South Africa Urban Population 1960-2023
Urban population refers to people living in urban areas as defined by national statistical offices. It is calculated using World Bank population estimates and urban ratios from the United Nations World Urbanization Prospects. Aggregation of urban and rural population may not add up to total population because of different country coverages.
- South Africa urban population for 2021 was 40,295,863, a 1.74% increase from 2020.
- South Africa urban population for 2020 was 39,605,450, a 1.98% increase from 2019.
- South Africa urban population for 2019 was 38,834,681, a 2.07% increase from 2018.
- South Africa urban population for 2018 was 38,047,715, a 2.01% increase from 2017.
| Similar Country Ranking |
| Country Name |
Urban Population |
| China |
882,894,483 |
| Brazil |
187,143,228 |
| Russia |
107,492,288 |
| Mexico |
102,651,435 |
| Iran |
67,125,144 |
| Turkey |
64,911,679 |
| Colombia |
42,109,638 |
| South Africa |
40,295,863 |
| Thailand |
37,349,283 |
| Algeria |
32,807,002 |
| Iraq |
30,960,655 |
| Peru |
26,466,645 |
| Malaysia |
26,085,557 |
| Venezuela |
24,907,533 |
| Ecuador |
11,454,802 |
| Kazakhstan |
10,986,561 |
| Romania |
10,387,640 |
| Jordan |
10,214,721 |
| Dominican Republic |
9,251,516 |
| Guatemala |
8,938,987 |
| Cuba |
8,700,275 |
| Belarus |
7,463,845 |
| Azerbaijan |
5,755,809 |
| Libya |
5,455,170 |
| Bulgaria |
5,228,804 |
| Lebanon |
4,982,643 |
| Costa Rica |
4,196,609 |
| Paraguay |
4,189,606 |
| Serbia |
3,871,714 |
| Turkmenistan |
3,361,056 |
| Gabon |
2,116,964 |
| Botswana |
1,852,275 |
| Albania |
1,770,478 |
| Armenia |
1,770,343 |
| Bosnia |
1,616,664 |
| Jamaica |
1,601,946 |
| Namibia |
1,341,107 |
| North Macedonia |
1,213,985 |
| Equatorial Guinea |
1,202,330 |
| Fiji |
533,870 |
| Mauritius |
516,236 |
| Montenegro |
419,986 |
| Suriname |
405,913 |
| Guyana |
216,404 |
| Maldives |
214,329 |
| Belize |
184,818 |
| St. Vincent and the Grenadines |
55,768 |
| Dominica |
51,699 |
| Grenada |
45,724 |
| American Samoa |
39,257 |
| Samoa |
38,813 |
| St. Lucia |
34,026 |
| Marshall Islands |
32,867 |
| Tonga |
24,494 |
| Nauru |
12,511 |
| Tuvalu |
7,259 |
| South Africa Urban Population - Historical Data |
| Year |
Population |
% of Total |
Change |
| 2021 |
40,295,863 |
67.85 |
1.73% |
| 2020 |
39,605,450 |
67.35 |
1.97% |
| 2019 |
38,834,681 |
66.86 |
2.05% |
| 2018 |
38,047,715 |
66.36 |
1.99% |
| 2017 |
37,298,236 |
65.85 |
1.16% |
| 2016 |
36,866,878 |
65.34 |
1.76% |
| 2015 |
36,223,620 |
64.83 |
2.87% |
| 2014 |
35,197,669 |
64.31 |
2.39% |
| 2013 |
34,367,596 |
63.79 |
2.18% |
| 2012 |
33,625,925 |
63.27 |
2.16% |
| 2011 |
32,906,089 |
62.75 |
2.11% |
| 2010 |
32,219,542 |
62.22 |
2.05% |
| 2009 |
31,565,718 |
61.69 |
2.06% |
| 2008 |
30,923,017 |
61.15 |
2.02% |
| 2007 |
30,305,632 |
60.62 |
1.91% |
| 2006 |
29,733,162 |
60.08 |
1.87% |
| 2005 |
29,182,849 |
59.54 |
1.86% |
| 2004 |
28,644,683 |
58.99 |
1.87% |
| 2003 |
28,114,892 |
58.45 |
1.87% |
| 2002 |
27,595,063 |
57.90 |
1.83% |
| 2001 |
27,094,742 |
57.37 |
1.72% |
| 2000 |
26,632,535 |
56.89 |
1.81% |
| 1999 |
26,154,780 |
56.41 |
1.97% |
| 1998 |
25,645,116 |
55.93 |
2.11% |
| 1997 |
25,110,106 |
55.45 |
2.26% |
| 1996 |
24,549,143 |
54.97 |
2.40% |
| 1995 |
23,966,258 |
54.49 |
2.53% |
| 1994 |
23,366,441 |
54.00 |
2.63% |
| 1993 |
22,760,041 |
53.52 |
2.72% |
| 1992 |
22,149,069 |
53.04 |
2.97% |
| 1991 |
21,500,345 |
52.55 |
3.55% |
| 1990 |
20,751,091 |
52.04 |
4.11% |
| 1989 |
19,916,306 |
51.51 |
4.39% |
| 1988 |
19,060,395 |
50.97 |
4.52% |
| 1987 |
18,218,230 |
50.44 |
4.56% |
| 1986 |
17,405,783 |
49.91 |
4.35% |
| 1985 |
16,664,513 |
49.37 |
3.54% |
| 1984 |
16,085,257 |
49.09 |
3.13% |
| 1983 |
15,589,081 |
48.92 |
3.02% |
| 1982 |
15,125,290 |
48.76 |
2.92% |
| 1981 |
14,690,304 |
48.59 |
2.92% |
| 1980 |
14,267,724 |
48.43 |
2.79% |
| 1979 |
13,874,719 |
48.35 |
2.79% |
| 1978 |
13,493,610 |
48.29 |
2.82% |
| 1977 |
13,118,210 |
48.23 |
2.81% |
| 1976 |
12,755,296 |
48.17 |
2.81% |
| 1975 |
12,401,521 |
48.11 |
2.88% |
| 1974 |
12,049,255 |
48.05 |
2.93% |
| 1973 |
11,700,924 |
47.99 |
2.97% |
| 1972 |
11,358,457 |
47.93 |
2.98% |
| 1971 |
11,024,920 |
47.87 |
3.05% |
| 1970 |
10,694,063 |
47.81 |
3.23% |
| 1969 |
10,353,778 |
47.70 |
3.30% |
| 1968 |
10,017,952 |
47.59 |
3.33% |
| 1967 |
9,690,173 |
47.48 |
3.33% |
| 1966 |
9,372,831 |
47.36 |
3.33% |
| 1965 |
9,065,565 |
47.25 |
3.33% |
| 1964 |
8,768,384 |
47.13 |
3.30% |
| 1963 |
8,483,449 |
47.02 |
3.28% |
| 1962 |
8,210,020 |
46.91 |
3.22% |
| 1961 |
7,949,880 |
46.79 |
3.17% |
| 1960 |
7,701,664 |
46.62 |
% |
