PopulationTracker

South Africa population

Current population of South Africa

65,569,097

Live estimate, extrapolated from the latest official figures

Births today
682
Deaths today
341
Change today (UTC)
+424
World rank
24th of 218
0.79% of world population
Population
64,747,319
2025 estimate
Annual growth
+1.15%
2025
Density
52 /km²
2023
Land area
1,213,090 km²
Urban population
64%
2025
Median age
28.7 yrs
2025 (UN WPP)
Fertility rate
2.21
births per woman, 2024
Life expectancy
66.3 yrs
2024
Net migration
+146,370
2025
Capital
Pretoria
Region
Sub-Saharan Africa

Population of South Africa: overview

South Africa has a population of 64,747,319 according to the latest official estimates (2025), the 24th largest in the world. About 0.79% of the world's population lives in South Africa. South Africa is part of the Sub-Saharan Africa region and its capital is Pretoria.

The population is growing steadily, at 1.15% per year. In absolute terms that meant roughly 740,132 additional people over the past year. Immigration reinforces the trend: net migration added about 146,370 people in 2025.

Population density is moderate — about 52 people per km², spread across 1,213,090 km² of land. A slim urban majority has emerged, with 64% of people living in cities.

The median age is 28.7 years. The fertility rate of 2.21 children per woman sits above the replacement level of 2.1. Life expectancy at birth is 66.3 years (2024).

UN medium-variant projections point to continued growth, reaching 79.18 million by 2050 (22% above today's level). The 2030 projection is 68,161,359.

South Africa population, 1960–2025 and projections

020M40M60M80M19601980200020202040projected2025: 64.75M1960: 16,440,1721961: 16,908,0351962: 17,418,5221963: 17,954,5641964: 18,511,3611965: 19,089,3801966: 19,690,0871967: 20,314,0661968: 20,957,2871969: 21,614,6761970: 22,279,9841971: 22,942,1431972: 23,609,4561973: 24,294,2631974: 24,989,1081975: 25,690,9401976: 26,395,4501977: 27,118,9521978: 27,869,5071979: 28,634,1621980: 29,518,8571981: 30,541,0441982: 31,615,3391983: 32,739,3041984: 33,892,7881985: 35,042,0931986: 36,180,5151987: 37,326,1901988: 38,480,6491989: 39,628,5751990: 40,746,2681991: 41,687,8981992: 42,443,5091993: 43,297,1561994: 44,004,1391995: 44,541,5541996: 45,123,0181997: 45,666,8381998: 46,223,8801999: 46,730,3352000: 47,159,7192001: 47,566,8002002: 48,019,4152003: 48,500,3482004: 48,991,4212005: 49,490,0332006: 49,998,2772007: 50,528,5842008: 51,114,5992009: 51,728,5162010: 52,344,0512011: 52,995,2052012: 53,782,5672013: 54,678,7912014: 55,594,8382015: 56,723,5372016: 57,259,5512017: 57,635,1622018: 58,613,0012019: 59,587,8852020: 60,562,3812021: 61,502,6032022: 62,378,4102023: 63,212,3842024: 64,007,1872025: 64,747,3192030: 68,161,3592050: 79,177,328
Population of South Africa by year
YearPopulationGrowth rateAnnual change
202564,747,319+1.15%+740,132
202464,007,187+1.25%+794,803
202363,212,384+1.33%+833,974
202262,378,410+1.41%+875,807
202161,502,603+1.54%+940,222
202060,562,381+1.62%+974,496
201959,587,885+1.65%+974,884
201858,613,001+1.68%+977,839
201757,635,162+0.65%+375,611
201657,259,551+0.94%+536,014
201556,723,537+2.01%+1,128,699
201455,594,838+1.66%+916,047
201052,344,051+1.18%+615,535
200549,490,033+1.01%+498,612
200047,159,719+0.91%+429,384
199544,541,554+1.21%+537,415
199040,746,268+2.78%+1,117,693
198535,042,093+3.33%+1,149,305
198029,518,857+3.04%+884,695
197525,690,940+2.77%+701,832
197022,279,984+3.03%+665,308
196519,089,380+3.07%+578,019
196016,440,172––

Recent years annually, earlier years at five-year steps. Annual change compares against the immediately preceding year.

South Africa population forecast

United Nations World Population Prospects 2024, medium variant.

Projected population of South Africa
YearProjected populationvs today
203068,161,359+5.3%
205079,177,328+22.3%

South Africa population pyramid (2025)

Age and sex structure from UN World Population Prospects 2024: 25.7% of South Africa's population is under 15, 67.4% is of working age (15–64), and 6.9% is 65 or older. Hover any bar for the group's size.

MaleFemale
0%2%2%4%4%0-4 male: 2,977,826 (4.6%)0-4 female: 2,912,713 (4.5%)0-45-9 male: 2,755,282 (4.3%)5-9 female: 2,747,862 (4.2%)10-14 male: 2,638,630 (4.1%)10-14 female: 2,622,890 (4.1%)10-1415-19 male: 2,731,294 (4.2%)15-19 female: 2,706,494 (4.2%)20-24 male: 2,597,837 (4.0%)20-24 female: 2,532,950 (3.9%)20-2425-29 male: 2,746,055 (4.2%)25-29 female: 2,748,485 (4.2%)30-34 male: 2,814,169 (4.3%)30-34 female: 2,889,803 (4.5%)30-3435-39 male: 2,705,839 (4.2%)35-39 female: 2,752,804 (4.3%)40-44 male: 2,401,495 (3.7%)40-44 female: 2,427,664 (3.7%)40-4445-49 male: 1,859,546 (2.9%)45-49 female: 1,907,411 (2.9%)50-54 male: 1,430,916 (2.2%)50-54 female: 1,586,122 (2.4%)50-5455-59 male: 1,146,991 (1.8%)55-59 female: 1,403,332 (2.2%)60-64 male: 972,574 (1.5%)60-64 female: 1,272,464 (2.0%)60-6465-69 male: 750,205 (1.2%)65-69 female: 1,028,389 (1.6%)70-74 male: 500,108 (0.8%)70-74 female: 742,746 (1.1%)70-7475-79 male: 250,377 (0.4%)75-79 female: 433,728 (0.7%)80-84 male: 123,421 (0.2%)80-84 female: 259,936 (0.4%)80-8485-89 male: 62,328 (0.1%)85-89 female: 161,899 (0.3%)90-94 male: 28,629 (0.0%)90-94 female: 78,004 (0.1%)90-9495-99 male: 8,793 (0.0%)95-99 female: 23,038 (0.0%)100+ male: 1,811 (0.0%)100+ female: 4,462 (0.0%)100+

South Africa population FAQ

What is the population of South Africa in 2026?

South Africa's population is estimated at about 65.57 million in 2026, extrapolated from the latest official figure of 64,747,319 (2025). South Africa ranks 24th in the world by population.

Is the population of South Africa growing or shrinking?

South Africa's population is growing at about 1.15% per year, an increase of roughly 740,132 people over the past year.

How densely populated is South Africa?

South Africa has about 52 people per square kilometre across a land area of 1,213,090 km².

What share of the world's population lives in South Africa?

South Africa is home to about 0.79% of the world's population.

What is South Africa's projected population in 2050?

United Nations medium-variant projections put South Africa's population at 79,177,328 in 2050, passing through 68,161,359 in 2030.

What is the median age in South Africa?

The median age in South Africa is 28.7 years (2025 estimate) — half the population is younger and half older than that.

Sources: World Bank Open Data (CC BY-4.0); median age and projections from UN World Population Prospects 2024. Live figures are estimates extrapolated from the latest official data — see methodology.