South Africa has a population density of 136.7 people per square mile compared to 253 people in Spain. South Africa has 205,338 sq ft of land per person vs 111,591 sq ft in Spain. In the list of countries ranked from the most to the least densely populated, South Africa and Spain are ranked 136th and 95th, 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 0.6% of the population and 0.34% of the land area for Spain, hence the population density in South Africa is 46% lower than in Spain.
Population density comparison
South Africa
|
Spain
|
|
|---|---|---|
| Population density | 136.7 ppl/mi² | 253 ppl/mi² |
| Population density rank | 136/197 | 95/197 |
| Population |
65314246
|
48786181
|
| Land area | 468,377 sq mi | 192,934 sq mi |
| Land area per capita | 204,002 sq ft | 110,203 sq ft |
| Rural population | 30.7% | 18.2% |
| Urban population | 69.3% | 81.8% |
| Living in agglomerations of 1M+ people | 14.8% | 10.5% |
South Africa vs Spain:
Population density chart by year
From 2004 to 2024, population density in South Africa increased by 30.6%, compared to a 13.6% growth in Spain.
In 2004, South Africa ranked 132nd for population density and is in 136th place now. Spain was 85th in 2004 and ranks 95th out of 197 currently.
people per square mile
| Year | Population density | |
|---|---|---|
|
South Africa
|
Spain
|
|
| 2024 | 136.7 | 253 |
| 2023 | 135 | 250.6 |
| 2022 | 133.2 | 247.7 |
| 2021 | 131.3 | 245.9 |
| 2020 | 129.3 | 245.5 |
| 2019 | 127.2 | 244.3 |
| 2018 | 125.1 | 242.5 |
| 2017 | 123.1 | 241.5 |
| 2016 | 122.3 | 240.9 |
| 2015 | 121.1 | 240.6 |
| 2014 | 118.7 | 240.6 |
| 2013 | 116.7 | 241.3 |
| 2012 | 114.8 | 242.2 |
| 2011 | 113.1 | 242.2 |
| 2010 | 111.8 | 241.3 |
| 2009 | 110.4 | 240.8 |
| 2008 | 109.1 | 238.6 |
| 2007 | 107.9 | 234.7 |
| 2006 | 106.7 | 230.4 |
| 2005 | 105.7 | 226.5 |
| 2004 | 104.6 | 222.7 |
| 2003 | 103.5 | 218.9 |
| 2002 | 102.5 | 215 |
| 2001 | 101.6 | 212.2 |
| 2000 | 100.7 | 210.6 |
| 1999 | 99.8 | 209.4 |
| 1998 | 98.7 | 208.6 |
| 1997 | 97.5 | 207.7 |
| 1996 | 96.3 | 206.9 |
| 1995 | 95.1 | 206 |
| 1994 | 94 | 205.1 |
| 1993 | 92.4 | 204.1 |
| 1992 | 90.6 | 203.1 |
| 1991 | 89 | 202.1 |
| 1990 | 87 | 201.6 |
| 1989 | 84.6 | 201.4 |
| 1988 | 82.2 | 201 |
| 1987 | 79.7 | 200.6 |
| 1986 | 77.2 | 200.1 |
| 1985 | 74.8 | 199.5 |
| 1984 | 72.4 | 198.8 |
| 1983 | 69.9 | 198 |
| 1982 | 67.5 | 197 |
| 1981 | 65.2 | 195.8 |
| 1980 | 63 | 194.4 |
| 1979 | 61.1 | 192.8 |
| 1978 | 59.5 | 191.1 |
| 1977 | 57.9 | 189.3 |
| 1976 | 56.4 | 187.4 |
| 1975 | 54.9 | 185.4 |
| 1974 | 53.4 | 183.3 |
| 1973 | 51.9 | 181.3 |
| 1972 | 50.4 | 179.3 |
| 1971 | 49 | 177.4 |
| 1970 | 47.6 | 175.2 |
| 1969 | 46.1 | 173.3 |
| 1968 | 44.7 | 171.6 |
| 1967 | 43.4 | 169.4 |
| 1966 | 42 | 167.3 |
| 1965 | 40.8 | 165.6 |
| 1964 | 39.5 | 163.8 |
| 1963 | 38.3 | 162.2 |
| 1962 | 37.2 | 160.8 |
| 1961 | 36.1 | 159.3 |
Share of urban population by year
| Year | Urban population | |
|---|---|---|
|
South Africa
|
Spain
|
|
| 2024 | 69.3% | 81.8% |
| 2023 | 68.8% | 81.6% |
| 2022 | 68.3% | 81.3% |
| 2021 | 67.8% | 81.1% |
| 2020 | 67.4% | 80.8% |
| 2019 | 66.9% | 80.6% |
| 2018 | 66.4% | 80.3% |
| 2017 | 65.8% | 80.1% |
| 2016 | 65.3% | 79.8% |
| 2015 | 64.8% | 79.6% |
| 2014 | 64.3% | 79.4% |
| 2013 | 63.8% | 79.1% |
| 2012 | 63.3% | 78.9% |
| 2011 | 62.7% | 78.7% |
| 2010 | 62.2% | 78.4% |
| 2009 | 61.7% | 78.2% |
| 2008 | 61.2% | 78% |
| 2007 | 60.6% | 77.7% |
| 2006 | 60.1% | 77.5% |
| 2005 | 59.5% | 77.3% |
| 2004 | 59% | 77% |
| 2003 | 58.4% | 76.8% |
| 2002 | 57.9% | 76.5% |
| 2001 | 57.4% | 76.3% |
| 2000 | 56.9% | 76.3% |
| 1999 | 56.4% | 76.2% |
| 1998 | 55.9% | 76.1% |
| 1997 | 55.4% | 76% |
| 1996 | 55% | 75.9% |
| 1995 | 54.5% | 75.9% |
| 1994 | 54% | 75.8% |
| 1993 | 53.5% | 75.7% |
| 1992 | 53% | 75.6% |
| 1991 | 52.6% | 75.5% |
| 1990 | 52% | 75.4% |
| 1989 | 51.5% | 75.1% |
| 1988 | 51% | 74.9% |
| 1987 | 50.4% | 74.7% |
| 1986 | 49.9% | 74.4% |
| 1985 | 49.4% | 74.2% |
| 1984 | 49.1% | 74% |
| 1983 | 48.9% | 73.7% |
| 1982 | 48.8% | 73.5% |
| 1981 | 48.6% | 73.3% |
| 1980 | 48.4% | 72.8% |
| 1979 | 48.3% | 72.2% |
| 1978 | 48.3% | 71.5% |
| 1977 | 48.2% | 70.9% |
| 1976 | 48.2% | 70.2% |
| 1975 | 48.1% | 69.6% |
| 1974 | 48% | 68.9% |
| 1973 | 48% | 68.2% |
| 1972 | 47.9% | 67.5% |
| 1971 | 47.9% | 66.8% |
| 1970 | 47.8% | 66% |
| 1969 | 47.7% | 65.1% |
| 1968 | 47.6% | 64.2% |
| 1967 | 47.5% | 63.2% |
| 1966 | 47.4% | 62.3% |
| 1965 | 47.2% | 61.3% |
| 1964 | 47.1% | 60.3% |
| 1963 | 47% | 59.3% |
| 1962 | 46.9% | 58.3% |
| 1961 | 46.8% | 57.3% |
| 1960 | 46.6% | 56.6% |
From 2004 to 2024 share of the urban population changed from 59% to 69.3% in South Africa and from 77% to 81.8% in Spain.
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
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