The current population of South Africa is 65,321,721 as of Tuesday, April 14, 2026, based on Worldometer's elaboration of the latest United Nations data¹.
South Africa 2026 population is estimated at 65,453,084 people at mid-year.
South Africa population is equivalent to 0.79% of the total world population.
South Africa ranks number 24 in the list of countries (and dependencies) by population.
The population density in South Africa is 54 per Km² (140 people per mi²).
The total land area is 1,213,090 Km² (468,376 sq. miles).
66.92% of the population is urban (43,798,697 people in 2026)
The median age in South Africa is 28.9 years.

1. U.N. Dept. of Economic and Social Affairs - Population Division. World Population Prospects: The 2024 Revision. (Medium-fertility variant).

Population of South Africa (2026 and historical)

Year	Population	Yearly % Change	Yearly Change	Migrants (net)	Median Age	Fertility Rate	Density (P/Km²)	Urban Pop %	Urban Population	Country's Share of World Pop	World Population	South Africa Global Rank
2026	65,453,084	1.09%	705,765	131,684	28.9	2.17	54	66.9%	43,798,697	0.79%	8,300,678,395	24
2025	64,747,319	1.16%	740,132	146,370	28.7	2.19	53	66.6%	43,112,579	0.79%	8,231,613,070	24
2024	64,007,187	1.26%	794,803	166,972	28.5	2.21	53	66.3%	42,416,701	0.78%	8,161,972,572	24
2023	63,212,384	1.34%	833,974	228,222	28.2	2.22	52	66%	41,711,727	0.78%	8,091,734,930	24
2022	62,378,410	1.49%	908,015	233,284	27.9	2.23	51	65.7%	40,998,414	0.78%	8,021,407,192	24
2020	60,562,381	1.32%	767,769	369,901	27.3	2.26	50	65.3%	39,550,889	0.77%	7,887,001,292	24
2015	56,723,537	1.62%	875,897	641,150	25.4	2.36	47	63.2%	35,844,349	0.76%	7,470,491,872	24
2010	52,344,051	1.13%	570,804	68,563	23.6	2.44	43	61.3%	32,094,811	0.75%	7,021,732,148	24
2005	49,490,033	0.97%	466,063	31,286	22.1	2.51	41	58.7%	29,065,720	0.75%	6,586,970,132	24
2000	47,159,719	1.15%	523,633	−136,794	20.8	2.41	39	55.2%	26,015,136	0.76%	6,171,702,993	25
1995	44,541,554	1.8%	759,057	−98,403	20.5	3.17	37	51.5%	22,932,019	0.77%	5,758,878,982	25
1990	40,746,268	3.06%	1,140,835	259,718	20.3	3.72	34	48%	19,545,369	0.76%	5,327,803,110	25
1985	35,042,093	3.49%	1,104,647	244,940	19.4	4.5	29	47.5%	16,653,360	0.72%	4,868,943,465	28
1980	29,518,857	2.82%	765,583	258,127	18.4	4.78	24	48.8%	14,411,610	0.66%	4,447,606,236	28
1975	25,690,940	2.89%	682,191	38,809	17.9	5.19	21	49.1%	12,610,547	0.63%	4,070,735,277	29
1970	22,279,984	3.14%	638,121	61,514	17.7	5.63	18	49%	10,919,359	0.60%	3,694,683,794	29
1965	19,089,380	3.03%	529,842	82,514	17.8	5.89	16	49.4%	9,422,320	0.57%	3,334,533,703	30
1960	16,440,172	2.5%	381,361	18,891	17.9	6.11	14	49.5%	8,138,204	0.55%	3,015,470,894	31
1955	14,533,365	2.19%	298,975	−2,747	18.6	6.13	12	47%	6,829,341	0.53%	2,740,213,792	31

Source: Worldometer (www.Worldometers.info)

Elaboration of data by United Nations, Department of Economic and Social Affairs, Population Division. World Population Prospects: The 2024 Revision. (Medium-fertility variant).

South Africa Population Forecast

Year	Population	Yearly % Change	Yearly Change	Migrants (net)	Median Age	Fertility Rate	Density (P/Km²)	Urban Pop %	Urban Population	Country's Share of World Pop	World Population	South Africa Global Rank
2030	68,161,359	1.03%	682,808	141,259	29.6	2.1	56	68.2%	46,457,072	0.80%	8,569,124,911	23
2035	71,234,752	0.89%	614,679	160,676	30.2	2.04	59	69.7%	49,631,106	0.80%	8,885,210,181	22
2040	74,035,624	0.77%	560,174	158,149	31	1.98	61	71.1%	52,625,241	0.81%	9,177,190,203	22
2045	76,681,450	0.7%	529,165	163,729	31.8	1.94	63	72.3%	55,447,449	0.81%	9,439,639,668	24
2050	79,177,328	0.64%	499,176	178,382	32.3	1.89	65	73.3%	58,056,843	0.82%	9,664,378,587	23

Source: Worldometer (www.Worldometers.info)

Elaboration of data by United Nations, Department of Economic and Social Affairs, Population Division. World Population Prospects: The 2024 Revision. (Medium-fertility variant).

South Africa Demographics (2026)

Main Page: Demographics of South Africa

Life Expectancy

66.7 years

(life expectancy at birth, both sexes)

View by sex and historical chart

Infant Mortality Rate

21.9

(infant deaths per 1,000 live births)

View historical chart

Deaths under age 5

29.9

(per 1,000 live births)

View historical chart

Main Cities by Population in South Africa

(includes boroughs, districts, urban agglomerations, etc.)

Rank	Urban Area	Population Estimate (2025)
1	Johannesburg	7,077,175
2	Cape Town	4,508,921
3	Durban	3,177,927
4	Pretoria	1,836,166
5	Klipgat	1,300,816
6	Tembisa	1,298,512
7	Evaton	773,229
8	Gqeberha	661,220
9	Masetjhaba View	522,402
10	Bloemfontein	496,295
11	Polokwane	451,786
12	Chief Albert Luthuli Park	441,204
13	Edendale	342,930
14	Kanyamazane	292,211
15	Madadeni	277,281
16	Kimberley	271,078
17	Paarl	259,665
18	Vanderbijlpark	257,093
19	Centurion	255,900
20	Reeston	244,390
21	Somerset West	239,943
22	Rustenburg	220,723
23	eMalahleni	220,586
24	Botshabelo-N	218,046
25	Lenasia	214,770
26	Ennerdale	210,428
27	Middelburg	209,906
28	Diepsloot	196,763
29	Phuthaditjhaba	182,141
30	George	179,907
31	Vosman	179,869
32	Motherwell	165,100
33	KwaMhlanga	164,049
34	Riebeeckstad	157,921
35	Sisulu Village	157,462
36	Sakhrol	149,742
37	eMbalenhle	146,921
38	Seweding	145,930
39	Ga-Rankuwa	144,161
40	Bombay Heights	143,723
41	Mohadin	140,960
42	KwaNobuhle	125,644
43	Cosmo City	120,401
44	Paardekraal Ext 2	119,589
45	Coalbrook	112,185
46	Kariega	111,872
47	Worcester	111,039
48	Akasia	106,130
49	Sekgakgapeng	105,105
50	Mpumalanga	104,558
51	Mboloko	102,374
52	Stellenbosch	101,507
53	KaMaqhekeza	101,465
54	Rua Vista	99,222
55	Blouberg Rise	98,805
56	Kroonstad	96,516
57	Mohlakeng	95,908
58	Vorna Valley	92,396
59	Jerusalem	91,697
60	Ermelo	91,442
61	Uitkomsdal	87,980
62	Atlantis	83,398
63	Sikhalasenkosi	83,225
64	Sakhile	74,462
65	Paballelo	70,045
66	Mankweng	69,995
67	Khutsong	69,746
68	Modderspruit	68,683
69	Makhanda	67,923
70	Piet Retief	67,291

More info

Notes

The South Africa Population (Live) counter shows a continuously updated estimate of the current population of South Africa delivered by Worldometer's RTS algorithm, which processes data collected from the United Nations Population Division.

The Population of South Africa (1950 - 2026) chart plots the total population count as of July 1 of each year, from 1950 to 2026.

The Yearly Population Growth Rate chart plots the annual percentage changes in population registered on July 1 of each year, from 1951 to 2026. This value can differ from the Yearly % Change shown in the historical table, which shows the last year equivalent percentage change assuming homogeneous change in the preceding five year period.

Definitions

Year: as of July 1 of the year indicated.

Population: Overall total population (both sexes and all ages) in the country as of July 1 of the year indicated, as estimated by the United Nations, Department of Economic and Social Affairs, Population Division. World Population Prospects: The 2024 Revision. For forecasted years, the U.N. medium-fertility variant is used.

Yearly % Change: For 2026: percentage change in total population over the last year (from July 1, 2025 to June 30, 2026). For all other years: latest year annual percentage change equivalent assuming homogeneous change in the preceding five year period, calculated through reverse compounding.

Yearly Change: For 2026: absolute change in total population (increase or decrease in number of people) over the last year (from July 1, 2025 to June 30, 2026). For all other years: average annual numerical change over the preceding five year period.

Migrants (net): The average annual number of immigrants minus the number of emigrants over the preceding five year period (running from July 1 to June 30 of the initial and final years), or subsequent five year period (for 2016 data). A negative number means that there are more emigrants than immigrants.

Median Age: age that divides the population into two numerically equal groups: half of the people are older than the median age indicated and half are younger. This parameter provides an indication of age distribution.

Fertility Rate: (Total Fertility Rate, or TFR), it is expressed as children per woman. It is calculated as the average number of children an average woman will have during her reproductive period (15 to 49 years old) based on the current fertility rates of every age group in the country, and assuming she is not subject to mortality.

Density (P/Km²): (Population Density) Population per square Kilometer (Km²).

Urban Pop % : Urban population as a percentage of total population.

Urban Population: Population living in areas classified as urban according to the criteria used by each country.

Country's Share of World Pop: Total population in the country as a percentage of total World Population as of July 1 of the year indicated.

World Population: Total World Population as of July 1 of the year indicated.

Global Rank: Position held by South Africa in the list of all countries worldwide ranked by population (from the highest population to the lowest population) as of July 1 of the year indicated.

South Africa Population (LIVE)