South Africa has a population density of 136.7 people per square mile compared to the World's average of 141.6 people. South Africa has 205,338 sq ft of land per person. In the list of countries ranked from the most to the least densely populated, South Africa ranked 136th out of 197.
South Africa has 0.79% of the world's population and 0.81% of all countries' land area.
Population density in South Africa compared to the World's average
South Africa
|
World
|
|
|---|---|---|
| Population density | 136.7 ppl/mi² | 141.6 ppl/mi² |
| Population density rank | 136/197 | N/A |
| Population |
65314246
|
8266870341
|
| Land area | 468,377 sq mi | 57,506,055 sq mi |
| Land area per capita | 204,002 sq ft | 196,901 sq ft |
| Rural population | 30.7% | 42.3% |
| Urban population | 69.3% | 57.7% |
| Living in agglomerations of 1M+ people | 14.8% | 28.6% |
South Africa population density by year chart
The chart below plots how population density in South Africa has been changing over time. From 2004 to 2024, population density increased by 30.6%. The population density rank was 132nd 21 years ago and is 136th today.
people per square mile
| Year | Population density | Density rank |
|---|---|---|
| 2024 | 136.7 | 136 |
| 2023 | 135 | 136 |
| 2022 | 133.2 | 136 |
| 2021 | 131.3 | 136 |
| 2020 | 129.3 | 136 |
| 2019 | 127.2 | 136 |
| 2018 | 125.1 | 136 |
| 2017 | 123.1 | 136 |
| 2016 | 122.3 | 136 |
| 2015 | 121.1 | 136 |
| 2014 | 118.7 | 139 |
| 2013 | 116.7 | 139 |
| 2012 | 114.8 | 138 |
| 2011 | 113.1 | 137 |
| 2010 | 111.8 | 134 |
| 2009 | 110.4 | 133 |
| 2008 | 109.1 | 133 |
| 2007 | 107.9 | 134 |
| 2006 | 106.7 | 134 |
| 2005 | 105.7 | 132 |
| 2004 | 104.6 | 132 |
| 2003 | 103.5 | 132 |
| 2002 | 102.5 | 131 |
| 2001 | 101.6 | 131 |
| 2000 | 100.7 | 130 |
| 1999 | 99.8 | 127 |
| 1998 | 98.7 | 128 |
| 1997 | 97.5 | 128 |
| 1996 | 96.3 | 127 |
| 1995 | 95.1 | 126 |
| 1994 | 94 | 126 |
| 1993 | 92.4 | 125 |
| 1992 | 90.6 | 123 |
| 1991 | 89 | 107 |
| 1990 | 87 | 106 |
| 1989 | 84.6 | 105 |
| 1988 | 82.2 | 106 |
| 1987 | 79.7 | 107 |
| 1986 | 77.2 | 107 |
| 1985 | 74.8 | 107 |
| 1984 | 72.4 | 107 |
| 1983 | 69.9 | 107 |
| 1982 | 67.5 | 107 |
| 1981 | 65.2 | 107 |
| 1980 | 63 | 107 |
| 1979 | 61.1 | 106 |
| 1978 | 59.5 | 106 |
| 1977 | 57.9 | 106 |
| 1976 | 56.4 | 106 |
| 1975 | 54.9 | 106 |
| 1974 | 53.4 | 105 |
| 1973 | 51.9 | 107 |
| 1972 | 50.4 | 107 |
| 1971 | 49 | 107 |
| 1970 | 47.6 | 107 |
| 1969 | 46.1 | 106 |
| 1968 | 44.7 | 106 |
| 1967 | 43.4 | 106 |
| 1966 | 42 | 106 |
| 1965 | 40.8 | 107 |
| 1964 | 39.5 | 107 |
| 1963 | 38.3 | 109 |
| 1962 | 37.2 | 110 |
| 1961 | 36.1 | 110 |
Share of urban population by year chart
The following chart shows the share of the urban population in South Africa from 1960 to 2024: 46.6% of population lived in urban areas in 1960, 56.9% in 2000, and in 2024 the share of the urban population was 69.3%.
| Year | Urban population | Rank |
|---|---|---|
| 2024 | 69.3% | 79 |
| 2023 | 68.8% | 80 |
| 2022 | 68.3% | 82 |
| 2021 | 67.8% | 82 |
| 2020 | 67.4% | 83 |
| 2019 | 66.9% | 83 |
| 2018 | 66.4% | 84 |
| 2017 | 65.8% | 85 |
| 2016 | 65.3% | 85 |
| 2015 | 64.8% | 85 |
| 2014 | 64.3% | 85 |
| 2013 | 63.8% | 85 |
| 2012 | 63.3% | 85 |
| 2011 | 62.7% | 87 |
| 2010 | 62.2% | 87 |
| 2009 | 61.7% | 86 |
| 2008 | 61.2% | 86 |
| 2007 | 60.6% | 88 |
| 2006 | 60.1% | 87 |
| 2005 | 59.5% | 87 |
| 2004 | 59% | 88 |
| 2003 | 58.4% | 88 |
| 2002 | 57.9% | 89 |
| 2001 | 57.4% | 89 |
| 2000 | 56.9% | 89 |
| 1999 | 56.4% | 89 |
| 1998 | 55.9% | 91 |
| 1997 | 55.4% | 91 |
| 1996 | 55% | 91 |
| 1995 | 54.5% | 90 |
| 1994 | 54% | 91 |
| 1993 | 53.5% | 91 |
| 1992 | 53% | 93 |
| 1991 | 52.6% | 93 |
| 1990 | 52% | 93 |
| 1989 | 51.5% | 91 |
| 1988 | 51% | 90 |
| 1987 | 50.4% | 90 |
| 1986 | 49.9% | 90 |
| 1985 | 49.4% | 91 |
| 1984 | 49.1% | 91 |
| 1983 | 48.9% | 89 |
| 1982 | 48.8% | 90 |
| 1981 | 48.6% | 88 |
| 1980 | 48.4% | 85 |
| 1979 | 48.3% | 85 |
| 1978 | 48.3% | 84 |
| 1977 | 48.2% | 82 |
| 1976 | 48.2% | 80 |
| 1975 | 48.1% | 76 |
| 1974 | 48% | 75 |
| 1973 | 48% | 75 |
| 1972 | 47.9% | 73 |
| 1971 | 47.9% | 72 |
| 1970 | 47.8% | 70 |
| 1969 | 47.7% | 68 |
| 1968 | 47.6% | 66 |
| 1967 | 47.5% | 64 |
| 1966 | 47.4% | 62 |
| 1965 | 47.2% | 61 |
| 1964 | 47.1% | 62 |
| 1963 | 47% | 62 |
| 1962 | 46.9% | 60 |
| 1961 | 46.8% | 59 |
| 1960 | 46.6% | 57 |
Densely populated cities
|
South Africa
|
|
|---|---|
| City | Population |
| Johannesburg | 4.43M |
| 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
people per square mile
Population density
Relevant pages:
South Africa topic pages:
Population density comparisons
