Singapore vs South Africa: Median age

Median age in 2023: 35.1 years in Singapore and 28.2 years in South Africa, by UN estimates. In 2023 the value was higher in Singapore, by 6.9 years, or 1.24 times that in South Africa.

SingaporeSouth Africa

Watch it change on the map

years · UN

All years Since 1990 Since 2010

Values Change

Linear Log

World Projection

SingaporeSouth AfricaUN projection (medium variant)95% prediction intervalWorld

Latest figures

years · UN

Country	Latest	10 years before	Rank in 2023	Projected
Singapore	35.1 2023	33	93 of 229	56 2100
South Africa	28.2 2023	24.7	139 of 229	38.3 2100
World	30.4 2023	27.8		42.1 2100

What the numbers say

Singapore has been higher since 1968, when it overtook South Africa.
In 2023, Singapore ranked 93 and South Africa ranked 139 of 229 countries, counting from the highest.
The UN projection (medium variant) puts Singapore at 56 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	Singapore	South Africa	World
2023	35.1	28.2	30.4
2022	34.9	27.9	30.1
2021	34.8	27.6	29.8
2020	34.5	27.3	29.6
2019	34.2	26.9	29.3
2018	34	26.5	29
2017	33.8	26.1	28.8
2016	33.5	25.7	28.5
2015	33.3	25.4	28.3
2014	33.2	25	28.1
2013	33	24.7	27.8
2012	32.9	24.3	27.6
2011	32.8	24	27.4
2010	32.7	23.6	27.2
2009	32.6	23.3	27
2008	32.5	23	26.7
2007	32.6	22.7	26.5
2006	32.6	22.4	26.3
2005	32.5	22.1	26.1
2004	32.2	21.9	25.9
2003	32	21.6	25.7
2002	31.7	21.3	25.5
2001	31.4	21.1	25.3
2000	31.2	20.8	25.1
1999	31	20.6	24.9
1998	30.7	20.3	24.7
1997	30.4	20.1	24.4
1996	30.2	20.2	24.2
1995	30	20.5	24
1994	29.7	20.9	23.8
1993	29.4	20.9	23.5
1992	29.1	20.5	23.3
1991	28.8	20.5	23.1
1990	28.5	20.3	22.9
1989	28.1	20	22.8
1988	27.7	19.8	22.6
1987	27.3	19.7	22.4
1986	26.8	19.5	22.2
1985	26.3	19.4	22
1984	25.8	19.2	21.9
1983	25.4	19	21.8
1982	24.9	18.8	21.7
1981	24.3	18.6	21.6
1980	23.7	18.4	21.5
1979	23.1	18.2	21.3
1978	22.5	18.1	21.1
1977	22	18	21
1976	21.4	17.9	20.8
1975	20.9	17.9	20.7
1974	20.4	17.8	20.5
1973	20	17.8	20.4
1972	19.5	17.7	20.4
1971	19.1	17.7	20.3
1970	18.7	17.7	20.3
1969	18.3	17.7	20.3
1968	17.9	17.8	20.4
1967	17.5	17.8	20.5
1966	17.2	17.8	20.6
1965	17	17.8	20.8
1964	16.8	17.8	21
1963	16.7	17.8	21.2
1962	16.8	17.8	21.4
1961	17	17.9	21.4
1960	17.2	17.9	21.5
1959	17.4	18	21.5
1958	17.6	18.1	21.5
1957	17.7	18.3	21.6
1956	17.8	18.4	21.7
1955	17.9	18.6	21.8
1954	18	18.7	21.9
1953	18.2	18.9	22
1952	18.4	19	22.1
1951	18.6	19.1	22.1
1950	18.9	19.2	22.2

UN projection (medium variant) · 2024–2100

Year	Singapore	South Africa	World
2024	35.733.8–36.2	28.528.3–28.6	30.6
2025	36.232.5–37.5	28.728.3–29	30.9
2026	36.832.8–38.5	28.928.3–29.4	31.1
2027	37.333–39.6	29.128.2–29.8	31.3
2028	37.933.2–40.5	29.328.2–30.1	31.6
2029	38.533.3–41.5	29.528.1–30.5	31.8
2030	39.133.3–42.6	29.628.1–30.8	32
2031	39.633.4–43.7	29.728–31.2	32.2
2032	40.233.5–44.6	29.927.9–31.5	32.4
2033	40.833.6–45.6	3027.9–31.8	32.6
2034	41.333.8–46.7	30.128–32.1	32.8
2035	41.934–47.7	30.228.1–32.3	33
2036	42.534.3–48.7	30.328.1–32.5	33.2
2037	43.134.6–49.8	30.528.3–32.8	33.4
2038	43.734.9–50.7	30.628.4–33	33.6
2039	44.335.2–51.6	30.828.4–33.2	33.8
2040	44.935.6–52.6	3128.5–33.5	34
2041	45.535.9–53.5	31.228.6–33.8	34.2
2042	46.136.3–54.5	31.328.6–34.1	34.4
2043	46.736.6–55.4	31.528.7–34.4	34.6
2044	47.436.9–56.4	31.628.7–34.6	34.8
2045	4837.2–57.3	31.828.7–34.9	35
2046	48.637.4–58.2	31.928.7–35.1	35.2
2047	49.237.5–59	3228.8–35.3	35.4
2048	49.837.6–59.9	32.128.8–35.5	35.6
2049	50.337.6–60.7	32.228.9–35.7	35.9
2050	50.937.7–61.6	32.329–35.9	36.1
2051	51.537.9–62.5	32.429.1–36.1	36.3
2052	5238.1–63.3	32.629.2–36.3	36.5
2053	52.638.2–64.1	32.729.3–36.5	36.7
2054	53.138.3–65	32.929.4–36.6	36.9
2055	53.638.4–65.8	33.129.6–36.9	37.1
2056	54.238.6–66.6	33.329.7–37.1	37.3
2057	54.738.7–67.4	33.529.8–37.3	37.5
2058	55.238.9–68.2	33.630–37.6	37.6
2059	55.639–69.1	33.830.1–37.9	37.8
2060	56.139.2–69.8	3430.2–38.2	37.9
2061	56.539.3–70.6	34.130.3–38.5	38
2062	5739.5–71.4	34.230.5–38.7	38.1
2063	57.339.7–72.1	34.430.6–39	38.3
2064	57.739.8–72.9	34.530.7–39.2	38.4
2065	5840–73.6	34.630.8–39.4	38.5
2066	58.240.3–74.4	34.830.9–39.6	38.6
2067	58.440.5–75.1	34.931–39.7	38.7
2068	58.540.7–75.8	3531.1–39.8	38.8
2069	58.540.8–76.5	35.131.2–39.9	38.9
2070	58.341–77.1	35.231.3–40	39
2071	58.241.3–77.8	35.331.4–40.1	39.1
2072	58.141.6–78.5	35.431.5–40.2	39.2
2073	57.941.9–79.2	35.531.5–40.3	39.3
2074	57.842.1–79.9	35.631.6–40.4	39.4
2075	57.842.2–80.5	35.731.7–40.5	39.5
2076	57.742.4–81.2	35.831.8–40.7	39.6
2077	57.642.6–81.9	35.931.9–40.7	39.7
2078	57.542.7–82.6	3632–40.8	39.8
2079	57.442.9–83.4	36.132.1–40.9	40
2080	57.343–84.1	36.232.2–41	40.1
2081	57.343.1–84.8	36.332.4–41.1	40.2
2082	57.243.1–85.5	36.432.5–41.2	40.3
2083	57.243.1–86.2	36.532.6–41.2	40.4
2084	57.243.2–87	36.632.6–41.3	40.5
2085	57.243.3–87.7	36.732.7–41.4	40.6
2086	57.243.4–88.4	36.832.9–41.6	40.7
2087	57.243.4–89.1	36.933–41.7	40.9
2088	57.243.5–89.8	37.133.1–41.9	41
2089	57.243.6–90.6	37.233.2–42	41.1
2090	57.143.8–91.3	37.333.3–42.2	41.2
2091	57.143.8–92.1	37.433.4–42.3	41.3
2092	57.143.8–92.9	37.533.5–42.4	41.4
2093	5743.7–93.9	37.633.5–42.6	41.5
2094	56.943.6–95.2	37.733.6–42.7	41.6
2095	56.843.5–96.6	37.833.7–42.8	41.7
2096	56.743.4–98	37.933.8–43	41.8
2097	56.543.3–99.1	3833.9–43.1	41.9
2098	56.443.3–49.7	38.134–43.2	42
2099	56.243.3–180.9	38.234.1–43.3	42
2100	563.8–43.3	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