South Africa has a population density of 136.7 people per square mile compared to 10.2 people in Suriname. South Africa has 205,338 sq ft of land per person vs 2,770,078 sq ft in Suriname. In the list of countries ranked from the most to the least densely populated, South Africa and Suriname are ranked 136th and 193rd, 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 0.008% of the population and 0.11% of the land area for Suriname, hence the population density in South Africa is 1,235% higher than in Suriname.
Population density comparison
South Africa
|
Suriname
|
|
|---|---|---|
| Population density | 136.7 ppl/mi² | 10.2 ppl/mi² |
| Population density rank | 136/197 | 193/197 |
| Population |
65314246
|
644193
|
| Land area | 468,377 sq mi | 61,972 sq mi |
| Land area per capita | 204,002 sq ft | 2,723,211 sq ft |
| Rural population | 30.7% | 33.5% |
| Urban population | 69.3% | 66.5% |
| Living in agglomerations of 1M+ people | 14.8% | 0% |
South Africa vs Suriname:
Population density chart by year
From 2004 to 2024, population density in South Africa increased by 30.6%, compared to a 23.4% growth in Suriname.
In 2004, South Africa ranked 132nd for population density and is in 136th place now. Suriname was 186th in 2004 and ranks 193rd out of 197 currently.
people per square mile
| Year | Population density | |
|---|---|---|
|
South Africa
|
Suriname
|
|
| 2024 | 136.7 | 10.2 |
| 2023 | 135 | 10.1 |
| 2022 | 133.2 | 10.1 |
| 2021 | 131.3 | 9.97 |
| 2020 | 129.3 | 9.88 |
| 2019 | 127.2 | 9.77 |
| 2018 | 125.1 | 9.67 |
| 2017 | 123.1 | 9.58 |
| 2016 | 122.3 | 9.48 |
| 2015 | 121.1 | 9.39 |
| 2014 | 118.7 | 9.28 |
| 2013 | 116.7 | 9.18 |
| 2012 | 114.8 | 9.08 |
| 2011 | 113.1 | 8.98 |
| 2010 | 111.8 | 8.87 |
| 2009 | 110.4 | 8.77 |
| 2008 | 109.1 | 8.67 |
| 2007 | 107.9 | 8.57 |
| 2006 | 106.7 | 8.47 |
| 2005 | 105.7 | 8.38 |
| 2004 | 104.6 | 8.29 |
| 2003 | 103.5 | 8.17 |
| 2002 | 102.5 | 8.01 |
| 2001 | 101.6 | 7.85 |
| 2000 | 100.7 | 7.69 |
| 1999 | 99.8 | 7.53 |
| 1998 | 98.7 | 7.38 |
| 1997 | 97.5 | 7.23 |
| 1996 | 96.3 | 7.08 |
| 1995 | 95.1 | 6.93 |
| 1994 | 94 | 6.82 |
| 1993 | 92.4 | 6.77 |
| 1992 | 90.6 | 6.74 |
| 1991 | 89 | 6.7 |
| 1990 | 87 | 6.66 |
| 1989 | 84.6 | 6.59 |
| 1988 | 82.2 | 6.49 |
| 1987 | 79.7 | 6.4 |
| 1986 | 77.2 | 6.33 |
| 1985 | 74.8 | 6.24 |
| 1984 | 72.4 | 6.17 |
| 1983 | 69.9 | 6.11 |
| 1982 | 67.5 | 6.08 |
| 1981 | 65.2 | 6.06 |
| 1980 | 63 | 6.06 |
| 1979 | 61.1 | 6.09 |
| 1978 | 59.5 | 6.16 |
| 1977 | 57.9 | 6.21 |
| 1976 | 56.4 | 6.27 |
| 1975 | 54.9 | 6.31 |
| 1974 | 53.4 | 6.35 |
| 1973 | 51.9 | 6.39 |
| 1972 | 50.4 | 6.41 |
| 1971 | 49 | 6.32 |
| 1970 | 47.6 | 6.12 |
| 1969 | 46.1 | 5.92 |
| 1968 | 44.7 | 5.72 |
| 1967 | 43.4 | 5.53 |
| 1966 | 42 | 5.34 |
| 1965 | 40.8 | 5.16 |
| 1964 | 39.5 | 4.99 |
| 1963 | 38.3 | 4.79 |
| 1962 | 37.2 | 4.58 |
| 1961 | 36.1 | 4.4 |
Share of urban population by year
| Year | Urban population | |
|---|---|---|
|
South Africa
|
Suriname
|
|
| 2024 | 69.3% | 66.5% |
| 2023 | 68.8% | 66.4% |
| 2022 | 68.3% | 66.3% |
| 2021 | 67.8% | 66.2% |
| 2020 | 67.4% | 66.1% |
| 2019 | 66.9% | 66.1% |
| 2018 | 66.4% | 66.1% |
| 2017 | 65.8% | 66% |
| 2016 | 65.3% | 66% |
| 2015 | 64.8% | 66.1% |
| 2014 | 64.3% | 66.1% |
| 2013 | 63.8% | 66.1% |
| 2012 | 63.3% | 66.2% |
| 2011 | 62.7% | 66.3% |
| 2010 | 62.2% | 66.3% |
| 2009 | 61.7% | 66.4% |
| 2008 | 61.2% | 66.5% |
| 2007 | 60.6% | 66.5% |
| 2006 | 60.1% | 66.6% |
| 2005 | 59.5% | 66.7% |
| 2004 | 59% | 66.7% |
| 2003 | 58.4% | 66.7% |
| 2002 | 57.9% | 66.6% |
| 2001 | 57.4% | 66.5% |
| 2000 | 56.9% | 66.4% |
| 1999 | 56.4% | 66.4% |
| 1998 | 55.9% | 66.3% |
| 1997 | 55.4% | 66.2% |
| 1996 | 55% | 66.1% |
| 1995 | 54.5% | 66.1% |
| 1994 | 54% | 66% |
| 1993 | 53.5% | 65.9% |
| 1992 | 53% | 65.9% |
| 1991 | 52.6% | 65.8% |
| 1990 | 52% | 65.7% |
| 1989 | 51.5% | 65.6% |
| 1988 | 51% | 65.6% |
| 1987 | 50.4% | 65.5% |
| 1986 | 49.9% | 65.4% |
| 1985 | 49.4% | 65.3% |
| 1984 | 49.1% | 65.3% |
| 1983 | 48.9% | 65.2% |
| 1982 | 48.8% | 65.1% |
| 1981 | 48.6% | 65% |
| 1980 | 48.4% | 65% |
| 1979 | 48.3% | 62.8% |
| 1978 | 48.3% | 60.6% |
| 1977 | 48.2% | 58.3% |
| 1976 | 48.2% | 56.1% |
| 1975 | 48.1% | 53.7% |
| 1974 | 48% | 51.4% |
| 1973 | 48% | 49.1% |
| 1972 | 47.9% | 46.8% |
| 1971 | 47.9% | 45.7% |
| 1970 | 47.8% | 45.9% |
| 1969 | 47.7% | 46.2% |
| 1968 | 47.6% | 46.4% |
| 1967 | 47.5% | 46.6% |
| 1966 | 47.4% | 46.9% |
| 1965 | 47.2% | 47.1% |
| 1964 | 47.1% | 47.3% |
| 1963 | 47% | 47.4% |
| 1962 | 46.9% | 47.3% |
| 1961 | 46.8% | 47.3% |
| 1960 | 46.6% | 47.3% |
From 2004 to 2024 share of the urban population changed from 59% to 69.3% in South Africa and from 66.7% to 66.5% in Suriname.
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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