South Africa Population History
Year-by-year population history from 1960 to 2025.
Historical population trend
Population by year
| Year | Population | Annual change | Numeric change |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2025 | 64,747,319 | — | — |
| 2024 | 64,007,187 | -1.14% | -740,132 |
| 2023 | 63,212,384 | -1.24% | -794,803 |
| 2022 | 62,378,410 | -1.32% | -833,974 |
| 2021 | 61,502,603 | -1.40% | -875,807 |
| 2020 | 60,562,381 | -1.53% | -940,222 |
| 2019 | 59,587,885 | -1.61% | -974,496 |
| 2018 | 58,613,001 | -1.64% | -974,884 |
| 2017 | 57,635,162 | -1.67% | -977,839 |
| 2016 | 57,259,551 | -0.65% | -375,611 |
| 2015 | 56,723,537 | -0.94% | -536,014 |
| 2014 | 55,594,838 | -1.99% | -1,128,699 |
| 2013 | 54,678,791 | -1.65% | -916,047 |
| 2012 | 53,782,567 | -1.64% | -896,224 |
| 2011 | 52,995,205 | -1.46% | -787,362 |
| 2010 | 52,344,051 | -1.23% | -651,154 |
| 2009 | 51,728,516 | -1.18% | -615,535 |
| 2008 | 51,114,599 | -1.19% | -613,917 |
| 2007 | 50,528,584 | -1.15% | -586,015 |
| 2006 | 49,998,277 | -1.05% | -530,307 |
| 2005 | 49,490,033 | -1.02% | -508,244 |
| 2004 | 48,991,421 | -1.01% | -498,612 |
| 2003 | 48,500,348 | -1.00% | -491,073 |
| 2002 | 48,019,415 | -0.99% | -480,933 |
| 2001 | 47,566,800 | -0.94% | -452,615 |
| 2000 | 47,159,719 | -0.86% | -407,081 |
| 1999 | 46,730,335 | -0.91% | -429,384 |
| 1998 | 46,223,880 | -1.08% | -506,455 |
| 1997 | 45,666,838 | -1.21% | -557,042 |
| 1996 | 45,123,018 | -1.19% | -543,820 |
| 1995 | 44,541,554 | -1.29% | -581,464 |
| 1994 | 44,004,139 | -1.21% | -537,415 |
| 1993 | 43,297,156 | -1.61% | -706,983 |
| 1992 | 42,443,509 | -1.97% | -853,647 |
| 1991 | 41,687,898 | -1.78% | -755,611 |
| 1990 | 40,746,268 | -2.26% | -941,630 |
| 1989 | 39,628,575 | -2.74% | -1,117,693 |
| 1988 | 38,480,649 | -2.90% | -1,147,926 |
| 1987 | 37,326,190 | -3.00% | -1,154,459 |
| 1986 | 36,180,515 | -3.07% | -1,145,675 |
| 1985 | 35,042,093 | -3.15% | -1,138,422 |
| 1984 | 33,892,788 | -3.28% | -1,149,305 |
| 1983 | 32,739,304 | -3.40% | -1,153,484 |
| 1982 | 31,615,339 | -3.43% | -1,123,965 |
| 1981 | 30,541,044 | -3.40% | -1,074,295 |
| 1980 | 29,518,857 | -3.35% | -1,022,187 |
| 1979 | 28,634,162 | -3.00% | -884,695 |
| 1978 | 27,869,507 | -2.67% | -764,655 |
| 1977 | 27,118,952 | -2.69% | -750,555 |
| 1976 | 26,395,450 | -2.67% | -723,502 |
| 1975 | 25,690,940 | -2.67% | -704,510 |
| 1974 | 24,989,108 | -2.73% | -701,832 |
| 1973 | 24,294,263 | -2.78% | -694,845 |
| 1972 | 23,609,456 | -2.82% | -684,807 |
| 1971 | 22,942,143 | -2.83% | -667,313 |
| 1970 | 22,279,984 | -2.89% | -662,159 |
| 1969 | 21,614,676 | -2.99% | -665,308 |
| 1968 | 20,957,287 | -3.04% | -657,389 |
| 1967 | 20,314,066 | -3.07% | -643,221 |
| 1966 | 19,690,087 | -3.07% | -623,979 |
| 1965 | 19,089,380 | -3.05% | -600,707 |
| 1964 | 18,511,361 | -3.03% | -578,019 |
| 1963 | 17,954,564 | -3.01% | -556,797 |
| 1962 | 17,418,522 | -2.99% | -536,042 |
| 1961 | 16,908,035 | -2.93% | -510,487 |
| 1960 | 16,440,172 | -2.77% | -467,863 |
Historical summary
South Africa population in 2025
The latest population shown for africa/south-africa">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.
available population ranking
South Africa is currently listed at #24 in the available available population ranking. Rankings are recalculated when approved source data is updated.