South Africa has a population density of 136.7 people per square mile compared to 363 people in Thailand. South Africa has 205,338 sq ft of land per person vs 77,066 sq ft in Thailand. In the list of countries ranked from the most to the least densely populated, South Africa and Thailand are ranked 136th and 70th, 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 0.88% of the population and 0.34% of the land area for Thailand, hence the population density in South Africa is 62.4% lower than in Thailand.
Population density comparison
South Africa
|
Thailand
|
|
|---|---|---|
| Population density | 136.7 ppl/mi² | 363 ppl/mi² |
| Population density rank | 136/197 | 70/197 |
| Population |
65314246
|
71619867
|
| Land area | 468,377 sq mi | 197,256 sq mi |
| Land area per capita | 204,002 sq ft | 76,731 sq ft |
| Rural population | 30.7% | 45.7% |
| Urban population | 69.3% | 54.3% |
| Living in agglomerations of 1M+ people | 14.8% | 9.59% |
South Africa vs Thailand:
Population density chart by year
From 2004 to 2024, population density in South Africa increased by 30.6%, compared to a 9.5% growth in Thailand.
In 2004, South Africa ranked 132nd for population density and is in 136th place now. Thailand was 60th in 2004 and ranks 70th out of 197 currently.
people per square mile
| Year | Population density | |
|---|---|---|
|
South Africa
|
Thailand
|
|
| 2024 | 136.7 | 363 |
| 2023 | 135 | 363 |
| 2022 | 133.2 | 364 |
| 2021 | 131.3 | 364 |
| 2020 | 129.3 | 363 |
| 2019 | 127.2 | 363 |
| 2018 | 125.1 | 362 |
| 2017 | 123.1 | 361 |
| 2016 | 122.3 | 359 |
| 2015 | 121.1 | 358 |
| 2014 | 118.7 | 356 |
| 2013 | 116.7 | 354 |
| 2012 | 114.8 | 352 |
| 2011 | 113.1 | 350 |
| 2010 | 111.8 | 348 |
| 2009 | 110.4 | 345 |
| 2008 | 109.1 | 343 |
| 2007 | 107.9 | 340 |
| 2006 | 106.7 | 337 |
| 2005 | 105.7 | 335 |
| 2004 | 104.6 | 332 |
| 2003 | 103.5 | 329 |
| 2002 | 102.5 | 326 |
| 2001 | 101.6 | 323 |
| 2000 | 100.7 | 319 |
| 1999 | 99.8 | 316 |
| 1998 | 98.7 | 312 |
| 1997 | 97.5 | 308 |
| 1996 | 96.3 | 304 |
| 1995 | 95.1 | 299.6 |
| 1994 | 94 | 295.4 |
| 1993 | 92.4 | 291 |
| 1992 | 90.6 | 286.6 |
| 1991 | 89 | 282.1 |
| 1990 | 87 | 277.5 |
| 1989 | 84.6 | 273 |
| 1988 | 82.2 | 268.5 |
| 1987 | 79.7 | 264 |
| 1986 | 77.2 | 259.4 |
| 1985 | 74.8 | 254.9 |
| 1984 | 72.4 | 250.2 |
| 1983 | 69.9 | 245.5 |
| 1982 | 67.5 | 240.8 |
| 1981 | 65.2 | 236.1 |
| 1980 | 63 | 231.4 |
| 1979 | 61.1 | 226.7 |
| 1978 | 59.5 | 222 |
| 1977 | 57.9 | 217.2 |
| 1976 | 56.4 | 212.4 |
| 1975 | 54.9 | 207.5 |
| 1974 | 53.4 | 202.5 |
| 1973 | 51.9 | 197.4 |
| 1972 | 50.4 | 192.3 |
| 1971 | 49 | 187.3 |
| 1970 | 47.6 | 182.3 |
| 1969 | 46.1 | 177.3 |
| 1968 | 44.7 | 172.4 |
| 1967 | 43.4 | 167.5 |
| 1966 | 42 | 162.7 |
| 1965 | 40.8 | 157.9 |
| 1964 | 39.5 | 153.3 |
| 1963 | 38.3 | 148.8 |
| 1962 | 37.2 | 144.4 |
| 1961 | 36.1 | 140.2 |
Share of urban population by year
| Year | Urban population | |
|---|---|---|
|
South Africa
|
Thailand
|
|
| 2024 | 69.3% | 54.3% |
| 2023 | 68.8% | 53.6% |
| 2022 | 68.3% | 52.9% |
| 2021 | 67.8% | 52.2% |
| 2020 | 67.4% | 51.4% |
| 2019 | 66.9% | 50.7% |
| 2018 | 66.4% | 49.9% |
| 2017 | 65.8% | 49.2% |
| 2016 | 65.3% | 48.4% |
| 2015 | 64.8% | 47.7% |
| 2014 | 64.3% | 46.9% |
| 2013 | 63.8% | 46.2% |
| 2012 | 63.3% | 45.4% |
| 2011 | 62.7% | 44.7% |
| 2010 | 62.2% | 43.9% |
| 2009 | 61.7% | 42.5% |
| 2008 | 61.2% | 41.2% |
| 2007 | 60.6% | 39.9% |
| 2006 | 60.1% | 38.7% |
| 2005 | 59.5% | 37.4% |
| 2004 | 59% | 36.2% |
| 2003 | 58.4% | 34.9% |
| 2002 | 57.9% | 33.7% |
| 2001 | 57.4% | 32.5% |
| 2000 | 56.9% | 31.4% |
| 1999 | 56.4% | 31% |
| 1998 | 55.9% | 30.8% |
| 1997 | 55.4% | 30.6% |
| 1996 | 55% | 30.4% |
| 1995 | 54.5% | 30.3% |
| 1994 | 54% | 30.1% |
| 1993 | 53.5% | 29.9% |
| 1992 | 53% | 29.8% |
| 1991 | 52.6% | 29.6% |
| 1990 | 52% | 29.4% |
| 1989 | 51.5% | 29.2% |
| 1988 | 51% | 28.9% |
| 1987 | 50.4% | 28.6% |
| 1986 | 49.9% | 28.4% |
| 1985 | 49.4% | 28.1% |
| 1984 | 49.1% | 27.8% |
| 1983 | 48.9% | 27.6% |
| 1982 | 48.8% | 27.3% |
| 1981 | 48.6% | 27% |
| 1980 | 48.4% | 26.8% |
| 1979 | 48.3% | 26.2% |
| 1978 | 48.3% | 25.6% |
| 1977 | 48.2% | 25% |
| 1976 | 48.2% | 24.4% |
| 1975 | 48.1% | 23.8% |
| 1974 | 48% | 23.2% |
| 1973 | 48% | 22.6% |
| 1972 | 47.9% | 22% |
| 1971 | 47.9% | 21.4% |
| 1970 | 47.8% | 20.9% |
| 1969 | 47.7% | 20.7% |
| 1968 | 47.6% | 20.6% |
| 1967 | 47.5% | 20.4% |
| 1966 | 47.4% | 20.3% |
| 1965 | 47.2% | 20.2% |
| 1964 | 47.1% | 20.1% |
| 1963 | 47% | 20% |
| 1962 | 46.9% | 19.9% |
| 1961 | 46.8% | 19.8% |
| 1960 | 46.6% | 19.7% |
From 2004 to 2024 share of the urban population changed from 59% to 69.3% in South Africa and from 36.2% to 54.3% in Thailand.
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 |
|
Thailand
|
|
|---|---|
| City | Population |
| Bangkok | 5.68M |
| Chiang Mai | 1.2M |
| Nonthaburi | 256K |
| Pak Kret | 185K |
| Hat Yai | 159K |
| Nakhon Ratchasima | 134K |
| Chaophraya Surasak | 133K |
| Surat Thani | 131K |
| Udon Thani | 130K |
| Klaeng | 130K |
Compare countries by 7 more topics
Population density in other countries
people per square mile
Population density
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