South America Population (LIVE)

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South America Population (1950 - 2019)
Yearly Population Growth Rate (%)

Countries in South America

CountryPopulation (2020)
Brazil212,559,417
Colombia50,882,891
Argentina45,195,774
Peru32,971,854
Venezuela28,435,940
Chile19,116,201
Ecuador17,643,054
Bolivia11,673,021
Paraguay7,132,538
Uruguay3,473,730
Guyana786,552
Suriname586,632
French Guiana298,682
Falkland Islands3,480
  • The current population of South America is 441,071,023 as of Monday, May 29, 2023, based on the latest United Nations estimates.
  • South America population is equivalent to 5.53% of the total world population.
  • South America ranks number 1 in Latin America and the Caribbean among subregions ranked by Population.
  • The population density in South America is 25 per Km2 (64 people per mi2).
  • The total land area is 17,461,112 Km2 (6,741,770 sq. miles)
  • 85.5 % of the population is urban (368,408,682 people in 2019).
  • The median age in South America is 32.1years.

Population of South America (2019 and historical)

YearPopulationYearly %
Change
Yearly
Change
Migrants (net)Median AgeFertility RateDensity (P/Km²)Urban
Pop %
Urban PopulationSouth America's
Share of
World Pop
World PopulationSouth America
Rank within
Latin America and the Caribbean
2020 430,759,766 0.88 % 3,679,417 -210,000 32.1 1.95 25 85.5 % 368,408,682 5.8 % 7,794,798,739 1
2020 430,759,766 0.83 % 3,560,320 -210,008 30.5 2.00 25 85.5 % 368,408,682 5.5 % 7,794,798,739 1
2019 427,199,446 0.85 % 3,618,368 -210,008 30.5 2.00 24 85.3 % 364,414,366 5.5 % 7,713,468,100
2018 423,581,078 0.88 % 3,677,160 -210,008 30.5 2.00 24 85.1 % 360,352,729 5.6 % 7,631,091,040 1
2017 419,903,918 0.9 % 3,739,062 -210,008 30.5 2.00 24 84.8 % 356,224,855 5.6 % 7,547,858,925 1
2016 416,164,856 0.92 % 3,802,175 -210,008 30.5 2.00 24 84.6 % 352,031,777 5.6 % 7,464,022,049 1
2015 412,362,681 0.99 % 3,963,794 -258,700 30.1 2.02 24 84.3 % 347,768,234 5.9 % 7,379,797,139 1
2010 392,543,709 1.09 % 4,147,811 -389,000 28.2 2.13 22 82.9 % 325,597,221 6.0 % 6,956,823,603 1
2005 371,804,655 1.31 % 4,678,554 -330,000 26.5 2.36 21 81.4 % 302,754,731 6.1 % 6,541,907,027 1
2000 348,411,883 1.57 % 5,221,914 -184,500 24.9 2.66 20 79.8 % 278,161,939 6.1 % 6,143,493,823 1
1995 322,302,312 1.76 % 5,380,821 -185,200 23.7 2.95 18 77.3 % 249,022,277 6.1 % 5,744,212,979 1
1990 295,398,205 1.97 % 5,489,271 -146,300 22.6 3.30 17 74.6 % 220,325,787 6.1 % 5,327,231,061 1
1985 267,951,848 2.18 % 5,487,320 -163,400 21.6 3.77 15 71.5 % 191,480,181 6.0 % 4,870,921,740 1
1980 240,515,250 2.26 % 5,076,168 -226,500 20.7 4.20 14 68 % 163,432,653 5.9 % 4,458,003,514 1
1975 215,134,411 2.29 % 4,612,095 -163,500 19.9 4.54 12 64.2 % 138,054,489 5.8 % 4,079,480,606 1
1970 192,073,935 2.49 % 4,450,151 -126,500 19.2 5.12 11 60.2 % 115,699,584 5.8 % 3,700,437,046 1
1965 169,823,181 2.69 % 4,227,498 -94,200 19.1 5.58 10 36.2 % 61,512,922 5.6 % 3,339,583,597 1
1960 148,685,693 2.7 % 3,713,098 -48,300 19.4 5.63 9 51.8 % 77,018,596 5.4 % 3,034,949,748 1
1955 130,120,202 2.72 % 3,270,999 70,700 19.8 5.62 7 47.3 % 61,512,922 5.1 % 2,773,019,936 1
Source: Worldometer (www.Worldometers.info)
Elaboration of data by United Nations, Department of Economic and Social Affairs, Population Division. World Population Prospects: The 2019 Revision. (Medium-fertility variant).
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South America Population Forecast

YearPopulationYearly %
Change
Yearly
Change
Migrants (net)Median AgeFertility RateDensity (P/Km²)Urban
Pop %
Urban PopulationSouth America's
Share of
World Pop
World PopulationSouth America
Rank within
Latin America and the Caribbean
2020 430,759,766 0.88 % 3,679,417 -210,000 32.1 1.95 25 85.5 % 368,408,682 5.8 % 7,794,798,739 1
2025 447,509,559 0.77 % 3,349,959 -32,000 33.9 1.96 26 86.5 % 387,287,563 5.7 % 8,184,437,460 1
2030 461,853,870 0.63 % 2,868,862 14,400 35.7 1.97 26 87.5 % 404,258,259 5.6 % 8,548,487,400 1
2035 473,256,073 0.49 % 2,280,441 -35,400 37.5 1.97 27 88.6 % 419,148,163 5.3 % 8,887,524,213 1
2040 481,836,850 0.36 % 1,716,155 -49,300 39.2 1.98 28 89.6 % 431,887,607 5.4 % 9,198,847,240 1
2045 487,829,396 0.25 % 1,198,509 -48,500 40.8 1.99 28 90.7 % 442,400,549 5.3 % 9,481,803,274 1
2050 491,471,897 0.15 % 728,500 -47,700 42.1 2.00 28 91.7 % 450,619,257 5.2 % 9,735,033,990 1
Source: Worldometer (www.Worldometers.info)
Elaboration of data by United Nations, Department of Economic and Social Affairs, Population Division. World Population Prospects: The 2019 Revision. (Medium-fertility variant).
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Notes

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

The Population of South America (1950 - 2019) chart plots the total population count as of July 1 of each year, from 1950 to 2019.

The Yearly Population Growth Rate chart plots the annual percentage changes in population registered on July 1 of each year, from 1951 to 2019. 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 sub-region 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 2019 Revision. For forecasted years, the U.N. medium-fertility variant is used.

Yearly % Change: For 2019: percentage change in total population over the last year (from July 1, 2018 to June 30 2019). 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 2019: absolute change in total population (increase or decrease in number of people) over the last year (from July 1, 2018 to June 30 2019). 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 countries within South America, 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.

South America's Share of World Pop: Total population 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.

Rank within Latin America and the Caribbean: Position held by South America in the list of all regions within Latin America and the Caribbean ranked by population (from the highest population to the lowest population) as of July 1 of the year indicated.

See also