Population density in South Africa
South Africa: Population density was 52.11 people per sq. km of land area in 2023. ▲ Rising
Latest (2023)
52.11 people per sq. km of land area
Change on year
up 1.3%
World rank
151st
of 216 countries
All-time high
52.11 people per sq. km of land area
in 2023
All-time low
13.94 people per sq. km of land area
in 1961
Years of data
63
1961–2023
Population density in South Africa, 1961–2023
Source: FAO population estimates, Food and Agriculture Organization of the United Nations (FAO), publisher: Food and Agriculture Organization of the United Nations (FAO). Measured in people per sq. km of land area.
Analysis
In 2023, population density in South Africa stood at 52.11 people per sq. km of land area. That is the highest value across all 63 years on record.
That represents a change of up 1.3% on the previous year and up 15.6% over ten years.
Over the whole period, population density in South Africa peaked at 52.11 people per sq. km of land area in 2023 and was at its lowest, 13.94 people per sq. km of land area, in 1961.
South Africa ranks 151st of 216 countries on this measure, in the middle of the range.
The long-run direction has been consistently rising across the 63 years of available data.
Population density in South Africa, year by year
| Year | people per sq. km of land area | Change |
|---|---|---|
| 1961 | 13.94 people per sq. km of land area | — |
| 1962 | 14.36 people per sq. km of land area | +3.0% |
| 1963 | 14.8 people per sq. km of land area | +3.1% |
| 1964 | 15.26 people per sq. km of land area | +3.1% |
| 1965 | 15.74 people per sq. km of land area | +3.1% |
| 1966 | 16.23 people per sq. km of land area | +3.1% |
| 1967 | 16.75 people per sq. km of land area | +3.2% |
| 1968 | 17.28 people per sq. km of land area | +3.2% |
| 1969 | 17.82 people per sq. km of land area | +3.1% |
| 1970 | 18.37 people per sq. km of land area | +3.1% |
| 1971 | 18.91 people per sq. km of land area | +3.0% |
| 1972 | 19.46 people per sq. km of land area | +2.9% |
| 1973 | 20.03 people per sq. km of land area | +2.9% |
| 1974 | 20.6 people per sq. km of land area | +2.9% |
| 1975 | 21.18 people per sq. km of land area | +2.8% |
| 1976 | 21.76 people per sq. km of land area | +2.7% |
| 1977 | 22.36 people per sq. km of land area | +2.7% |
| 1978 | 22.97 people per sq. km of land area | +2.8% |
| 1979 | 23.6 people per sq. km of land area | +2.7% |
| 1980 | 24.33 people per sq. km of land area | +3.1% |
| 1981 | 25.18 people per sq. km of land area | +3.5% |
| 1982 | 26.06 people per sq. km of land area | +3.5% |
| 1983 | 26.99 people per sq. km of land area | +3.6% |
| 1984 | 27.94 people per sq. km of land area | +3.5% |
| 1985 | 28.89 people per sq. km of land area | +3.4% |
| 1986 | 29.83 people per sq. km of land area | +3.2% |
| 1987 | 30.77 people per sq. km of land area | +3.2% |
| 1988 | 31.72 people per sq. km of land area | +3.1% |
| 1989 | 32.67 people per sq. km of land area | +3.0% |
| 1990 | 33.59 people per sq. km of land area | +2.8% |
| 1991 | 34.37 people per sq. km of land area | +2.3% |
| 1992 | 34.99 people per sq. km of land area | +1.8% |
| 1993 | 35.69 people per sq. km of land area | +2.0% |
| 1994 | 36.27 people per sq. km of land area | +1.6% |
| 1995 | 36.72 people per sq. km of land area | +1.2% |
| 1996 | 37.2 people per sq. km of land area | +1.3% |
| 1997 | 37.65 people per sq. km of land area | +1.2% |
| 1998 | 38.1 people per sq. km of land area | +1.2% |
| 1999 | 38.52 people per sq. km of land area | +1.1% |
| 2000 | 38.88 people per sq. km of land area | +0.9% |
| 2001 | 39.21 people per sq. km of land area | +0.9% |
| 2002 | 39.58 people per sq. km of land area | +1.0% |
| 2003 | 39.98 people per sq. km of land area | +1.0% |
| 2004 | 40.39 people per sq. km of land area | +1.0% |
| 2005 | 40.8 people per sq. km of land area | +1.0% |
| 2006 | 41.22 people per sq. km of land area | +1.0% |
| 2007 | 41.65 people per sq. km of land area | +1.1% |
| 2008 | 42.14 people per sq. km of land area | +1.2% |
| 2009 | 42.64 people per sq. km of land area | +1.2% |
| 2010 | 43.15 people per sq. km of land area | +1.2% |
| 2011 | 43.69 people per sq. km of land area | +1.2% |
| 2012 | 44.34 people per sq. km of land area | +1.5% |
| 2013 | 45.07 people per sq. km of land area | +1.7% |
| 2014 | 45.83 people per sq. km of land area | +1.7% |
| 2015 | 46.76 people per sq. km of land area | +2.0% |
| 2016 | 47.2 people per sq. km of land area | +0.9% |
| 2017 | 47.51 people per sq. km of land area | +0.7% |
| 2018 | 48.32 people per sq. km of land area | +1.7% |
| 2019 | 49.12 people per sq. km of land area | +1.7% |
| 2020 | 49.92 people per sq. km of land area | +1.6% |
| 2021 | 50.7 people per sq. km of land area | +1.6% |
| 2022 | 51.42 people per sq. km of land area | +1.4% |
| 2023 | 52.11 people per sq. km of land area | +1.3% |
Averages by decade
| Decade | Average | Lowest | Highest | Years |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1960s | 15.8 people per sq. km of land area | 13.94 people per sq. km of land area | 17.82 people per sq. km of land area | 9 |
| 1970s | 20.92 people per sq. km of land area | 18.37 people per sq. km of land area | 23.6 people per sq. km of land area | 10 |
| 1980s | 28.44 people per sq. km of land area | 24.33 people per sq. km of land area | 32.67 people per sq. km of land area | 10 |
| 1990s | 36.31 people per sq. km of land area | 33.59 people per sq. km of land area | 38.52 people per sq. km of land area | 10 |
| 2000s | 40.65 people per sq. km of land area | 38.88 people per sq. km of land area | 42.64 people per sq. km of land area | 10 |
| 2010s | 46.1 people per sq. km of land area | 43.15 people per sq. km of land area | 49.12 people per sq. km of land area | 10 |
| 2020s | 51.04 people per sq. km of land area | 49.92 people per sq. km of land area | 52.11 people per sq. km of land area | 4 |
Countries ranked near South Africa
- 148 Nicaragua 56.7 people per sq. km of land area compare
- 149 Iran, Islamic Republic of 55.85 people per sq. km of land area compare
- 150 Madagascar 53.62 people per sq. km of land area compare
- 152 Fiji 50.58 people per sq. km of land area compare
- 153 Djibouti 49.74 people per sq. km of land area compare
- 154 Turks and Caicos Islands 48.63 people per sq. km of land area compare
More urban development data for South Africa
- Population in the largest city 15.6% (2025)
- PM2.5 air pollution, mean annual exposure 27.72 micrograms per cubic meter (2023)
- Population in urban agglomerations of more than 1 million, per capita 0.3607 units per person (2025)
- Population in urban agglomerations of more than 1 million 23.36 million (2025)
- Population in urban agglomerations of more than 1 million, annual 1.74 % change on previous year (2025)
- Population in urban agglomerations of more than 1 million, per unit 0.0001 units per US$ of GDP (2025)
- Population in urban agglomerations of more than 1 million, per square 18.59 units per square kilometre (2023)
- Population in largest city 6.44 million (2025)
- Crude steelmaking capacity 8.05 Tonnes (2025)
- Africa's Development Dynamics (AfDD) Table 23 - Ecological 750.74 Hectares (2020)
Frequently asked questions
- What is population density in South Africa?
- Population density in South Africa was 52.11 people per sq. km of land area in 2023, according to FAO population estimates, Food and Agriculture Organization of the United Nations (FAO), publisher: Food and Agriculture Organization of the United Nations (FAO).
- What is the highest population density recorded in South Africa?
- The highest recorded value was 52.11 people per sq. km of land area in 2023.
- What is the lowest population density recorded in South Africa?
- The lowest recorded value was 13.94 people per sq. km of land area in 1961.
- How does South Africa rank for population density?
- South Africa ranks 151st out of 216 countries with data for 2023.
- Is population density rising or falling in South Africa?
- Over the last ten years it is up 15.6%. The long-run trend across the full record is rising.
- Where does this South Africa data come from?
- The figures come from FAO population estimates, Food and Agriculture Organization of the United Nations (FAO), publisher: Food and Agriculture Organization of the United Nations (FAO), published as part of Population density (people per sq. km of land area). Statizoid updates them automatically from the source API.
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CSV · JSON — 63 observations, free to reuse under CC BY 4.0 (World Bank Open Data).
About this data
Population density is midyear population divided by land area in square kilometers. Population is based on the de facto definition of population, which counts all residents regardless of legal status or citizenship--except for refugees not permanently settled in the country of asylum, who are generally considered part of the population of their country of origin. Land area is a country's total area, excluding area under inland water bodies, national claims to continental shelf, and exclusive economic zones. In most cases the definition of inland water bodies includes major rivers and lakes.