South Africa

Population in South Africa

Population in South Africa: 13 million people in 1950 and 63.2 million people in 2023, by UN estimates.

Latest, 2023
63.2 million people
Since 1950
+50.2 million people
Rank, 2023
24 of 229
counting from the highest
World, 2023
8.09 billion people
Projected, 2100
94.3 million people
UN projection (medium variant)
Watch it change on the map

people · UN

Population in South AfricaPopulation in South Africa: 13 million people in 1950 and 63.2 million people in 2023, by UN estimates. The UN projection (medium variant) puts it at 94.3 million people in 2100, between 53.3 million people and 159 million people (95% prediction interval).
Estimates, UNEstimates, HYDE and GapminderUN projection (medium variant)95% prediction intervalWorld

What the numbers say

  • The UN projection (medium variant) puts it at 94.3 million people in 2100, between 53.3 million people and 159 million people (95% prediction interval).
  • Older estimates from HYDE and Gapminder reach back to 1800: 1.45 million people.

Every year

people · UN

YearSouth AfricaWorld
202363.2 million8.09 billion
202262.4 million8.02 billion
202161.5 million7.95 billion
202060.6 million7.89 billion
201959.6 million7.81 billion
201858.6 million7.73 billion
201757.6 million7.65 billion
201657.3 million7.56 billion
201556.7 million7.47 billion
201455.6 million7.38 billion
201354.7 million7.29 billion
201253.8 million7.2 billion
201153 million7.11 billion
201052.3 million7.02 billion
200951.7 million6.93 billion
200851.1 million6.84 billion
200750.5 million6.76 billion
200650 million6.67 billion
200549.5 million6.59 billion
200449 million6.5 billion
200348.5 million6.42 billion
200248 million6.34 billion
200147.6 million6.26 billion
200047.2 million6.17 billion
199946.7 million6.09 billion
199846.2 million6.01 billion
199745.7 million5.93 billion
199645.1 million5.84 billion
199544.5 million5.76 billion
199444 million5.68 billion
199343.3 million5.59 billion
199242.4 million5.51 billion
199141.7 million5.42 billion
199040.8 million5.33 billion
198939.6 million5.23 billion
198838.5 million5.14 billion
198737.3 million5.05 billion
198636.2 million4.96 billion
198535 million4.87 billion
198433.9 million4.78 billion
198332.7 million4.7 billion
198231.6 million4.61 billion
198130.5 million4.53 billion
198029.5 million4.45 billion
197928.6 million4.37 billion
197827.9 million4.29 billion
197727.1 million4.22 billion
197626.4 million4.14 billion
197525.7 million4.07 billion
197425 million4 billion
197324.3 million3.92 billion
197223.6 million3.85 billion
197122.9 million3.77 billion
197022.3 million3.7 billion
196921.6 million3.62 billion
196821 million3.55 billion
196720.3 million3.47 billion
196619.7 million3.4 billion
196519.1 million3.34 billion
196418.5 million3.26 billion
196318 million3.19 billion
196217.4 million3.12 billion
196116.9 million3.07 billion
196016.4 million3.02 billion
195916 million2.97 billion
195815.6 million2.91 billion
195715.2 million2.85 billion
195614.9 million2.8 billion
195514.5 million2.74 billion
195414.2 million2.69 billion
195313.9 million2.63 billion
195213.6 million2.58 billion
195113.3 million2.54 billion
195013 million2.49 billion
194912.8 million–
194812.5 million–
194712.3 million–
194612 million–
194511.8 million–
194411.6 million–
194311.4 million–
194211.2 million–
194111 million–
194010.7 million–
193910.5 million–
193810.3 million–
193710.1 million–
19369.92 million–
19359.72 million–
19349.53 million–
19339.34 million–
19329.16 million–
19318.97 million–
19308.79 million–
19298.62 million–
19288.44 million–
19278.27 million–
19268.1 million–
19257.93 million–
19247.77 million–
19237.61 million–
19227.45 million–
19217.3 million–
19207.17 million–
19197.04 million–
19186.93 million–
19176.82 million–
19166.71 million–
19156.61 million–
19146.5 million–
19136.4 million–
19126.3 million–
19116.2 million–
19106.09 million–
19095.99 million–
19085.89 million–
19075.79 million–
19065.7 million–
19055.6 million–
19045.51 million–
19035.41 million–
19025.32 million–
19015.24 million–
19005.16 million–
18995.1 million–
18985.04 million–
18974.98 million–
18964.93 million–
18954.88 million–
18944.82 million–
18934.77 million–
18924.72 million–
18914.67 million–
18904.62 million–
18894.57 million–
18884.52 million–
18874.48 million–
18864.43 million–
18854.38 million–
18844.33 million–
18834.29 million–
18824.24 million–
18814.2 million–
18804.15 million–
18794.11 million–
18784.06 million–
18774.02 million–
18763.98 million–
18753.93 million–
18743.89 million–
18733.85 million–
18723.81 million–
18713.77 million–
18703.73 million–
18693.69 million–
18683.65 million–
18673.61 million–
18663.57 million–
18653.53 million–
18643.5 million–
18633.46 million–
18623.42 million–
18613.39 million–
18603.35 million–
18593.31 million–
18583.28 million–
18573.24 million–
18563.21 million–
18553.17 million–
18543.14 million–
18533.11 million–
18523.07 million–
18513.03 million–
18502.99 million–
18492.94 million–
18482.88 million–
18472.82 million–
18462.75 million–
18452.69 million–
18442.64 million–
18432.58 million–
18422.52 million–
18412.47 million–
18402.41 million–
18392.36 million–
18382.31 million–
18372.26 million–
18362.21 million–
18352.16 million–
18342.11 million–
18332.07 million–
18322.02 million–
18311.98 million–
18301.93 million–
18291.89 million–
18281.85 million–
18271.81 million–
18261.77 million–
18251.73 million–
18241.69 million–
18231.66 million–
18221.62 million–
18211.6 million–
18201.59 million–
18191.57 million–
18181.56 million–
18171.56 million–
18161.55 million–
18151.54 million–
18141.53 million–
18131.52 million–
18121.52 million–
18111.51 million–
18101.5 million–
18091.5 million–
18081.49 million–
18071.49 million–
18061.48 million–
18051.48 million–
18041.47 million–
18031.46 million–
18021.46 million–
18011.45 million–
18001.45 million–
  • 12.3Estimates, HYDE and Gapminder
UN projection (medium variant) · 2024–2100
YearSouth AfricaWorld
202464 million63.7 million–64.3 million8.16 billion
202564.8 million64 million–65.5 million8.23 billion
202665.5 million64.3 million–66.7 million8.3 billion
202766.1 million64.6 million–67.8 million8.37 billion
202866.8 million64.9 million–69 million8.44 billion
202967.5 million65.2 million–70.1 million8.5 billion
203068.2 million65.5 million–71.2 million8.57 billion
203168.8 million65.8 million–72.3 million8.63 billion
203269.4 million66 million–73.4 million8.7 billion
203370 million66.3 million–74.5 million8.76 billion
203470.6 million66.5 million–75.5 million8.82 billion
203571.2 million66.7 million–76.4 million8.89 billion
203671.8 million67 million–77.5 million8.95 billion
203772.4 million67.2 million–78.5 million9.01 billion
203873 million67.3 million–79.5 million9.06 billion
203973.5 million67.4 million–80.5 million9.12 billion
204074 million67.5 million–81.5 million9.18 billion
204174.6 million67.6 million–82.4 million9.23 billion
204275.1 million67.8 million–83.5 million9.29 billion
204375.6 million67.9 million–84.6 million9.34 billion
204476.2 million67.9 million–85.7 million9.39 billion
204576.7 million68 million–86.9 million9.44 billion
204677.2 million68.1 million–88 million9.49 billion
204777.7 million68.1 million–89.1 million9.54 billion
204878.2 million68.1 million–90.4 million9.58 billion
204978.7 million68.2 million–91.6 million9.62 billion
205079.2 million68.3 million–92.7 million9.66 billion
205179.7 million68.4 million–93.8 million9.7 billion
205280.1 million68.4 million–95.1 million9.74 billion
205380.6 million68.4 million–96.4 million9.78 billion
205481 million68.4 million–97.2 million9.81 billion
205581.4 million68.3 million–98.2 million9.85 billion
205681.8 million68.2 million–99.4 million9.88 billion
205782.3 million68 million–101 million9.91 billion
205882.7 million67.9 million–102 million9.94 billion
205983.1 million67.8 million–103 million9.96 billion
206083.4 million67.5 million–104 million9.99 billion
206183.8 million67.2 million–106 million10 billion
206284.2 million67.1 million–107 million10 billion
206384.6 million67 million–108 million10.1 billion
206484.9 million66.9 million–109 million10.1 billion
206585.3 million66.6 million–110 million10.1 billion
206685.6 million66.3 million–112 million10.1 billion
206785.9 million66.1 million–113 million10.1 billion
206886.2 million65.7 million–115 million10.2 billion
206986.5 million65.3 million–116 million10.2 billion
207086.9 million65 million–117 million10.2 billion
207187.2 million64.8 million–118 million10.2 billion
207287.5 million64.6 million–119 million10.2 billion
207387.8 million64.3 million–120 million10.2 billion
207488.1 million63.9 million–121 million10.2 billion
207588.3 million63.6 million–123 million10.3 billion
207688.6 million63.3 million–124 million10.3 billion
207788.9 million63.2 million–125 million10.3 billion
207889.1 million62.8 million–126 million10.3 billion
207989.4 million62.4 million–128 million10.3 billion
208089.7 million62 million–129 million10.3 billion
208189.9 million61.6 million–130 million10.3 billion
208290.2 million61.5 million–132 million10.3 billion
208390.5 million61.3 million–133 million10.3 billion
208490.7 million60.9 million–135 million10.3 billion
208591 million60.6 million–136 million10.3 billion
208691.2 million60.1 million–138 million10.3 billion
208791.4 million59.8 million–139 million10.3 billion
208891.7 million59.3 million–141 million10.3 billion
208991.9 million58.6 million–142 million10.3 billion
209092.2 million58.1 million–144 million10.3 billion
209192.4 million57.7 million–146 million10.3 billion
209292.6 million57.2 million–147 million10.3 billion
209392.9 million56.8 million–148 million10.3 billion
209493.1 million56.4 million–150 million10.2 billion
209593.3 million55.9 million–152 million10.2 billion
209693.5 million55.5 million–153 million10.2 billion
209793.7 million55 million–155 million10.2 billion
209893.9 million54.2 million–156 million10.2 billion
209994.1 million53.5 million–158 million10.2 billion
210094.3 million53.3 million–159 million10.2 billion

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

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