South Africa Population 1950-2022

Chart and table of South Africa population from 1950 to 2022. United Nations projections are also included through the year 2100.
  • The current population of South Africa in 2022 is 59,893,885, a 0.84% increase from 2021.
  • The population of South Africa in 2021 was 59,392,255, a 1% increase from 2020.
  • The population of South Africa in 2020 was 58,801,927, a 1.23% increase from 2019.
  • The population of South Africa in 2019 was 58,087,055, a 1.3% increase from 2018.
Data Source: United Nations - World Population Prospects

MLA Citation:
Similar Countries Ranked by Population
Country Name 2022 Population
China 1,425,887,337
Brazil 215,313,498
Russia 144,713,314
Mexico 127,504,125
Iran 88,550,570
Thailand 71,697,030
South Africa 59,893,885
Colombia 51,874,024
Algeria 44,903,225
Iraq 44,496,122
Peru 34,049,588
Malaysia 33,938,221
Venezuela 28,301,696
Romania 19,659,267
Kazakhstan 19,397,998
Ecuador 18,001,000
Guatemala 17,843,908
Jordan 11,285,869
Dominican Republic 11,228,821
Cuba 11,212,191
Azerbaijan 10,358,074
Belarus 9,534,954
Serbia 7,221,365
Libya 6,812,341
Bulgaria 6,781,953
Paraguay 6,780,744
Turkmenistan 6,430,770
Lebanon 5,489,739
Costa Rica 5,180,829
Albania 2,842,321
Jamaica 2,827,377
Armenia 2,780,469
Botswana 2,630,296
Namibia 2,567,012
Gabon 2,388,992
North Macedonia 2,093,599
Equatorial Guinea 1,674,908
Mauritius 1,299,469
Fiji 929,766
Guyana 808,726
Montenegro 627,082
Suriname 618,040
Maldives 523,787
Belize 405,272
Samoa 222,382
Grenada 125,438
Tonga 106,858
Dominica 72,737
American Samoa 44,273
Marshall Islands 41,569
Nauru 12,668
Tuvalu 11,312
South Africa - Historical Population Data
Year Population Growth Rate
2022 59,893,885 0.84%
2021 59,392,255 1.00%
2020 58,801,927 1.23%
2019 58,087,055 1.30%
2018 57,339,635 1.23%
2017 56,641,209 0.39%
2016 56,422,274 0.98%
2015 55,876,504 2.10%
2014 54,729,551 1.59%
2013 53,873,616 1.37%
2012 53,145,033 1.34%
2011 52,443,325 1.27%
2010 51,784,921 1.20%
2009 51,170,779 1.20%
2008 50,565,812 1.14%
2007 49,996,094 1.02%
2006 49,491,756 0.97%
2005 49,017,147 0.95%
2004 48,556,071 0.94%
2003 48,104,048 0.93%
2002 47,661,514 0.91%
2001 47,229,714 0.89%
2000 46,813,266 0.97%
1999 46,364,681 1.12%
1998 45,852,166 1.25%
1997 45,285,048 1.40%
1996 44,661,603 1.54%
1995 43,986,084 1.66%
1994 43,267,982 1.75%
1993 42,525,440 1.83%
1992 41,760,755 2.08%
1991 40,910,959 2.59%
1990 39,877,570 3.13%
1989 38,668,684 3.41%
1988 37,393,853 3.53%
1987 36,119,333 3.56%
1986 34,877,834 3.33%
1985 33,752,964 3.01%
1984 32,768,207 2.83%
1983 31,865,176 2.72%
1982 31,022,417 2.61%
1981 30,232,561 2.61%
1980 29,463,549 2.67%
1979 28,697,014 2.70%
1978 27,943,445 2.73%
1977 27,199,838 2.72%
1976 26,480,300 2.72%
1975 25,777,964 2.80%
1974 25,077,016 2.85%
1973 24,382,513 2.89%
1972 23,698,507 2.90%
1971 23,031,441 2.96%
1970 22,368,306 3.06%
1969 21,704,214 3.11%
1968 21,050,540 3.13%
1967 20,410,677 3.14%
1966 19,789,771 3.14%
1965 19,187,194 3.14%
1964 18,603,097 3.11%
1963 18,042,215 3.08%
1962 17,503,133 3.02%
1961 16,989,464 2.84%
1960 16,520,441 2.63%
1959 16,096,455 2.52%
1958 15,700,877 2.49%
1957 15,320,138 2.48%
1956 14,948,934 2.43%
1955 14,594,129 2.37%
1954 14,255,876 2.32%
1953 13,933,246 2.28%
1952 13,622,914 2.24%
1951 13,325,058 2.16%
1950 13,043,844 0.00%