Population in urban agglomerations of more than 1 million in South Africa
South Africa: Population in urban agglomerations of more than 1 million was 23.36 million in 2025. ◆ Volatile
Latest (2025)
23.36 million
Change on year
up 1.7%
World rank
17th
of 121 countries
All-time high
23.36 million
in 2025
All-time low
4.02 million
in 1960
Years of data
66
1960–2025
Population in urban agglomerations of more than 1 million in South Africa, 1960–2025
Source: World Urbanization Prospects 2018, United Nations (UN).
Analysis
The most recent figure for population in urban agglomerations of more than 1 million in South Africa is 23.36 million, measured in 2025. That is the highest value across all 66 years on record.
Compared with earlier readings it is up 1.7% on the previous year and up 23.7% over ten years.
Over the whole period, population in urban agglomerations of more than 1 million in South Africa peaked at 23.36 million in 2025 and was at its lowest, 4.02 million, in 1960.
South Africa ranks 17th of 121 countries on this measure, in the top quarter.
The series is highly variable year to year, so single readings are best treated with caution.
Population in urban agglomerations of more than 1 million in South Africa, year by year
| Year | Value | Change |
|---|---|---|
| 1960 | 4.02 million | — |
| 1961 | 4.13 million | +2.9% |
| 1962 | 4.25 million | +2.9% |
| 1963 | 4.38 million | +2.9% |
| 1964 | 4.51 million | +2.9% |
| 1965 | 4.64 million | +2.9% |
| 1966 | 4.77 million | +2.9% |
| 1967 | 4.91 million | +2.9% |
| 1968 | 5.06 million | +2.9% |
| 1969 | 5.21 million | +2.9% |
| 1970 | 5.35 million | +2.8% |
| 1971 | 5.48 million | +2.3% |
| 1972 | 5.60 million | +2.3% |
| 1973 | 5.73 million | +2.3% |
| 1974 | 5.87 million | +2.3% |
| 1975 | 6.01 million | +2.4% |
| 1976 | 6.15 million | +2.4% |
| 1977 | 6.30 million | +2.4% |
| 1978 | 6.45 million | +2.4% |
| 1979 | 6.60 million | +2.4% |
| 1980 | 6.76 million | +2.4% |
| 1981 | 6.93 million | +2.4% |
| 1982 | 7.10 million | +2.5% |
| 1983 | 7.27 million | +2.5% |
| 1984 | 7.45 million | +2.5% |
| 1985 | 7.65 million | +2.6% |
| 1986 | 7.88 million | +3.0% |
| 1987 | 8.11 million | +3.0% |
| 1988 | 8.35 million | +3.0% |
| 1989 | 8.60 million | +3.0% |
| 1990 | 8.86 million | +3.0% |
| 1991 | 9.15 million | +3.3% |
| 1992 | 9.52 million | +4.0% |
| 1993 | 9.90 million | +4.0% |
| 1994 | 10.31 million | +4.1% |
| 1995 | 10.73 million | +4.1% |
| 1996 | 11.18 million | +4.2% |
| 1997 | 11.59 million | +3.7% |
| 1998 | 12.00 million | +3.5% |
| 1999 | 12.42 million | +3.5% |
| 2000 | 12.85 million | +3.5% |
| 2001 | 13.30 million | +3.5% |
| 2002 | 13.67 million | +2.7% |
| 2003 | 14.00 million | +2.4% |
| 2004 | 14.35 million | +2.5% |
| 2005 | 14.70 million | +2.5% |
| 2006 | 15.07 million | +2.5% |
| 2007 | 15.44 million | +2.5% |
| 2008 | 15.83 million | +2.5% |
| 2009 | 16.23 million | +2.5% |
| 2010 | 16.64 million | +2.5% |
| 2011 | 17.06 million | +2.5% |
| 2012 | 17.49 million | +2.6% |
| 2013 | 17.94 million | +2.6% |
| 2014 | 18.41 million | +2.6% |
| 2015 | 18.88 million | +2.6% |
| 2016 | 19.37 million | +2.6% |
| 2017 | 19.88 million | +2.6% |
| 2018 | 20.40 million | +2.6% |
| 2019 | 20.84 million | +2.1% |
| 2020 | 21.27 million | +2.1% |
| 2021 | 21.70 million | +2.0% |
| 2022 | 22.13 million | +2.0% |
| 2023 | 22.55 million | +1.9% |
| 2024 | 22.96 million | +1.8% |
| 2025 | 23.36 million | +1.7% |
Averages by decade
| Decade | Average | Lowest | Highest | Years |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1960s | 4.59 million | 4.02 million | 5.21 million | 10 |
| 1970s | 5.95 million | 5.35 million | 6.60 million | 10 |
| 1980s | 7.61 million | 6.76 million | 8.60 million | 10 |
| 1990s | 10.56 million | 8.86 million | 12.42 million | 10 |
| 2000s | 14.54 million | 12.85 million | 16.23 million | 10 |
| 2010s | 18.69 million | 16.64 million | 20.84 million | 10 |
| 2020s | 22.33 million | 21.27 million | 23.36 million | 6 |
Countries ranked near South Africa
- 14 Congo, Democratic Republic of the 27.36 million compare
- 15 Republic of Korea 26.41 million compare
- 16 Colombia 23.80 million compare
- 18 Iran, Islamic Republic of 23.31 million compare
- 19 Argentina 20.28 million compare
- 20 Viet Nam 20.22 million compare
More urban development data for South Africa
- Population in the largest city 15.6% (2025)
- Population density 52.11 people per sq. km of land area (2023)
- 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, 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 in urban agglomerations of more than 1 million in South Africa?
- Population in urban agglomerations of more than 1 million in South Africa was 23.36 million in 2025, according to World Urbanization Prospects 2018, United Nations (UN).
- What is the highest population in urban agglomerations of more than 1 million recorded in South Africa?
- The highest recorded value was 23.36 million in 2025.
- What is the lowest population in urban agglomerations of more than 1 million recorded in South Africa?
- The lowest recorded value was 4.02 million in 1960.
- How does South Africa rank for population in urban agglomerations of more than 1 million?
- South Africa ranks 17th out of 121 countries with data for 2025.
- Is population in urban agglomerations of more than 1 million rising or falling in South Africa?
- Over the last ten years it is up 23.7%. The long-run trend across the full record is volatile.
- Where does this South Africa data come from?
- The figures come from World Urbanization Prospects 2018, United Nations (UN), published as part of Population in urban agglomerations of more than 1 million. Statizoid updates them automatically from the source API.
Download this data
CSV · JSON — 66 observations, free to reuse under CC BY 4.0 (World Bank Open Data).
About this data
Population in urban agglomerations of more than one million is the country's population living in metropolitan areas that in 2018 had a population of more than one million people.