.5 | 52.7 |
| 1991 | 26.9 | 52.4 |
| 1990 | 26.2 | 52 |
| 1989 | 26.2 | 51.4 |
| 1988 | 25.8 | 50.7 |
| 1987 | 25.3 | 50.1 |
| 1986 | 24.5 | 49.6 |
| 1985 | 23.7 | 49.2 |
| 1984 | 23 | 49 |
| 1983 | 21.6 | 48.8 |
| 1982 | 20.6 | 48.6 |
| 1981 | 20.2 | 48.5 |
| 1980 | 19.4 | 48.4 |
| 1979 | 19 | 48.3 |
| 1978 | 17.9 | 48.2 |
| 1977 | 17.6 | 48.2 |
| 1976 | 17.4 | 48.1 |
| 1975 | 17.3 | 48.1 |
| 1974 | 17.2 | 48 |
| 1973 | 17.2 | 48 |
| 1972 | 17.1 | 47.9 |
| 1971 | 17.3 | 47.9 |
| 1970 | 17.4 | 47.8 |
| 1969 | 17.5 | 47.7 |
| 1968 | 17.6 | 47.6 |
| 1967 | 17.7 | 47.5 |
| 1966 | 17.9 | 47.5 |
| 1965 | 18 | 47.4 |
| 1964 | 18.3 | 47.3 |
| 1963 | 16.8 | 47.1 |
| 1962 | 17.3 | 47 |
| 1961 | 19.3 | 46.9 |
| 1960 | 19.8 | 46.7 |
| 1959 | 18.4 | 46.5 |
| 1958 | 16.3 | 46.2 |
| 1957 | 15.4 | 45.8 |
| 1956 | 14.6 | 45.4 |
| 1955 | 13.5 | 44.9 |
| 1954 | 13.7 | 44.4 |
| 1953 | 13 | 43.9 |
| 1952 | 12.5 | 43.3 |
| 1951 | 11.8 | 42.7 |
| 1950 | 11.2 | 42.1 |
UN projection (World Urbanization Prospects 2025) · 2026–2050
| Year | China | South Africa |
|---|---|---|
| 2026 | 66.8 | 64 |
| 2027 | 67.3 | 64.1 |
| 2028 | 67.9 | 64.3 |
| 2029 | 68.5 | 64.5 |
| 2030 | 69.1 | 64.6 |
| 2031 | 69.7 | 64.8 |
| 2032 | 70.4 | 65.1 |
| 2033 | 71.1 | 65.3 |
| 2034 | 71.9 | 65.5 |
| 2035 | 72.7 | 65.8 |
| 2036 | 73.6 | 66.1 |
| 2037 | 74.4 | 66.3 |
| 2038 | 75.4 | 66.6 |
| 2039 | 76.3 | 66.9 |
| 2040 | 77.3 | 67.2 |
| 2041 | 78.4 | 67.6 |
| 2042 | 79.5 | 67.9 |
| 2043 | 80.6 | 68.2 |
| 2044 | 81.8 | 68.6 |
| 2045 | 83 | 69 |
| 2046 | 84.2 | 69.3 |
| 2047 | 85.5 | 69.7 |
| 2048 | 86.9 | 70.1 |
| 2049 | 88.3 | 70.5 |
| 2050 | 89.7 | 70.9 |
Each country on its own
Good to know
- The share of people living in places the country itself counts as urban.
- Source: UN DESA, World Urbanization Prospects 2025.
- The dashed line is the UN projection (World Urbanization Prospects 2025), a scenario rather than a forecast.
- Ranks count the 229 countries with a value in 2025, highest first.
How the layers work, where their data comes from and what they can’t tell you: Countries through time