South Africa has a population density of 136.7 people per square mile compared to 96.3 people in the United States. South Africa has 205,338 sq ft of land per person vs 310,997 sq ft in the United States. In the list of countries ranked from the most to the least densely populated, South Africa and the United States are ranked 136th and 149th, 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 4.18% of the population and 6.14% of the land area for the United States, hence the population density in South Africa is 41.9% higher than in the United States.
Population density comparison
South Africa
|
United States
|
|
|---|---|---|
| Population density | 136.7 ppl/mi² | 96.3 ppl/mi² |
| Population density rank | 136/197 | 149/197 |
| Population |
65314246
|
343323530
|
| Land area | 468,377 sq mi | 3,531,839 sq mi |
| Land area per capita | 204,002 sq ft | 289,500 sq ft |
| Rural population | 30.7% | 16.5% |
| Urban population | 69.3% | 83.5% |
| Living in agglomerations of 1M+ people | 14.8% | 7.68% |
South Africa vs the United States:
Population density chart by year
From 2004 to 2024, population density in South Africa increased by 30.6%, compared to a 16.3% growth in the United States.
In 2004, South Africa ranked 132nd for population density and is in 136th place now. The United States was 145th in 2004 and ranks 149th out of 197 currently.
people per square mile
| Year | Population density | |
|---|---|---|
|
South Africa
|
United States
|
|
| 2024 | 136.7 | 96.3 |
| 2023 | 135 | 94.8 |
| 2022 | 133.2 | 94.4 |
| 2021 | 131.3 | 94 |
| 2020 | 129.3 | 93.9 |
| 2019 | 127.2 | 93 |
| 2018 | 125.1 | 92.5 |
| 2017 | 123.1 | 92.1 |
| 2016 | 122.3 | 91.5 |
| 2015 | 121.1 | 90.8 |
| 2014 | 118.7 | 90.1 |
| 2013 | 116.7 | 89.5 |
| 2012 | 114.8 | 88.9 |
| 2011 | 113.1 | 88.2 |
| 2010 | 111.8 | 87.6 |
| 2009 | 110.4 | 86.9 |
| 2008 | 109.1 | 86.1 |
| 2007 | 107.9 | 85.2 |
| 2006 | 106.7 | 84.3 |
| 2005 | 105.7 | 83.5 |
| 2004 | 104.6 | 82.8 |
| 2003 | 103.5 | 82 |
| 2002 | 102.5 | 81.3 |
| 2001 | 101.6 | 80.6 |
| 2000 | 100.7 | 79.8 |
| 1999 | 99.8 | 79 |
| 1998 | 98.7 | 78.1 |
| 1997 | 97.5 | 77.2 |
| 1996 | 96.3 | 76.3 |
| 1995 | 95.1 | 75.4 |
| 1994 | 94 | 74.5 |
| 1993 | 92.4 | 73.6 |
| 1992 | 90.6 | 72.6 |
| 1991 | 89 | 71.7 |
| 1990 | 87 | 70.7 |
| 1989 | 84.6 | 69.8 |
| 1988 | 82.2 | 69.1 |
| 1987 | 79.7 | 68.5 |
| 1986 | 77.2 | 67.9 |
| 1985 | 74.8 | 67.3 |
| 1984 | 72.4 | 66.7 |
| 1983 | 69.9 | 66.1 |
| 1982 | 67.5 | 65.5 |
| 1981 | 65.2 | 64.9 |
| 1980 | 63 | 64.1 |
| 1979 | 61.1 | 63.6 |
| 1978 | 59.5 | 62.9 |
| 1977 | 57.9 | 62.3 |
| 1976 | 56.4 | 61.7 |
| 1975 | 54.9 | 61.1 |
| 1974 | 53.4 | 60.5 |
| 1973 | 51.9 | 59.9 |
| 1972 | 50.4 | 59.4 |
| 1971 | 49 | 58.7 |
| 1970 | 47.6 | 58 |
| 1969 | 46.1 | 57.3 |
| 1968 | 44.7 | 56.8 |
| 1967 | 43.4 | 56.2 |
| 1966 | 42 | 55.6 |
| 1965 | 40.8 | 54.9 |
| 1964 | 39.5 | 54.3 |
| 1963 | 38.3 | 53.5 |
| 1962 | 37.2 | 52.7 |
| 1961 | 36.1 | 51.9 |
Share of urban population by year
| Year | Urban population | |
|---|---|---|
|
South Africa
|
United States
|
|
| 2024 | 69.3% | 83.5% |
| 2023 | 68.8% | 83.3% |
| 2022 | 68.3% | 83.1% |
| 2021 | 67.8% | 82.9% |
| 2020 | 67.4% | 82.7% |
| 2019 | 66.9% | 82.5% |
| 2018 | 66.4% | 82.3% |
| 2017 | 65.8% | 82.1% |
| 2016 | 65.3% | 81.9% |
| 2015 | 64.8% | 81.7% |
| 2014 | 64.3% | 81.5% |
| 2013 | 63.8% | 81.3% |
| 2012 | 63.3% | 81.1% |
| 2011 | 62.7% | 80.9% |
| 2010 | 62.2% | 80.8% |
| 2009 | 61.7% | 80.6% |
| 2008 | 61.2% | 80.4% |
| 2007 | 60.6% | 80.3% |
| 2006 | 60.1% | 80.1% |
| 2005 | 59.5% | 79.9% |
| 2004 | 59% | 79.8% |
| 2003 | 58.4% | 79.6% |
| 2002 | 57.9% | 79.4% |
| 2001 | 57.4% | 79.2% |
| 2000 | 56.9% | 79.1% |
| 1999 | 56.4% | 78.7% |
| 1998 | 55.9% | 78.4% |
| 1997 | 55.4% | 78% |
| 1996 | 55% | 77.6% |
| 1995 | 54.5% | 77.3% |
| 1994 | 54% | 76.9% |
| 1993 | 53.5% | 76.5% |
| 1992 | 53% | 76.1% |
| 1991 | 52.6% | 75.7% |
| 1990 | 52% | 75.3% |
| 1989 | 51.5% | 75.1% |
| 1988 | 51% | 74.9% |
| 1987 | 50.4% | 74.8% |
| 1986 | 49.9% | 74.6% |
| 1985 | 49.4% | 74.5% |
| 1984 | 49.1% | 74.3% |
| 1983 | 48.9% | 74.2% |
| 1982 | 48.8% | 74% |
| 1981 | 48.6% | 73.9% |
| 1980 | 48.4% | 73.7% |
| 1979 | 48.3% | 73.7% |
| 1978 | 48.3% | 73.7% |
| 1977 | 48.2% | 73.7% |
| 1976 | 48.2% | 73.7% |
| 1975 | 48.1% | 73.7% |
| 1974 | 48% | 73.6% |
| 1973 | 48% | 73.6% |
| 1972 | 47.9% | 73.6% |
| 1971 | 47.9% | 73.6% |
| 1970 | 47.8% | 73.6% |
| 1969 | 47.7% | 73.3% |
| 1968 | 47.6% | 73% |
| 1967 | 47.5% | 72.6% |
| 1966 | 47.4% | 72.2% |
| 1965 | 47.2% | 71.9% |
| 1964 | 47.1% | 71.5% |
| 1963 | 47% | 71.1% |
| 1962 | 46.9% | 70.8% |
| 1961 | 46.8% | 70.4% |
| 1960 | 46.6% | 70% |
From 2004 to 2024 share of the urban population changed from 59% to 69.3% in South Africa and from 79.8% to 83.5% in the United States.
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 |
|
United States
|
|
|---|---|
| City | Population |
| New York | 8.8M |
| Los Angeles | 3.9M |
| Chicago | 2.75M |
| Houston | 2.3M |
| Phoenix | 1.61M |
| Philadelphia | 1.6M |
| San Antonio | 1.43M |
| San Diego | 1.39M |
| Dallas | 1.3M |
| San Jose | 1.01M |
Compare countries by 7 more topics
Population density in other countries
people per square mile
Population density
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