South Africa has a population density of 136.7 people per square mile compared to 49 people in South Sudan. South Africa has 205,338 sq ft of land per person vs 580,697 sq ft in South Sudan. In the list of countries ranked from the most to the least densely populated, South Africa and South Sudan are ranked 136th and 172nd, respectively.
Population density is calculated as the ratio of population to land area. South Africa has 0.79% of the world's population and 0.81% of the land area of all countries, compared to 0.15% of the population and 0.42% of the land area for South Sudan, hence the population density in South Africa is 179.2% higher than in South Sudan.
Population density comparison
South Africa
|
South Sudan
|
|
|---|---|---|
| Population density | 136.7 ppl/mi² | 49 ppl/mi² |
| Population density rank | 136/197 | 172/197 |
| Population |
65314246
|
12387398
|
| Land area | 468,377 sq mi | 243,990 sq mi |
| Land area per capita | 204,002 sq ft | 569,522 sq ft |
| Rural population | 30.7% | 78.4% |
| Urban population | 69.3% | 21.6% |
| Living in agglomerations of 1M+ people | 14.8% | 0% |
South Africa vs South Sudan:
Population density chart by year
From 2012 to 2024, population density in South Africa increased by 19%, compared to a 11% growth in South Sudan.
In 2012, South Africa ranked 138th for population density and is in 136th place now. South Sudan was 169th in 2012 and ranks 172nd out of 197 currently.
people per square mile
| Year | Population density | |
|---|---|---|
|
South Africa
|
South Sudan
|
|
| 2024 | 136.7 | 49 |
| 2023 | 135 | 47.1 |
| 2022 | 133.2 | 45.2 |
| 2021 | 131.3 | 44.5 |
| 2020 | 129.3 | 43.8 |
| 2019 | 127.2 | 42.7 |
| 2018 | 125.1 | 41.5 |
| 2017 | 123.1 | 42 |
| 2016 | 122.3 | 44.4 |
| 2015 | 121.1 | 45.5 |
| 2014 | 118.7 | 46 |
| 2013 | 116.7 | 45.8 |
| 2012 | 114.8 | 44.1 |
| 2011 | 113.1 | - |
| 2010 | 111.8 | - |
| 2009 | 110.4 | - |
| 2008 | 109.1 | - |
| 2007 | 107.9 | - |
| 2006 | 106.7 | - |
| 2005 | 105.7 | - |
| 2004 | 104.6 | - |
| 2003 | 103.5 | - |
| 2002 | 102.5 | - |
| 2001 | 101.6 | - |
| 2000 | 100.7 | - |
| 1999 | 99.8 | - |
| 1998 | 98.7 | - |
| 1997 | 97.5 | - |
| 1996 | 96.3 | - |
| 1995 | 95.1 | - |
| 1994 | 94 | - |
| 1993 | 92.4 | - |
| 1992 | 90.6 | - |
| 1991 | 89 | - |
| 1990 | 87 | - |
| 1989 | 84.6 | - |
| 1988 | 82.2 | - |
| 1987 | 79.7 | - |
| 1986 | 77.2 | - |
| 1985 | 74.8 | - |
| 1984 | 72.4 | - |
| 1983 | 69.9 | - |
| 1982 | 67.5 | - |
| 1981 | 65.2 | - |
| 1980 | 63 | - |
| 1979 | 61.1 | - |
| 1978 | 59.5 | - |
| 1977 | 57.9 | - |
| 1976 | 56.4 | - |
| 1975 | 54.9 | - |
| 1974 | 53.4 | - |
| 1973 | 51.9 | - |
| 1972 | 50.4 | - |
| 1971 | 49 | - |
| 1970 | 47.6 | - |
| 1969 | 46.1 | - |
| 1968 | 44.7 | - |
| 1967 | 43.4 | - |
| 1966 | 42 | - |
| 1965 | 40.8 | - |
| 1964 | 39.5 | - |
| 1963 | 38.3 | - |
| 1962 | 37.2 | - |
| 1961 | 36.1 | - |
Share of urban population by year
| Year | Urban population | |
|---|---|---|
|
South Africa
|
South Sudan
|
|
| 2024 | 69.3% | 21.6% |
| 2023 | 68.8% | 21.2% |
| 2022 | 68.3% | 20.8% |
| 2021 | 67.8% | 20.5% |
| 2020 | 67.4% | 20.2% |
| 2019 | 66.9% | 19.9% |
| 2018 | 66.4% | 19.6% |
| 2017 | 65.8% | 19.3% |
| 2016 | 65.3% | 19.1% |
| 2015 | 64.8% | 18.9% |
| 2014 | 64.3% | 18.6% |
| 2013 | 63.8% | 18.4% |
| 2012 | 63.3% | 18.2% |
| 2011 | 62.7% | 18% |
| 2010 | 62.2% | 17.9% |
| 2009 | 61.7% | 17.7% |
| 2008 | 61.2% | 17.6% |
| 2007 | 60.6% | 17.4% |
| 2006 | 60.1% | 17.3% |
| 2005 | 59.5% | 17.2% |
| 2004 | 59% | 17% |
| 2003 | 58.4% | 16.9% |
| 2002 | 57.9% | 16.8% |
| 2001 | 57.4% | 16.6% |
| 2000 | 56.9% | 16.5% |
| 1999 | 56.4% | 16.4% |
| 1998 | 55.9% | 16.2% |
| 1997 | 55.4% | 16.1% |
| 1996 | 55% | 16% |
| 1995 | 54.5% | 15.9% |
| 1994 | 54% | 15.7% |
| 1993 | 53.5% | 15.6% |
| 1992 | 53% | 14.9% |
| 1991 | 52.6% | 14.1% |
| 1990 | 52% | 13.3% |
| 1989 | 51.5% | 12.5% |
| 1988 | 51% | 11.8% |
| 1987 | 50.4% | 11.1% |
| 1986 | 49.9% | 10.5% |
| 1985 | 49.4% | 9.84% |
| 1984 | 49.1% | 9.26% |
| 1983 | 48.9% | 8.71% |
| 1982 | 48.8% | 8.5% |
| 1981 | 48.6% | 8.51% |
| 1980 | 48.4% | 8.52% |
| 1979 | 48.3% | 8.53% |
| 1978 | 48.3% | 8.54% |
| 1977 | 48.2% | 8.55% |
| 1976 | 48.2% | 8.57% |
| 1975 | 48.1% | 8.58% |
| 1974 | 48% | 8.59% |
| 1973 | 48% | 8.6% |
| 1972 | 47.9% | 8.61% |
| 1971 | 47.9% | 8.62% |
| 1970 | 47.8% | 8.63% |
| 1969 | 47.7% | 8.64% |
| 1968 | 47.6% | 8.66% |
| 1967 | 47.5% | 8.67% |
| 1966 | 47.4% | 8.68% |
| 1965 | 47.2% | 8.69% |
| 1964 | 47.1% | 8.7% |
| 1963 | 47% | 8.71% |
| 1962 | 46.9% | 8.73% |
| 1961 | 46.8% | 8.74% |
| 1960 | 46.6% | 8.75% |
From 2004 to 2024 share of the urban population changed from 59% to 69.3% in South Africa and from 17% to 21.6% in South Sudan.
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:
By topic
vs
comparisons:
Population density comparisons
