South Africa Population 1950-2023

Chart and table of South Africa population from 1950 to 2023. United Nations projections are also included through the year 2100.
  • The current population of South Africa in 2023 is 60,414,495, a 0.87% increase from 2022.
  • The population of South Africa in 2022 was 59,893,885, a 0.84% increase from 2021.
  • The population of South Africa in 2021 was 59,392,255, a 1% increase from 2020.
  • The population of South Africa in 2020 was 58,801,927, a 1.23% increase from 2019.
Data Source: United Nations - World Population Prospects

MLA Citation:
Similar Countries Ranked by Population
Country Name 2023 Population
China 1,425,671,352
Brazil 216,422,446
Russia 144,444,359
Mexico 128,455,567
Iran 89,172,767
Thailand 71,801,279
South Africa 60,414,495
Colombia 52,085,168
Algeria 45,606,480
Iraq 45,504,560
Peru 34,352,719
Malaysia 34,308,525
Venezuela 28,838,499
Romania 19,892,812
Kazakhstan 19,606,633
Ecuador 18,190,484
Guatemala 18,092,026
Jordan 11,337,052
Dominican Republic 11,332,972
Cuba 11,194,449
Azerbaijan 10,412,651
Belarus 9,498,238
Serbia 7,149,077
Libya 6,888,388
Paraguay 6,861,524
Bulgaria 6,687,717
Turkmenistan 6,516,100
Lebanon 5,353,930
Costa Rica 5,212,173
Albania 2,832,439
Jamaica 2,825,544
Armenia 2,777,970
Botswana 2,675,352
Namibia 2,604,172
Gabon 2,436,566
North Macedonia 2,085,679
Equatorial Guinea 1,714,671
Mauritius 1,300,557
Fiji 936,375
Guyana 813,834
Montenegro 626,485
Suriname 623,236
Maldives 521,021
Belize 410,825
Samoa 225,681
Grenada 126,183
Tonga 107,773
Dominica 73,040
American Samoa 43,914
Marshall Islands 41,996
Nauru 12,780
Tuvalu 11,396
South Africa - Historical Population Data
Year Population Growth Rate
2023 60,414,495 0.87%
2022 59,893,885 0.84%
2021 59,392,255 1.00%
2020 58,801,927 1.23%
2019 58,087,055 1.30%
2018 57,339,635 1.23%
2017 56,641,209 0.39%
2016 56,422,274 0.98%
2015 55,876,504 2.10%
2014 54,729,551 1.59%
2013 53,873,616 1.37%
2012 53,145,033 1.34%
2011 52,443,325 1.27%
2010 51,784,921 1.20%
2009 51,170,779 1.20%
2008 50,565,812 1.14%
2007 49,996,094 1.02%
2006 49,491,756 0.97%
2005 49,017,147 0.95%
2004 48,556,071 0.94%
2003 48,104,048 0.93%
2002 47,661,514 0.91%
2001 47,229,714 0.89%
2000 46,813,266 0.97%
1999 46,364,681 1.12%
1998 45,852,166 1.25%
1997 45,285,048 1.40%
1996 44,661,603 1.54%
1995 43,986,084 1.66%
1994 43,267,982 1.75%
1993 42,525,440 1.83%
1992 41,760,755 2.08%
1991 40,910,959 2.59%
1990 39,877,570 3.13%
1989 38,668,684 3.41%
1988 37,393,853 3.53%
1987 36,119,333 3.56%
1986 34,877,834 3.33%
1985 33,752,964 3.01%
1984 32,768,207 2.83%
1983 31,865,176 2.72%
1982 31,022,417 2.61%
1981 30,232,561 2.61%
1980 29,463,549 2.67%
1979 28,697,014 2.70%
1978 27,943,445 2.73%
1977 27,199,838 2.72%
1976 26,480,300 2.72%
1975 25,777,964 2.80%
1974 25,077,016 2.85%
1973 24,382,513 2.89%
1972 23,698,507 2.90%
1971 23,031,441 2.96%
1970 22,368,306 3.06%
1969 21,704,214 3.11%
1968 21,050,540 3.13%
1967 20,410,677 3.14%
1966 19,789,771 3.14%
1965 19,187,194 3.14%
1964 18,603,097 3.11%
1963 18,042,215 3.08%
1962 17,503,133 3.02%
1961 16,989,464 2.84%
1960 16,520,441 2.63%
1959 16,096,455 2.52%
1958 15,700,877 2.49%
1957 15,320,138 2.48%
1956 14,948,934 2.43%
1955 14,594,129 2.37%
1954 14,255,876 2.32%
1953 13,933,246 2.28%
1952 13,622,914 2.24%
1951 13,325,058 2.16%
1950 13,043,844 0.00%