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ZAF · ZA · United Nations WPP 2024 · 2026

South Africa

South Africa had a population of 65,453,084 people in 2026, ranking 24 of 237 countries and areas. Explore its age pyramid, trends and demographic indicators.

Ranking Map Countries Data

Source: United Nations World Population Prospects 2024, medium variant.

Total population
65,453,084 people
2026 · Projection
Rank
#24/ 237
Africa #6 / 58
Share of world population
0.79%
2026
Density
53.6 people/km²
2026
Median age
28.9
years
Life expectancy
66.66
years
2026

Country or area overview

South Africa is in Africa. In 2026, its population was 65,453,084 people, about 0.79% of the world total. It ranks #24 of 237 countries and areas worldwide. The population was 13,038,491 people in 1950 and is projected to reach 94,314,448 people in 2100. The annual population growth rate in 2026 is 1.05%. The median age is 28.9. 25.6% of the population is under 15 and 7.1% is 65 or older. Life expectancy is 66.66 and the total fertility rate is 2.17. Within Africa, it ranks #6 of 58 by population and #35 of 58 by population density. Data note This page uses the UN World Population Prospects 2024 medium variant. Data for 1950–2023 are estimates; 2024 onward, including 2026, are projections. Values for 2100 are long-range projections.

South Africa map

Country outline and its location in the world.

Map of South Africa
All territories of South Africa All territories
World location

Boundaries: Natural Earth 1:50m.

Population history and projection

Population from 1950 to 2100. The dashed section shows the UN medium-variant projection from 2024 onward.

United Nations WPP 2024
104.07M78.87M53.68M28.48M3.29M1950197620022028205420802100
EstimatesProjections

Age group · 2026

Population age pyramid

Male and female population by five-year age group. Move the year slider to compare 1950, today and the 2100 projection.

2026Projection
MaleFemaleAge group100+ · Male: 1,954 (0.00%) · Female: 4,985 (0.01%)100+ · Male: 1,954 (0.00%) · Female: 4,985 (0.01%)100+95–99 · Male: 9,500 (0.01%) · Female: 25,188 (0.04%)95–99 · Male: 9,500 (0.01%) · Female: 25,188 (0.04%)95–9990–94 · Male: 28,479 (0.04%) · Female: 79,365 (0.12%)90–94 · Male: 28,479 (0.04%) · Female: 79,365 (0.12%)90–9485–89 · Male: 64,329 (0.10%) · Female: 164,111 (0.25%)85–89 · Male: 64,329 (0.10%) · Female: 164,111 (0.25%)85–8980–84 · Male: 126,578 (0.19%) · Female: 261,312 (0.40%)80–84 · Male: 126,578 (0.19%) · Female: 261,312 (0.40%)80–8475–79 · Male: 275,365 (0.42%) · Female: 469,253 (0.72%)75–79 · Male: 275,365 (0.42%) · Female: 469,253 (0.72%)75–7970–74 · Male: 519,578 (0.79%) · Female: 772,076 (1.18%)70–74 · Male: 519,578 (0.79%) · Female: 772,076 (1.18%)70–7465–69 · Male: 768,412 (1.17%) · Female: 1,060,365 (1.62%)65–69 · Male: 768,412 (1.17%) · Female: 1,060,365 (1.62%)65–6960–64 · Male: 974,120 (1.49%) · Female: 1,280,084 (1.96%)60–64 · Male: 974,120 (1.49%) · Female: 1,280,084 (1.96%)60–6455–59 · Male: 1,174,257 (1.79%) · Female: 1,422,002 (2.17%)55–59 · Male: 1,174,257 (1.79%) · Female: 1,422,002 (2.17%)55–5950–54 · Male: 1,468,411 (2.24%) · Female: 1,612,544 (2.46%)50–54 · Male: 1,468,411 (2.24%) · Female: 1,612,544 (2.46%)50–5445–49 · Male: 1,951,178 (2.98%) · Female: 1,992,791 (3.04%)45–49 · Male: 1,951,178 (2.98%) · Female: 1,992,791 (3.04%)45–4940–44 · Male: 2,458,755 (3.76%) · Female: 2,500,005 (3.82%)40–44 · Male: 2,458,755 (3.76%) · Female: 2,500,005 (3.82%)40–4435–39 · Male: 2,720,775 (4.16%) · Female: 2,779,572 (4.25%)35–39 · Male: 2,720,775 (4.16%) · Female: 2,779,572 (4.25%)35–3930–34 · Male: 2,787,657 (4.26%) · Female: 2,870,789 (4.39%)30–34 · Male: 2,787,657 (4.26%) · Female: 2,870,789 (4.39%)30–3425–29 · Male: 2,707,204 (4.14%) · Female: 2,693,936 (4.12%)25–29 · Male: 2,707,204 (4.14%) · Female: 2,693,936 (4.12%)25–2920–24 · Male: 2,639,019 (4.03%) · Female: 2,583,557 (3.95%)20–24 · Male: 2,639,019 (4.03%) · Female: 2,583,557 (3.95%)20–2415–19 · Male: 2,742,075 (4.19%) · Female: 2,721,951 (4.16%)15–19 · Male: 2,742,075 (4.19%) · Female: 2,721,951 (4.16%)15–1910–14 · Male: 2,618,391 (4.00%) · Female: 2,605,023 (3.98%)10–14 · Male: 2,618,391 (4.00%) · Female: 2,605,023 (3.98%)10–145–9 · Male: 2,846,539 (4.35%) · Female: 2,844,635 (4.35%)5–9 · Male: 2,846,539 (4.35%) · Female: 2,844,635 (4.35%)5–90–4 · Male: 2,954,468 (4.51%) · Female: 2,872,496 (4.39%)0–4 · Male: 2,954,468 (4.51%) · Female: 2,872,496 (4.39%)0–4
Age-group data
Age group Male Female Total Share
0–4 2,954,468 2,872,496 5,826,964 8.90%
5–9 2,846,539 2,844,635 5,691,174 8.70%
10–14 2,618,391 2,605,023 5,223,414 7.98%
15–19 2,742,075 2,721,951 5,464,026 8.35%
20–24 2,639,019 2,583,557 5,222,576 7.98%
25–29 2,707,204 2,693,936 5,401,140 8.25%
30–34 2,787,657 2,870,789 5,658,446 8.65%
35–39 2,720,775 2,779,572 5,500,347 8.40%
40–44 2,458,755 2,500,005 4,958,760 7.58%
45–49 1,951,178 1,992,791 3,943,969 6.03%
50–54 1,468,411 1,612,544 3,080,955 4.71%
55–59 1,174,257 1,422,002 2,596,259 3.97%
60–64 974,120 1,280,084 2,254,204 3.44%
65–69 768,412 1,060,365 1,828,777 2.79%
70–74 519,578 772,076 1,291,654 1.97%
75–79 275,365 469,253 744,618 1.14%
80–84 126,578 261,312 387,890 0.59%
85–89 64,329 164,111 228,440 0.35%
90–94 28,479 79,365 107,844 0.16%
95–99 9,500 25,188 34,688 0.05%
100+ 1,954 4,985 6,939 0.01%
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Demographic indicators

UN WPP 2024 indicators for 2026.

Projection
Indicator 2026 Projection for 2100 Unit
Total population 65,453,084 people 94,314,448 people people
Male population 31,837,045 people 45,188,856 people people
Female population 33,616,040 people 49,125,592 people people
Population density 53.6 people/km² 77.3 people/km² people/km²
Sex ratio 94.7 92.0 males per 100 females
Median age 28.9 38.3 years
Natural change 558,180 17,570 people
Natural change rate 8.53 ‰ 0.19 ‰ ‰
Population change 689,869 216,618 people
Population growth rate 1.05% 0.23% %
Population doubling time 65.8 — years
Births 1,167,803 people 1,102,124 people people
Births to women aged 15–19 140,841 46,369 people
Birth rate 17.84 ‰ 11.69 ‰ ‰
Total fertility rate 2.17 1.74 children per woman
Net reproduction rate 1.002 0.842
Mean age at childbearing 28.28 30.27 years
Sex ratio at birth 104.0 103.9 males per 100 females
Deaths 609,623 people 1,084,554 people people
Male deaths 326,589 535,737 people
Female deaths 283,034 548,816 people
Death rate 9.31 ‰ 11.50 ‰ ‰
Life expectancy at birth 66.66 77.33 years
Male life expectancy at birth 63.12 74.20 years
Female life expectancy at birth 70.16 80.36 years
Life expectancy at age 15 53.99 62.76 years
Life expectancy at age 65 15.70 19.74 years
Life expectancy at age 80 8.75 10.88 years
Infant deaths 25,633 3,333 people
Infant mortality rate 21.92 ‰ 3.02 ‰ ‰
Survivors to age 1 1,144,884 1,099,270 people
Deaths under age 5 35,161 4,909 people
Under-5 mortality rate 29.91 ‰ 4.44 ‰ ‰
Net migration 131,684 199,038 people
Net migration rate 2.01 ‰ 2.11 ‰ ‰

Frequently asked questions

What is the population of South Africa?
In 2026, South Africa had a population of 65,453,084 people. It ranks #24 of 237 countries and areas worldwide.
How has the population of South Africa changed?
The population was 13,038,491 people in 1950 and is projected to reach 94,314,448 people in 2100.
What is the age structure of South Africa?
The median age is 28.9. 25.6% of the population is under 15 and 7.1% is 65 or older.
How does South Africa compare within Africa?
By total population, South Africa ranks #6 of 58 in Africa and #24 of 237 worldwide.

Estimates cover 1950–2023; 2024 and later are UN medium-variant projections. Rankings use the latest available value for the selected year. The world total is the sum of all countries and areas in the dataset.

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