South Africa has a population density of 136.7 people per square mile compared to 69.6 people in Vanuatu. South Africa has 205,338 sq ft of land per person vs 400,309 sq ft in Vanuatu. In the list of countries ranked from the most to the least densely populated, South Africa and Vanuatu are ranked 136th and 160th, 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 0.004% of the population and 0.008% of the land area for Vanuatu, hence the population density in South Africa is 96.2% higher than in Vanuatu.
Population density comparison
South Africa
|
Vanuatu
|
|
|---|---|---|
| Population density | 136.7 ppl/mi² | 69.6 ppl/mi² |
| Population density rank | 136/197 | 160/197 |
| Population |
65314246
|
341110
|
| Land area | 468,377 sq mi | 4,707 sq mi |
| Land area per capita | 204,002 sq ft | 400,309 sq ft |
| Rural population | 30.7% | 73.9% |
| Urban population | 69.3% | 26.1% |
| Living in agglomerations of 1M+ people | 14.8% | 0% |
South Africa vs Vanuatu:
Population density chart by year
From 2004 to 2024, population density in South Africa increased by 30.6%, compared to a 59.3% growth in Vanuatu.
In 2004, South Africa ranked 132nd for population density and is in 136th place now. Vanuatu was 160th in 2004 and still ranks 160th out of 197 currently.
people per square mile
| Year | Population density | |
|---|---|---|
|
South Africa
|
Vanuatu
|
|
| 2024 | 136.7 | 69.6 |
| 2023 | 135 | 68.1 |
| 2022 | 133.2 | 66.5 |
| 2021 | 131.3 | 65 |
| 2020 | 129.3 | 63.5 |
| 2019 | 127.2 | 62 |
| 2018 | 125.1 | 60.6 |
| 2017 | 123.1 | 59.2 |
| 2016 | 122.3 | 57.8 |
| 2015 | 121.1 | 56.5 |
| 2014 | 118.7 | 55.3 |
| 2013 | 116.7 | 54.1 |
| 2012 | 114.8 | 52.9 |
| 2011 | 113.1 | 51.7 |
| 2010 | 111.8 | 50.6 |
| 2009 | 110.4 | 49.4 |
| 2008 | 109.1 | 48.2 |
| 2007 | 107.9 | 47 |
| 2006 | 106.7 | 45.9 |
| 2005 | 105.7 | 44.8 |
| 2004 | 104.6 | 43.7 |
| 2003 | 103.5 | 42.7 |
| 2002 | 102.5 | 41.6 |
| 2001 | 101.6 | 40.6 |
| 2000 | 100.7 | 39.6 |
| 1999 | 99.8 | 38.7 |
| 1998 | 98.7 | 37.9 |
| 1997 | 97.5 | 37.1 |
| 1996 | 96.3 | 36.3 |
| 1995 | 95.1 | 35.5 |
| 1994 | 94 | 34.7 |
| 1993 | 92.4 | 33.9 |
| 1992 | 90.6 | 33.1 |
| 1991 | 89 | 32.3 |
| 1990 | 87 | 31.5 |
| 1989 | 84.6 | 30.7 |
| 1988 | 82.2 | 29.9 |
| 1987 | 79.7 | 29.1 |
| 1986 | 77.2 | 28.4 |
| 1985 | 74.8 | 27.7 |
| 1984 | 72.4 | 27 |
| 1983 | 69.9 | 26.3 |
| 1982 | 67.5 | 25.7 |
| 1981 | 65.2 | 25.1 |
| 1980 | 63 | 24.6 |
| 1979 | 61.1 | 24 |
| 1978 | 59.5 | 23.4 |
| 1977 | 57.9 | 22.7 |
| 1976 | 56.4 | 22 |
| 1975 | 54.9 | 21.3 |
| 1974 | 53.4 | 20.7 |
| 1973 | 51.9 | 20 |
| 1972 | 50.4 | 19.5 |
| 1971 | 49 | 18.9 |
| 1970 | 47.6 | 18.3 |
| 1969 | 46.1 | 17.8 |
| 1968 | 44.7 | 17.3 |
| 1967 | 43.4 | 16.8 |
| 1966 | 42 | 16.3 |
| 1965 | 40.8 | 15.8 |
| 1964 | 39.5 | 15.3 |
| 1963 | 38.3 | 14.9 |
| 1962 | 37.2 | 14.5 |
| 1961 | 36.1 | 14.1 |
Share of urban population by year
| Year | Urban population | |
|---|---|---|
|
South Africa
|
Vanuatu
|
|
| 2024 | 69.3% | 26.1% |
| 2023 | 68.8% | 26% |
| 2022 | 68.3% | 25.8% |
| 2021 | 67.8% | 25.7% |
| 2020 | 67.4% | 25.5% |
| 2019 | 66.9% | 25.4% |
| 2018 | 66.4% | 25.3% |
| 2017 | 65.8% | 25.2% |
| 2016 | 65.3% | 25.1% |
| 2015 | 64.8% | 25% |
| 2014 | 64.3% | 24.9% |
| 2013 | 63.8% | 24.8% |
| 2012 | 63.3% | 24.7% |
| 2011 | 62.7% | 24.6% |
| 2010 | 62.2% | 24.5% |
| 2009 | 61.7% | 24.3% |
| 2008 | 61.2% | 24% |
| 2007 | 60.6% | 23.7% |
| 2006 | 60.1% | 23.4% |
| 2005 | 59.5% | 23.1% |
| 2004 | 59% | 22.8% |
| 2003 | 58.4% | 22.5% |
| 2002 | 57.9% | 22.2% |
| 2001 | 57.4% | 22% |
| 2000 | 56.9% | 21.7% |
| 1999 | 56.4% | 21.4% |
| 1998 | 55.9% | 21.1% |
| 1997 | 55.4% | 20.8% |
| 1996 | 55% | 20.5% |
| 1995 | 54.5% | 20.2% |
| 1994 | 54% | 19.9% |
| 1993 | 53.5% | 19.6% |
| 1992 | 53% | 19.3% |
| 1991 | 52.6% | 19% |
| 1990 | 52% | 18.7% |
| 1989 | 51.5% | 18.4% |
| 1988 | 51% | 18% |
| 1987 | 50.4% | 17.6% |
| 1986 | 49.9% | 17.1% |
| 1985 | 49.4% | 16.7% |
| 1984 | 49.1% | 16.3% |
| 1983 | 48.9% | 15.9% |
| 1982 | 48.8% | 15.5% |
| 1981 | 48.6% | 15.1% |
| 1980 | 48.4% | 14.7% |
| 1979 | 48.3% | 14.4% |
| 1978 | 48.3% | 14.1% |
| 1977 | 48.2% | 13.8% |
| 1976 | 48.2% | 13.6% |
| 1975 | 48.1% | 13.4% |
| 1974 | 48% | 13.2% |
| 1973 | 48% | 13% |
| 1972 | 47.9% | 12.7% |
| 1971 | 47.9% | 12.5% |
| 1970 | 47.8% | 12.3% |
| 1969 | 47.7% | 12.1% |
| 1968 | 47.6% | 11.9% |
| 1967 | 47.5% | 11.7% |
| 1966 | 47.4% | 11.5% |
| 1965 | 47.2% | 11.3% |
| 1964 | 47.1% | 11.1% |
| 1963 | 47% | 10.9% |
| 1962 | 46.9% | 10.8% |
| 1961 | 46.8% | 10.6% |
| 1960 | 46.6% | 10.4% |
From 2004 to 2024 share of the urban population changed from 59% to 69.3% in South Africa and from 22.8% to 26.1% in Vanuatu.
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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