South Africa

People aged 65 and over in South Africa

People aged 65 and over in South Africa: 4.1% in 1950 and 6.5% in 2023, by UN estimates.

Latest, 2023
6.5%
Since 1950
+2.4 percentage points
Rank, 2023
135 of 229
counting from the highest
World, 2023
10%
Projected, 2100
18.8%
UN projection (medium variant)
Watch it change on the map

% of people · UN

People aged 65 and over in South AfricaPeople aged 65 and over in South Africa: 4.1% in 1950 and 6.5% in 2023, by UN estimates. The UN projection (medium variant) puts it at 18.8% in 2100.
Estimates, UNUN projection (medium variant)World

What the numbers say

  • The UN projection (medium variant) puts it at 18.8% in 2100.
  • The highest was 6.5% in 2023, the lowest 3.4% in 1962.

Every year

% of people · UN

YearSouth AfricaWorld
20236.510
20226.49.8
20216.29.5
20206.19.3
20195.99.1
20185.88.9
20175.68.7
20165.58.5
20155.48.3
20145.38.1
20135.37.9
20125.37.8
20115.27.7
20105.27.6
20095.27.5
20085.27.5
20075.27.4
20065.27.3
20055.17.3
200457.2
200357.1
20024.97
20014.86.9
20004.76.8
19994.76.8
19984.66.7
19974.56.6
19964.36.5
19954.26.5
199446.4
199346.3
199246.2
19913.96.1
199046.1
198946
198846
198745.9
198645.9
198545.8
19843.95.8
19833.95.8
19823.95.8
19813.85.8
19803.85.8
19793.85.8
19783.85.7
19773.85.6
19763.75.6
19753.75.5
19743.75.5
19733.75.4
19723.65.4
19713.65.3
19703.65.3
19693.55.2
19683.55.2
19673.55.2
19663.45.1
19653.45.1
19643.45
19633.45
19623.45
19613.45
19603.45
19593.45
19583.55
19573.55
19563.65
19553.65
19543.75
19533.85
19523.95
195145
19504.15.1
UN projection (medium variant) · 2024–2100
YearSouth AfricaWorld
20246.710.2
20256.910.4
20267.110.6
20277.310.8
20287.411.1
20297.611.5
20307.811.8
20317.912
2032812.3
20338.112.6
20348.312.8
20358.413.1
20368.513.4
20378.613.7
20388.813.9
20398.914.1
2040914.3
20419.214.5
20429.314.7
20439.514.9
20449.715
20459.915.2
204610.215.4
204710.415.7
204810.715.9
20491116.1
205011.316.3
205111.616.6
205211.816.8
205312.117.1
205412.417.3
205512.617.6
205612.917.8
205713.118
205813.418.2
205913.618.4
206013.718.5
206113.918.7
20621418.8
206314.119
206414.219.1
206514.319.3
206614.419.4
206714.419.6
206814.419.7
206914.519.9
207014.520
207114.620.2
207214.820.3
207314.920.5
20741520.7
207515.120.9
207615.321.1
207715.421.3
207815.521.5
207915.521.7
208015.621.9
208115.722.1
208215.822.3
208315.922.4
208416.122.6
208516.322.7
208616.522.8
208716.722.9
208816.922.9
208917.123
209017.323.1
209117.423.2
209217.623.3
209317.823.3
209417.923.4
209518.123.5
209618.223.6
209718.423.7
209818.523.7
209918.623.8
210018.823.9

Good to know

  • The share of the population aged 65 or older.
  • Source: UN DESA, World Population Prospects 2024.
  • The dashed line is the UN projection (medium variant), a scenario rather than a forecast.
  • 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

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