Germany has a population density of 612 people per square mile compared to 139.8 people in South Africa. Germany has 46,087 sq ft of land per person vs 205,338 sq ft in South Africa. Germany and South Africa rank 50th and 135th by population density, respectively.
Population density is calculated as the ratio of population to land area. Germany has 1.03% of the world's population and 0.23% of all countries' land area, compared to 0.79% of the population and 0.81% of the land area for South Africa, making the population density in Germany 338% higher than in South Africa.
Population density by year
people per square mile
| Year | Population density | |
|---|---|---|
Germany
|
South Africa
|
|
| 2026 | 612 | 139.8 |
| 2025 | 617 | 138.3 |
| 2024 | 619 | 136.7 |
| 2023 | 617 | 135 |
| 2022 | 617 | 133.2 |
| 2021 | 617 | 131.3 |
| 2020 | 616 | 129.3 |
| 2019 | 616 | 127.2 |
| 2018 | 615 | 125.1 |
| 2017 | 613 | 123.1 |
| 2016 | 610 | 122.3 |
| 2015 | 606 | 121.1 |
| 2014 | 601 | 118.7 |
| 2013 | 599 | 116.7 |
| 2012 | 598 | 114.8 |
| 2011 | 596 | 113.1 |
| 2010 | 608 | 111.8 |
| 2009 | 608 | 110.4 |
| 2008 | 610 | 109.1 |
| 2007 | 611 | 107.9 |
| 2006 | 612 | 106.7 |
| 2005 | 612 | 105.7 |
| 2004 | 613 | 104.6 |
| 2003 | 613 | 103.5 |
| 2002 | 612 | 102.5 |
| 2001 | 611 | 101.6 |
| 2000 | 610 | 100.7 |
| 1999 | 609 | 99.8 |
| 1998 | 609 | 98.7 |
| 1997 | 609 | 97.5 |
| 1996 | 608 | 96.3 |
| 1995 | 606 | 95.1 |
| 1994 | 604 | 94 |
| 1993 | 602 | 92.4 |
| 1992 | 598 | 90.6 |
| 1991 | 594 | 89 |
| 1990 | 589 | 87 |
| 1989 | 584 | 84.6 |
| 1988 | 580 | 82.2 |
| 1987 | 577 | 79.7 |
| 1986 | 577 | 77.2 |
| 1985 | 576 | 74.8 |
| 1984 | 578 | 72.4 |
| 1983 | 580 | 69.9 |
| 1982 | 581 | 67.5 |
| 1981 | 582 | 65.2 |
| 1980 | 581 | 63 |
| 1979 | 580 | 61.1 |
| 1978 | 579 | 59.5 |
| 1977 | 580 | 57.9 |
| 1976 | 581 | 56.4 |
| 1975 | 584 | 54.9 |
| 1974 | 586 | 53.4 |
| 1973 | 586 | 51.9 |
| 1972 | 584 | 50.4 |
| 1971 | 581 | 49 |
| 1970 | 580 | 47.6 |
| 1969 | 578 | 46.1 |
| 1968 | 573 | 44.7 |
| 1967 | 571 | 43.4 |
| 1966 | 568 | 42 |
| 1965 | 564 | 40.8 |
| 1964 | 559 | 39.5 |
| 1963 | 554 | 38.3 |
| 1962 | 549 | 37.2 |
| 1961 | 544 | 36.1 |
Data sources: World Bank | Agriculture & Rural Development (1961–2026, retrieved 2026-04-06); United Nations | World Population Prospects (2025–2026, retrieved 2026-03-10).
GeoRank.org/population-density/germany/south-africa | CC BY 
From 2006 to 2026, population density in Germany increased by 0.04%, compared to a 31% growth in South Africa.
In 2006, Germany ranked 37th by population density and is 50th now. South Africa was 134th in 2006 and ranks 135th out of 197 currently.
Population density comparison
|
Germany
|
South Africa
|
|
|---|---|---|
| Population density | 612 ppl/mi² | 139.8 ppl/mi² |
| Population density rank | 50/197 | 135/197 |
| Population |
82575542
|
65683993
|
| Land area | 134,916 sq mi | 468,377 sq mi |
| Land area per capita | 45,036 sq ft | 204,002 sq ft |
| Rural population | 18% | 36.3% |
| Urban population | 82% | 63.7% |
| Living in agglomerations of 1M+ people | 10% | 15% |
Share of urban population by year
| Year | Urban population | |
|---|---|---|
|
Germany
|
South Africa
|
|
| 2024 | 82% | 63.7% |
| 2023 | 81.9% | 63.6% |
| 2022 | 81.8% | 63.5% |
| 2021 | 81.6% | 63.5% |
| 2020 | 81.5% | 63.4% |
| 2019 | 81.3% | 63.4% |
| 2018 | 81.1% | 63.4% |
| 2017 | 81% | 63.3% |
| 2016 | 80.8% | 63.3% |
| 2015 | 80.7% | 63.2% |
| 2014 | 80.6% | 63.1% |
| 2013 | 80.5% | 63.1% |
| 2012 | 80.4% | 63% |
| 2011 | 80.3% | 62.9% |
| 2010 | 80.3% | 62.6% |
| 2009 | 80.3% | 62.3% |
| 2008 | 80.2% | 61.8% |
| 2007 | 80.2% | 61.2% |
| 2006 | 80.2% | 60.5% |
| 2005 | 80.2% | 59.8% |
| 2004 | 80.2% | 59.1% |
| 2003 | 80.1% | 58.4% |
| 2002 | 80.1% | 57.7% |
| 2001 | 80.1% | 57% |
| 2000 | 80.1% | 56.3% |
| 1999 | 80.1% | 55.4% |
| 1998 | 80.1% | 54.7% |
| 1997 | 80.1% | 54% |
| 1996 | 80.1% | 53.6% |
| 1995 | 80% | 53.3% |
| 1994 | 80% | 53.1% |
| 1993 | 80% | 52.9% |
| 1992 | 80% | 52.7% |
| 1991 | 80% | 52.4% |
| 1990 | 80% | 52% |
| 1989 | 80% | 51.4% |
| 1988 | 80% | 50.7% |
| 1987 | 80% | 50.1% |
| 1986 | 80% | 49.6% |
| 1985 | 80% | 49.2% |
| 1984 | 80% | 49% |
| 1983 | 80% | 48.8% |
| 1982 | 79.9% | 48.6% |
| 1981 | 79.9% | 48.5% |
| 1980 | 79.9% | 48.4% |
| 1979 | 79.9% | 48.3% |
| 1978 | 79.9% | 48.2% |
| 1977 | 79.9% | 48.2% |
| 1976 | 79.8% | 48.1% |
| 1975 | 79.8% | 48.1% |
| 1974 | 79.8% | 48% |
| 1973 | 79.8% | 48% |
| 1972 | 79.7% | 47.9% |
| 1971 | 79.7% | 47.8% |
| 1970 | 79.7% | 47.8% |
| 1969 | 79.6% | 47.7% |
| 1968 | 79.4% | 47.6% |
| 1967 | 79.1% | 47.5% |
| 1966 | 78.7% | 47.5% |
| 1965 | 78.3% | 47.4% |
| 1964 | 77.7% | 47.3% |
| 1963 | 77.2% | 47.1% |
| 1962 | 76.7% | 47% |
| 1961 | 76.2% | 46.9% |
| 1960 | 75.7% | 46.7% |
Data sources: World Bank | Health (1960–2024, retrieved 2026-04-06).
GeoRank.org/population-density/germany/south-africa | CC BY
From 2004 to 2024, the share of urban population changed from 80.2% to 82% in Germany and from 59.1% to 63.7% in South Africa.
Densely populated cities
|
Germany
|
|
|---|---|
| City | Population |
| Berlin | 3.78M |
| Hamburg | 1.91M |
| Munich | 1.51M |
| Cologne | 1.09M |
| Frankfurt | 776K |
| Stuttgart | 633K |
| Dusseldorf | 631K |
| Leipzig | 620K |
| Dortmund | 595K |
| Essen | 587K |
|
South Africa
|
|
|---|---|
| City | Population |
| Johannesburg | 4.8M |
| Cape Town | 3.78M |
| Soweto | 1.27M |
| Pietermaritzburg | 839K |
| Pretoria | 742K |
| Durban | 595K |
| Rustenburg | 550K |
| Randburg | 337K |
| Port Elizabeth | 312K |
| East London | 267K |
Compare countries by 7 more topics
Population density in other countries
Data sources: World Bank | Agriculture & Rural Development (1961–2026, retrieved 2026-04-06); United Nations | World Population Prospects (1961–2026, retrieved 2026-03-10); U.S. Census Bureau (1961–2025, retrieved 2026-02-08); Central Intelligence Agency (CIA) (2000–2019, retrieved 2026-02-20).
GeoRank.org/population-density/germany/south-africa | CC BY
Help us show the world through your eyes
Share a photo of your city and help others discover what it looks like to live there. Your contribution makes our data come alive.
Data sources:
- World Bank | Agriculture & Rural Development (1961–2026, retrieved 2026-04-06)
- United Nations | World Population Prospects (1961–2026, retrieved 2026-03-10)
- U.S. Census Bureau (1961–2025, retrieved 2026-02-08)
- Wikidata (2011–2024, retrieved 2026-02-08)
- Central Intelligence Agency (CIA) (2000–2019, retrieved 2026-02-20)
Creative Commons Attribution (CC BY) — you’re free to copy, share, remix, adapt, and use even commercially as long as you give appropriate credit and clearly indicate if you made changes. Other sources may be subject to different license terms.