Southern Africa Population (LIVE)

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Southern Africa Population (1950 - 2023)
Yearly Population Growth Rate (%)

Countries in Southern Africa

CountryPopulation (2023)
South Africa60,414,495
Botswana2,675,352
Namibia2,604,172
Lesotho2,330,318
Eswatini1,210,822
  • The current population of Southern Africa is 69,773,388 as of Thursday, March 28, 2024, based on the latest United Nations estimates.
  • Southern Africa population is equivalent to 0.86% of the total world population.
  • Southern Africa ranks number 5 in Africa among subregions ranked by Population.
  • The population density in Southern Africa is 26 per Km2 (68 people per mi2).
  • The total land area is 2,650,670 Km2 (1,023,429 sq. miles)
  • 0 % of the population is urban (0 people in 2023).
  • The median age in Southern Africa is 0.0years.

Population of Southern Africa (2023 and historical)

YearPopulationYearly %
Change
Yearly
Change
Migrants (net)Median AgeFertility RateDensity (P/Km²)Urban
Pop %
Urban PopulationSouthern Africa's
Share of
World Pop
World PopulationSouthern Africa
Rank within
Africa
2023 69,235,158 nan % 0 0.0 0.0 0.0 25 0 % 0 0.9 % 7,840,952,880 5
2020 67,272,182 1.27 % 843,466 21,980 25.1 2.47 25 64.9 % 43,688,187 0.9 % 7,840,952,880 5
2015 63,716,836 1.52 % 923,662 624,000 24.8 2.46 24 61.8 % 39,358,000 0.9 % 7,426,597,537 5
2010 59,098,524 1.11 % 635,279 47,000 23.1 2.55 22 59.3 % 35,033,133 0.9 % 6,985,603,105 5
2005 55,922,130 0.93 % 506,722 -2,700 21.8 2.62 21 56.4 % 31,525,848 0.9 % 6,558,176,119 5
2000 53,388,518 1.31 % 673,156 -97,000 20.5 2.56 20 52.7 % 28,155,877 0.9 % 6,148,898,975 5
1995 50,022,740 2.03 % 956,335 -103,600 19.9 3.28 19 49.4 % 24,706,851 0.9 % 5,743,219,454 5
1990 45,241,063 3.39 % 1,387,397 233,600 19.6 3.85 17 46.2 % 20,912,450 0.9 % 5,316,175,862 5
1985 38,304,076 2.79 % 983,944 130,900 18.5 4.61 14 45.9 % 17,575,710 0.9 % 4,861,730,613 5
1980 33,384,357 2.78 % 855,235 47,900 18.8 4.93 13 45.2 % 15,079,862 0.8 % 4,444,007,706 5
1975 29,108,181 2.94 % 785,363 55,700 18.0 5.32 11 45.1 % 13,119,613 0.8 % 4,069,437,231 5
1970 25,181,364 3.05 % 703,354 55,800 17.6 5.71 9 44.8 % 11,279,997 0.8 % 3,695,390,336 5
1965 21,664,592 2.98 % 591,640 67,600 17.5 6.01 8 32.1 % 6,950,244 0.7 % 3,337,111,983 5
1960 18,706,390 2.48 % 430,903 11,900 17.6 6.17 7 44.4 % 8,305,736 0.7 % 3,019,233,434 5
1955 16,551,876 2.23 % 345,733 -13,600 18.4 6.17 6 42 % 6,950,244 0.7 % 2,746,072,141 5

Source: Worldometer (www.Worldometers.info)

Elaboration of data by United Nations, Department of Economic and Social Affairs, Population Division. World Population Prospects: The 2022 Revision. (Medium-fertility variant).
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Southern Africa Population Forecast

YearPopulationYearly %
Change
Yearly
Change
Migrants (net)Median AgeFertility RateDensity (P/Km²)Urban
Pop %
Urban PopulationSouthern Africa's
Share of
World Pop
World PopulationSouthern Africa
Rank within
Africa
2025 70,742,942 1.01 % 694,152 49,400 27.3 2.34 27 67.7 % 47,899,966 0.9 % 8,191,988,453 5
2030 74,349,536 1 % 721,319 54,300 28.1 2.23 28 69.8 % 51,909,443 0.9 % 8,546,141,327 5
2035 77,623,238 0.87 % 654,740 57,000 28.9 2.15 29 71.8 % 55,757,861 0.9 % 8,879,397,401 5
2040 80,626,119 0.76 % 600,576 57,400 30.0 2.08 30 73.7 % 59,431,696 0.9 % 9,188,250,492 5
2045 83,301,412 0.65 % 535,059 57,800 31.2 2.02 31 75.6 % 62,936,121 0.9 % 9,467,543,575 5
2050 85,542,500 0.53 % 448,218 57,900 32.3 1.97 32 77.4 % 66,231,499 0.9 % 9,709,491,761 5
Source: Worldometer (www.Worldometers.info)
Elaboration of data by United Nations, Department of Economic and Social Affairs, Population Division. World Population Prospects: The 2022 Revision. (Medium-fertility variant).
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Notes

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

The Population of Southern Africa (1950 - 2023) chart plots the total population count as of July 1 of each year, from 1950 to 2023.

The Yearly Population Growth Rate chart plots the annual percentage changes in population registered on July 1 of each year, from 1951 to 2023. 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 2022 Revision. For forecasted years, the U.N. medium-fertility variant is used.

Yearly % Change: For 2023: percentage change in total population over the last year (from July 1, 2022 to June 30 2023). 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 2023: absolute change in total population (increase or decrease in number of people) over the last year (from July 1, 2022 to June 30 2023). 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. 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 Southern Africa, 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.

Southern Africa'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 Africa: Position held by Southern Africa in the list of all regions within Africa ranked by population (from the highest population to the lowest population) as of July 1 of the year indicated.

See also