South Africa population
Population statistics, historical records, charts, annual changes and source-backed reference information for South Africa.
About South Africa
South Africa is presented in WhereFacts as a country population profile. This page combines the latest approved population value with the complete annual series currently available in the database.
South Africa had a population of 64,747,319 in 2025, according to the latest available source data. The latest annual change was +1.16%.
Population in 2025
The population of South Africa in 2025 is 64,747,319. Compared with the previous year, the population increased by 740,132 people. Across the latest five-year period the change was +6.91%, while the ten-year change was +14.15%.
Historical population
The available annual series covers 1960–2025. Over the full period, South Africa recorded an overall population change of +293.84%.
Population trend over the last 10 years
This view isolates the most recent decade of approved records so short-term movement can be read separately from the full historical series.
Annual population change
The charts below show the numeric population change and the annual percentage rate. Both are calculated directly from consecutive values in the same approved series.
Change in people
Annual percentage change
Population summary
| Measure | Period / year | Value |
|---|---|---|
| Latest year | 2025 | 64,747,319 |
| 1-year change | 2024–2025 | +1.16% |
| 5-year change | 2020–2025 | +6.91% |
| 10-year change | 2015–2025 | +14.15% |
| Series change | 1960–2025 | +293.84% |
| Highest recorded | 2025 | 64,747,319 |
| Lowest recorded | 1960 | 16,440,172 |
Population by year
The table contains every approved annual record currently available for South Africa. Each year links to its own historical population page.
| Year | Population | Numeric change | Change % |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2025 | 64,747,319 | +740,132 | +1.16% |
| 2024 | 64,007,187 | +794,803 | +1.26% |
| 2023 | 63,212,384 | +833,974 | +1.34% |
| 2022 | 62,378,410 | +875,807 | +1.42% |
| 2021 | 61,502,603 | +940,222 | +1.55% |
| 2020 | 60,562,381 | +974,496 | +1.64% |
| 2019 | 59,587,885 | +974,884 | +1.66% |
| 2018 | 58,613,001 | +977,839 | +1.70% |
| 2017 | 57,635,162 | +375,611 | +0.66% |
| 2016 | 57,259,551 | +536,014 | +0.94% |
| 2015 | 56,723,537 | +1,128,699 | +2.03% |
| 2014 | 55,594,838 | +916,047 | +1.68% |
| 2013 | 54,678,791 | +896,224 | +1.67% |
| 2012 | 53,782,567 | +787,362 | +1.49% |
| 2011 | 52,995,205 | +651,154 | +1.24% |
| 2010 | 52,344,051 | +615,535 | +1.19% |
| 2009 | 51,728,516 | +613,917 | +1.20% |
| 2008 | 51,114,599 | +586,015 | +1.16% |
| 2007 | 50,528,584 | +530,307 | +1.06% |
| 2006 | 49,998,277 | +508,244 | +1.03% |
| 2005 | 49,490,033 | +498,612 | +1.02% |
| 2004 | 48,991,421 | +491,073 | +1.01% |
| 2003 | 48,500,348 | +480,933 | +1.00% |
| 2002 | 48,019,415 | +452,615 | +0.95% |
| 2001 | 47,566,800 | +407,081 | +0.86% |
| 2000 | 47,159,719 | +429,384 | +0.92% |
| 1999 | 46,730,335 | +506,455 | +1.10% |
| 1998 | 46,223,880 | +557,042 | +1.22% |
| 1997 | 45,666,838 | +543,820 | +1.21% |
| 1996 | 45,123,018 | +581,464 | +1.31% |
| 1995 | 44,541,554 | +537,415 | +1.22% |
| 1994 | 44,004,139 | +706,983 | +1.63% |
| 1993 | 43,297,156 | +853,647 | +2.01% |
| 1992 | 42,443,509 | +755,611 | +1.81% |
| 1991 | 41,687,898 | +941,630 | +2.31% |
| 1990 | 40,746,268 | +1,117,693 | +2.82% |
| 1989 | 39,628,575 | +1,147,926 | +2.98% |
| 1988 | 38,480,649 | +1,154,459 | +3.09% |
| 1987 | 37,326,190 | +1,145,675 | +3.17% |
| 1986 | 36,180,515 | +1,138,422 | +3.25% |
| 1985 | 35,042,093 | +1,149,305 | +3.39% |
| 1984 | 33,892,788 | +1,153,484 | +3.52% |
| 1983 | 32,739,304 | +1,123,965 | +3.56% |
| 1982 | 31,615,339 | +1,074,295 | +3.52% |
| 1981 | 30,541,044 | +1,022,187 | +3.46% |
| 1980 | 29,518,857 | +884,695 | +3.09% |
| 1979 | 28,634,162 | +764,655 | +2.74% |
| 1978 | 27,869,507 | +750,555 | +2.77% |
| 1977 | 27,118,952 | +723,502 | +2.74% |
| 1976 | 26,395,450 | +704,510 | +2.74% |
| 1975 | 25,690,940 | +701,832 | +2.81% |
| 1974 | 24,989,108 | +694,845 | +2.86% |
| 1973 | 24,294,263 | +684,807 | +2.90% |
| 1972 | 23,609,456 | +667,313 | +2.91% |
| 1971 | 22,942,143 | +662,159 | +2.97% |
| 1970 | 22,279,984 | +665,308 | +3.08% |
| 1969 | 21,614,676 | +657,389 | +3.14% |
| 1968 | 20,957,287 | +643,221 | +3.17% |
| 1967 | 20,314,066 | +623,979 | +3.17% |
| 1966 | 19,690,087 | +600,707 | +3.15% |
| 1965 | 19,089,380 | +578,019 | +3.12% |
| 1964 | 18,511,361 | +556,797 | +3.10% |
| 1963 | 17,954,564 | +536,042 | +3.08% |
| 1962 | 17,418,522 | +510,487 | +3.02% |
| 1961 | 16,908,035 | +467,863 | +2.85% |
| 1960 | 16,440,172 | — | — |
Population analysis
South Africa population in 2025
The latest population shown for South Africa is 64,747,319. Compared with the previous year, the population increased by +1.16%.
Population change over 10 years
Across the most recent ten-year period, South Africa recorded a upward population movement of +14.15%, based only on the annual population series.
Historical high and low
The highest value in this series is 64,747,319 in 2025. The lowest is 16,440,172 in 1960.
world population ranking
South Africa is currently listed at #24 in the available world population ranking. Rankings are recalculated when approved source data is updated.
Frequently asked questions
What is the population of South Africa in 2025?
The population of South Africa is 64,747,319 in the latest 2025 record shown on this page.
Is the population of South Africa increasing or decreasing?
The latest annual series indicates that the population is increasing, with a year-over-year change of +1.16%.
What was the population of South Africa 10 years ago?
Ten years before the latest record, the population was 56,723,537.
Where does South Africa rank by population?
South Africa is listed at #24 in the available world population ranking.
Sources and data notes
Population data source: World Bank Open Data. Reference year: 2025. Reuse information: CC BY 4.0 with World Bank dataset terms.
WhereFacts keeps descriptive geographic facts separate from population calculations. Population charts, tables, changes and analyses on this page are derived from the same approved annual series to keep figures internally consistent.
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