Namibia vs South Africa

Namibia vs South Africa: Population

Population in 2023: 2.96 million people in Namibia and 63.2 million people in South Africa, by UN estimates. In 2023 the value was higher in South Africa, by 60.2 million people, or 21 times that in Namibia.

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people · UN

Namibia vs South Africa: PopulationPopulation in 2023: 2.96 million people in Namibia and 63.2 million people in South Africa, by UN estimates. In 2023 the value was higher in South Africa, by 60.2 million people, or 21 times that in Namibia.
NamibiaSouth AfricaEstimates, HYDE and GapminderUN projection (medium variant)95% prediction intervalWorld

What the numbers say

  • South Africa has been higher in every year both have figures for since 1950.
  • In 2023, Namibia ranked 139 and South Africa ranked 24 of 229 countries, counting from the highest.
  • The UN projection (medium variant) puts Namibia at 5.9 million people and South Africa at 94.3 million people in 2100.
  • The world as a whole: 8.09 billion people in 2023.

Every year

people · UN

YearNamibiaSouth AfricaWorld
20232.96 million63.2 million8.09 billion
20222.89 million62.4 million8.02 billion
20212.81 million61.5 million7.95 billion
20202.73 million60.6 million7.89 billion
20192.65 million59.6 million7.81 billion
20182.58 million58.6 million7.73 billion
20172.51 million57.6 million7.65 billion
20162.44 million57.3 million7.56 billion
20152.37 million56.7 million7.47 billion
20142.31 million55.6 million7.38 billion
20132.25 million54.7 million7.29 billion
20122.2 million53.8 million7.2 billion
20112.15 million53 million7.11 billion
20102.11 million52.3 million7.02 billion
20092.08 million51.7 million6.93 billion
20082.05 million51.1 million6.84 billion
20072.02 million50.5 million6.76 billion
20061.99 million50 million6.67 billion
20051.97 million49.5 million6.59 billion
20041.94 million49 million6.5 billion
20031.92 million48.5 million6.42 billion
20021.89 million48 million6.34 billion
20011.86 million47.6 million6.26 billion
20001.82 million47.2 million6.17 billion
19991.78 million46.7 million6.09 billion
19981.73 million46.2 million6.01 billion
19971.69 million45.7 million5.93 billion
19961.65 million45.1 million5.84 billion
19951.6 million44.5 million5.76 billion
19941.56 million44 million5.68 billion
19931.51 million43.3 million5.59 billion
19921.46 million42.4 million5.51 billion
19911.42 million41.7 million5.42 billion
19901.37 million40.8 million5.33 billion
19891.29 million39.6 million5.23 billion
19881.21 million38.5 million5.14 billion
19871.17 million37.3 million5.05 billion
19861.13 million36.2 million4.96 billion
19851.1 million35 million4.87 billion
19841.07 million33.9 million4.78 billion
19831.04 million32.7 million4.7 billion
19821.01 million31.6 million4.61 billion
1981992,50030.5 million4.53 billion
1980981,40029.5 million4.45 billion
1979962,80028.6 million4.37 billion
1978947,30027.9 million4.29 billion
1977931,10027.1 million4.22 billion
1976906,60026.4 million4.14 billion
1975881,00025.7 million4.07 billion
1974854,30025 million4 billion
1973828,90024.3 million3.92 billion
1972804,40023.6 million3.85 billion
1971780,60022.9 million3.77 billion
1970757,90022.3 million3.7 billion
1969736,10021.6 million3.62 billion
1968715,50021 million3.55 billion
1967696,00020.3 million3.47 billion
1966677,70019.7 million3.4 billion
1965660,60019.1 million3.34 billion
1964644,50018.5 million3.26 billion
1963629,60018 million3.19 billion
1962615,80017.4 million3.12 billion
1961603,10016.9 million3.07 billion
1960591,50016.4 million3.02 billion
1959580,90016 million2.97 billion
1958571,30015.6 million2.91 billion
1957562,60015.2 million2.85 billion
1956554,60014.9 million2.8 billion
1955547,10014.5 million2.74 billion
1954540,00014.2 million2.69 billion
1953533,20013.9 million2.63 billion
1952526,60013.6 million2.58 billion
1951520,40013.3 million2.54 billion
1950514,60013 million2.49 billion
1949504,60012.8 million–
1948494,90012.5 million–
1947485,60012.3 million–
1946476,50012 million–
1945467,50011.8 million–
1944458,70011.6 million–
1943450,10011.4 million–
1942441,60011.2 million–
1941433,20011 million–
1940424,90010.7 million–
1939416,60010.5 million–
1938408,50010.3 million–
1937400,40010.1 million–
1936392,5009.92 million–
1935384,7009.72 million–
1934377,1009.53 million–
1933369,6009.34 million–
1932362,3009.16 million–
1931355,1008.97 million–
1930348,0008.79 million–
1929340,9008.62 million–
1928333,9008.44 million–
1927327,1008.27 million–
1926320,3008.1 million–
1925313,7007.93 million–
1924307,3007.77 million–
1923301,0007.61 million–
1922294,8007.45 million–
1921289,0007.3 million–
1920283,6007.17 million–
1919278,7007.04 million–
1918274,1006.93 million–
1917270,0006.82 million–
1916265,6006.71 million–
1915261,3006.61 million–
1914257,1006.5 million–
1913253,0006.4 million–
1912248,9006.3 million–
1911244,9006.2 million–
1910240,8006.09 million–
1909236,8005.99 million–
1908232,8005.89 million–
1907228,9005.79 million–
1906225,0005.7 million–
1905221,2005.6 million–
1904217,4005.51 million–
1903213,7005.41 million–
1902210,1005.32 million–
1901206,7005.24 million–
1900203,7005.16 million–
1899201,0005.1 million–
1898198,6005.04 million–
1897196,4004.98 million–
1896194,3004.93 million–
1895192,2004.88 million–
1894190,1004.82 million–
1893188,0004.77 million–
1892186,0004.72 million–
1891184,0004.67 million–
1890182,0004.62 million–
1889180,0004.57 million–
1888178,0004.52 million–
1887176,1004.48 million–
1886174,2004.43 million–
1885172,3004.38 million–
1884170,4004.33 million–
1883168,6004.29 million–
1882166,8004.24 million–
1881164,9004.2 million–
1880163,2004.15 million–
1879161,4004.11 million–
1878159,6004.06 million–
1877157,9004.02 million–
1876156,2003.98 million–
1875154,5003.93 million–
1874152,8003.89 million–
1873151,2003.85 million–
1872149,5003.81 million–
1871147,9003.77 million–
1870146,3003.73 million–
1869144,7003.69 million–
1868143,1003.65 million–
1867141,6003.61 million–
1866140,0003.57 million–
1865138,5003.53 million–
1864137,0003.5 million–
1863135,5003.46 million–
1862134,0003.42 million–
1861132,6003.39 million–
1860131,1003.35 million–
1859129,7003.31 million–
1858128,3003.28 million–
1857126,9003.24 million–
1856125,5003.21 million–
1855124,2003.17 million–
1854122,8003.14 million–
1853121,5003.11 million–
1852120,1003.07 million–
1851119,4003.03 million–
1850119,2002.99 million–
1849119,7002.94 million–
1848120,7002.88 million–
1847122,4002.82 million–
1846124,0002.75 million–
1845125,7002.69 million–
1844127,4002.64 million–
1843129,1002.58 million–
1842130,8002.52 million–
1841132,6002.47 million–
1840134,3002.41 million–
1839136,1002.36 million–
1838138,0002.31 million–
1837139,8002.26 million–
1836141,7002.21 million–
1835143,6002.16 million–
1834145,5002.11 million–
1833147,5002.07 million–
1832149,5002.02 million–
1831151,5001.98 million–
1830153,5001.93 million–
1829155,6001.89 million–
1828157,7001.85 million–
1827159,8001.81 million–
1826161,9001.77 million–
1825164,1001.73 million–
1824166,3001.69 million–
1823168,5001.66 million–
1822170,8001.62 million–
1821173,1001.6 million–
1820175,4001.59 million–
1819177,8001.57 million–
1818180,2001.56 million–
1817182,6001.56 million–
1816185,0001.55 million–
1815187,5001.54 million–
1814190,0001.53 million–
1813192,6001.52 million–
1812195,2001.52 million–
1811197,8001.51 million–
1810200,4001.5 million–
1809203,1001.5 million–
1808205,8001.49 million–
1807208,6001.49 million–
1806211,4001.48 million–
1805214,2001.48 million–
1804217,1001.47 million–
1803220,0001.46 million–
1802223,0001.46 million–
1801226,0001.45 million–
1800229,0001.45 million–
  • 12.3Estimates, HYDE and Gapminder
UN projection (medium variant) · 2024–2100
YearNamibiaSouth AfricaWorld
20243.03 million3 million–3.06 million64 million63.7 million–64.3 million8.16 billion
20253.09 million3.01 million–3.17 million64.8 million64 million–65.5 million8.23 billion
20263.15 million3.03 million–3.27 million65.5 million64.3 million–66.7 million8.3 billion
20273.21 million3.04 million–3.38 million66.1 million64.6 million–67.8 million8.37 billion
20283.27 million3.06 million–3.48 million66.8 million64.9 million–69 million8.44 billion
20293.33 million3.09 million–3.58 million67.5 million65.2 million–70.1 million8.5 billion
20303.39 million3.12 million–3.7 million68.2 million65.5 million–71.2 million8.57 billion
20313.45 million3.14 million–3.81 million68.8 million65.8 million–72.3 million8.63 billion
20323.51 million3.16 million–3.91 million69.4 million66 million–73.4 million8.7 billion
20333.57 million3.19 million–4 million70 million66.3 million–74.5 million8.76 billion
20343.62 million3.2 million–4.11 million70.6 million66.5 million–75.5 million8.82 billion
20353.68 million3.22 million–4.23 million71.2 million66.7 million–76.4 million8.89 billion
20363.74 million3.24 million–4.33 million71.8 million67 million–77.5 million8.95 billion
20373.79 million3.26 million–4.43 million72.4 million67.2 million–78.5 million9.01 billion
20383.85 million3.29 million–4.55 million73 million67.3 million–79.5 million9.06 billion
20393.91 million3.32 million–4.67 million73.5 million67.4 million–80.5 million9.12 billion
20403.96 million3.34 million–4.77 million74 million67.5 million–81.5 million9.18 billion
20414.02 million3.36 million–4.88 million74.6 million67.6 million–82.4 million9.23 billion
20424.07 million3.38 million–5 million75.1 million67.8 million–83.5 million9.29 billion
20434.13 million3.41 million–5.1 million75.6 million67.9 million–84.6 million9.34 billion
20444.19 million3.43 million–5.2 million76.2 million67.9 million–85.7 million9.39 billion
20454.24 million3.44 million–5.33 million76.7 million68 million–86.9 million9.44 billion
20464.3 million3.44 million–5.45 million77.2 million68.1 million–88 million9.49 billion
20474.36 million3.44 million–5.55 million77.7 million68.1 million–89.1 million9.54 billion
20484.41 million3.46 million–5.66 million78.2 million68.1 million–90.4 million9.58 billion
20494.46 million3.47 million–5.77 million78.7 million68.2 million–91.6 million9.62 billion
20504.51 million3.47 million–5.92 million79.2 million68.3 million–92.7 million9.66 billion
20514.57 million3.48 million–6.06 million79.7 million68.4 million–93.8 million9.7 billion
20524.62 million3.49 million–6.16 million80.1 million68.4 million–95.1 million9.74 billion
20534.67 million3.5 million–6.27 million80.6 million68.4 million–96.4 million9.78 billion
20544.72 million3.5 million–6.39 million81 million68.4 million–97.2 million9.81 billion
20554.77 million3.5 million–6.51 million81.4 million68.3 million–98.2 million9.85 billion
20564.81 million3.5 million–6.61 million81.8 million68.2 million–99.4 million9.88 billion
20574.86 million3.5 million–6.71 million82.3 million68 million–101 million9.91 billion
20584.9 million3.51 million–6.81 million82.7 million67.9 million–102 million9.94 billion
20594.95 million3.5 million–6.93 million83.1 million67.8 million–103 million9.96 billion
20604.99 million3.48 million–7.07 million83.4 million67.5 million–104 million9.99 billion
20615.04 million3.47 million–7.21 million83.8 million67.2 million–106 million10 billion
20625.08 million3.46 million–7.34 million84.2 million67.1 million–107 million10 billion
20635.12 million3.46 million–7.5 million84.6 million67 million–108 million10.1 billion
20645.15 million3.45 million–7.69 million84.9 million66.9 million–109 million10.1 billion
20655.19 million3.44 million–7.85 million85.3 million66.6 million–110 million10.1 billion
20665.23 million3.44 million–7.98 million85.6 million66.3 million–112 million10.1 billion
20675.26 million3.44 million–8.1 million85.9 million66.1 million–113 million10.1 billion
20685.3 million3.44 million–8.19 million86.2 million65.7 million–115 million10.2 billion
20695.33 million3.43 million–8.29 million86.5 million65.3 million–116 million10.2 billion
20705.36 million3.42 million–8.45 million86.9 million65 million–117 million10.2 billion
20715.39 million3.4 million–8.6 million87.2 million64.8 million–118 million10.2 billion
20725.42 million3.38 million–8.72 million87.5 million64.6 million–119 million10.2 billion
20735.45 million3.37 million–8.85 million87.8 million64.3 million–120 million10.2 billion
20745.48 million3.36 million–9.02 million88.1 million63.9 million–121 million10.2 billion
20755.51 million3.33 million–9.18 million88.3 million63.6 million–123 million10.3 billion
20765.54 million3.31 million–9.34 million88.6 million63.3 million–124 million10.3 billion
20775.56 million3.28 million–9.51 million88.9 million63.2 million–125 million10.3 billion
20785.59 million3.25 million–9.69 million89.1 million62.8 million–126 million10.3 billion
20795.61 million3.24 million–9.85 million89.4 million62.4 million–128 million10.3 billion
20805.64 million3.2 million–9.98 million89.7 million62 million–129 million10.3 billion
20815.66 million3.18 million–10.1 million89.9 million61.6 million–130 million10.3 billion
20825.68 million3.15 million–10.3 million90.2 million61.5 million–132 million10.3 billion
20835.7 million3.12 million–10.5 million90.5 million61.3 million–133 million10.3 billion
20845.72 million3.09 million–10.6 million90.7 million60.9 million–135 million10.3 billion
20855.74 million3.05 million–10.8 million91 million60.6 million–136 million10.3 billion
20865.76 million3.02 million–10.9 million91.2 million60.1 million–138 million10.3 billion
20875.77 million2.99 million–11.1 million91.4 million59.8 million–139 million10.3 billion
20885.79 million2.96 million–11.3 million91.7 million59.3 million–141 million10.3 billion
20895.8 million2.93 million–11.4 million91.9 million58.6 million–142 million10.3 billion
20905.82 million2.9 million–11.5 million92.2 million58.1 million–144 million10.3 billion
20915.83 million2.85 million–11.7 million92.4 million57.7 million–146 million10.3 billion
20925.84 million2.81 million–11.9 million92.6 million57.2 million–147 million10.3 billion
20935.85 million2.8 million–12 million92.9 million56.8 million–148 million10.3 billion
20945.86 million2.79 million–12.2 million93.1 million56.4 million–150 million10.2 billion
20955.87 million2.76 million–12.4 million93.3 million55.9 million–152 million10.2 billion
20965.88 million2.75 million–12.5 million93.5 million55.5 million–153 million10.2 billion
20975.88 million2.72 million–12.7 million93.7 million55 million–155 million10.2 billion
20985.89 million2.69 million–12.8 million93.9 million54.2 million–156 million10.2 billion
20995.89 million2.66 million–12.9 million94.1 million53.5 million–158 million10.2 billion
21005.9 million2.65 million–13.1 million94.3 million53.3 million–159 million10.2 billion

Each country on its own

Good to know

  • Everyone living in the country on 1 July of each year.
  • Source: UN DESA, World Population Prospects 2024.
  • Before 1950: HYDE (2023), Gapminder (2022) and UN WPP (2024), via Our World in Data.
  • 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

Namibia vs South Africa

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