South Africa Rural Population 1960-2023
Rural population refers to people living in rural areas as defined by national statistical offices. It is calculated as the difference between total population and urban population. Aggregation of urban and rural population may not add up to total population because of different country coverages.
- South Africa rural population for 2022 was 18,965,399, a 0.69% decline from 2021.
- South Africa rural population for 2021 was 19,096,392, a 0.52% decline from 2020.
- South Africa rural population for 2020 was 19,196,477, a 0.29% decline from 2019.
- South Africa rural population for 2019 was 19,252,374, a 0.2% decline from 2018.
Similar Country Ranking |
Country Name |
Rural Population |
China |
514,596,570 |
Russia |
35,708,054 |
Thailand |
33,777,188 |
Brazil |
26,795,765 |
Mexico |
23,843,271 |
Iran |
20,537,534 |
Turkey |
19,609,710 |
South Africa |
18,965,399 |
Iraq |
12,746,359 |
Algeria |
11,328,186 |
Colombia |
9,311,387 |
Romania |
8,627,368 |
Kazakhstan |
8,243,190 |
Guatemala |
8,216,182 |
Malaysia |
7,393,781 |
Peru |
7,249,838 |
Ecuador |
6,377,754 |
Azerbaijan |
4,357,959 |
Venezuela |
3,289,223 |
Turkmenistan |
2,990,694 |
Serbia |
2,915,423 |
Cuba |
2,533,843 |
Paraguay |
2,521,216 |
Dominican Republic |
1,813,679 |
Belarus |
1,811,720 |
Bosnia |
1,621,904 |
Bulgaria |
1,528,155 |
Libya |
1,273,772 |
Jamaica |
1,215,546 |
Namibia |
1,181,955 |
Armenia |
1,012,841 |
Albania |
1,004,807 |
Costa Rica |
930,373 |
Jordan |
922,394 |
North Macedonia |
841,220 |
Mauritius |
747,287 |
Botswana |
730,591 |
Guyana |
590,192 |
Lebanon |
589,488 |
Equatorial Guinea |
435,309 |
Fiji |
388,373 |
Maldives |
306,227 |
Gabon |
221,340 |
Belize |
217,242 |
Suriname |
208,236 |
Montenegro |
196,160 |
Samoa |
183,207 |
St. Lucia |
145,594 |
Tonga |
82,147 |
Grenada |
79,192 |
St. Vincent and the Grenadines |
47,946 |
Dominica |
20,585 |
Marshall Islands |
8,929 |
American Samoa |
5,669 |
Tuvalu |
3,900 |
Nauru |
0 |
South Africa Rural Population - Historical Data |
Year |
Population |
% of Total |
Change |
2022 |
18,965,399 |
31.67 |
-0.69% |
2021 |
19,096,392 |
32.15 |
-0.52% |
2020 |
19,196,477 |
32.65 |
-0.29% |
2019 |
19,252,374 |
33.14 |
-0.21% |
2018 |
19,291,920 |
33.65 |
-0.26% |
2017 |
19,342,973 |
34.15 |
-1.09% |
2016 |
19,555,396 |
34.66 |
-0.50% |
2015 |
19,652,884 |
35.17 |
0.62% |
2014 |
19,531,882 |
35.69 |
0.13% |
2013 |
19,506,020 |
36.21 |
-0.07% |
2012 |
19,519,108 |
36.73 |
-0.09% |
2011 |
19,537,236 |
37.25 |
-0.14% |
2010 |
19,565,379 |
37.78 |
-0.20% |
2009 |
19,605,061 |
38.31 |
-0.19% |
2008 |
19,642,795 |
38.85 |
-0.24% |
2007 |
19,690,462 |
39.38 |
-0.35% |
2006 |
19,758,594 |
39.92 |
-0.38% |
2005 |
19,834,298 |
40.46 |
-0.39% |
2004 |
19,911,388 |
41.01 |
-0.39% |
2003 |
19,989,156 |
41.55 |
-0.39% |
2002 |
20,066,451 |
42.10 |
-0.34% |
2001 |
20,134,972 |
42.63 |
-0.23% |
2000 |
20,180,731 |
43.11 |
-0.14% |
1999 |
20,209,901 |
43.59 |
0.01% |
1998 |
20,207,050 |
44.07 |
0.16% |
1997 |
20,174,942 |
44.55 |
0.31% |
1996 |
20,112,460 |
45.03 |
0.46% |
1995 |
20,019,826 |
45.51 |
0.59% |
1994 |
19,901,541 |
46.00 |
0.69% |
1993 |
19,765,399 |
46.48 |
0.78% |
1992 |
19,611,686 |
46.96 |
1.03% |
1991 |
19,410,614 |
47.45 |
1.47% |
1990 |
19,126,479 |
47.96 |
1.98% |
1989 |
18,752,378 |
48.50 |
2.26% |
1988 |
18,333,458 |
49.03 |
2.39% |
1987 |
17,901,103 |
49.56 |
2.43% |
1986 |
17,472,051 |
50.10 |
2.22% |
1985 |
17,088,451 |
50.63 |
2.40% |
1984 |
16,682,950 |
50.91 |
2.47% |
1983 |
16,276,095 |
51.08 |
2.36% |
1982 |
15,897,127 |
51.24 |
2.26% |
1981 |
15,542,257 |
51.41 |
2.25% |
1980 |
15,195,825 |
51.58 |
2.49% |
1979 |
14,822,295 |
51.65 |
2.54% |
1978 |
14,449,835 |
51.71 |
2.58% |
1977 |
14,081,628 |
51.77 |
2.57% |
1976 |
13,725,004 |
51.83 |
2.57% |
1975 |
13,376,443 |
51.89 |
2.64% |
1974 |
13,027,761 |
51.95 |
2.69% |
1973 |
12,681,589 |
52.01 |
2.73% |
1972 |
12,340,050 |
52.07 |
2.74% |
1971 |
12,006,521 |
52.13 |
2.81% |
1970 |
11,674,243 |
52.19 |
2.81% |
1969 |
11,350,436 |
52.30 |
2.84% |
1968 |
11,032,588 |
52.41 |
2.87% |
1967 |
10,720,504 |
52.52 |
2.87% |
1966 |
10,416,940 |
52.64 |
2.88% |
1965 |
10,121,629 |
52.75 |
2.88% |
1964 |
9,834,713 |
52.87 |
2.85% |
1963 |
9,558,766 |
52.98 |
2.82% |
1962 |
9,293,113 |
53.09 |
2.77% |
1961 |
9,039,584 |
53.21 |
2.47% |
1960 |
8,818,777 |
53.38 |
% |