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Population in Bangladesh compared to South Africa: Trends, Charts, Rankings

Updated on by Georank team

The latest officially reported population of Bangladesh was 173,562,364 in 2024 vs 64,007,187 people in South Africa in 2024. In 2026, based on the adjusted UN estimation, the current Bangladesh's population is 178,415,186 people compared to 65,683,993 in South Africa.

Population statistics:

  • Bangladesh's population is 2.72 times bigger than South Africa's.
  • Bangladesh is ranked the 8th most populous country in the world, while South Africa is the 24th.
  • The countries together account for 2.95% of the world: 2.15% for Bangladesh vs 0.79% for South Africa.
  • For the last 10 years, Bangladesh has had an average growth rate of +0.94% per year vs +1.44% in South Africa.
  • Since 2006, the population of Bangladesh has increased from 146M people to 178M (21.9% growth), while South Africa has grown from 50M to 65.7M (31.4% growth).

Bangladesh vs South Africa: population by year and forecast

Bangladesh
Factual

Projection
South Africa
Factual

Projection
1x
Year Population
Bangladesh South Africa
2100 210,399,059 94,767,727
2099 211,449,688 94,556,931
2098 212,479,977 94,349,546
2097 213,484,035 94,158,472
2096 214,463,720 93,960,605
2095 215,424,649 93,752,736
2094 216,368,088 93,527,902
2093 217,273,531 93,300,398
2092 218,151,426 93,074,837
2091 218,980,379 92,826,204
2090 219,782,575 92,594,033
2089 220,538,090 92,355,184
2088 221,257,201 92,112,914
2087 221,935,839 91,866,024
2086 222,585,679 91,614,165
2085 223,183,658 91,385,350
2084 223,742,603 91,139,318
2083 224,273,365 90,877,425
2082 224,763,738 90,615,359
2081 225,237,793 90,345,492
2080 225,665,152 90,071,835
2079 226,059,226 89,801,998
2078 226,389,150 89,526,224
2077 226,696,749 89,249,206
2076 226,954,762 88,986,114
2075 227,159,233 88,713,215
2074 227,315,415 88,428,616
2073 227,436,221 88,149,885
2072 227,503,342 87,866,246
2071 227,522,038 87,540,177
2070 227,495,122 87,209,425
2069 227,426,186 86,901,512
2068 227,302,632 86,588,742
2067 227,118,726 86,268,392
2066 226,878,385 85,935,310
2065 226,581,697 85,604,376
2064 226,235,839 85,244,950
2063 225,822,167 84,875,503
2062 225,349,674 84,503,237
2061 224,811,052 84,132,885
2060 224,216,813 83,748,999
2059 223,569,585 83,354,923
2058 222,855,839 82,947,675
2057 222,083,110 82,538,045
2056 221,273,932 82,127,477
2055 220,405,468 81,698,196
2054 219,511,997 81,255,867
2053 218,567,668 80,818,632
2052 217,585,554 80,367,409
2051 216,554,217 79,886,672
2050 215,489,899 79,411,977
2049 214,400,010 78,925,493
2048 213,275,216 78,437,677
2047 212,114,603 77,922,211
2046 210,918,933 77,397,298
2045 209,696,717 76,879,838
2044 208,446,830 76,357,155
2043 207,170,217 75,827,709
2042 205,859,107 75,291,615
2041 204,513,256 74,748,408
2040 203,143,300 74,205,530
2039 201,735,060 73,663,047
2038 200,262,138 73,105,930
2037 198,739,346 72,532,742
2036 197,147,970 71,956,247
2035 195,499,247 71,362,555
2034 193,789,143 70,762,815
2033 191,989,956 70,153,205
2032 190,141,739 69,527,410
2031 188,208,233 68,890,002
2030 186,212,272 68,245,372
2029 184,168,103 67,573,179
2028 182,087,511 66,884,377
2027 179,973,411 66,190,258
2026 177,837,418 65,496,277
2025 175,685,057 64,770,314
2024 173,562,364 64,007,187
2023 171,466,990 63,212,384
2022 169,384,897 62,378,410
2021 167,658,854 61,502,603
2020 166,298,024 60,562,381
2019 164,913,055 59,587,885
2018 163,523,103 58,613,001
2017 162,186,147 57,635,162
2016 160,811,932 57,259,551
2015 159,383,179 56,723,537
2014 157,964,929 55,594,838
2013 156,532,141 54,678,791
2012 155,070,101 53,782,567
2011 153,591,076 52,995,205
2010 152,201,981 52,344,051
2009 150,873,714 51,728,516
2008 149,474,264 51,114,599
2007 147,989,278 50,528,584
2006 146,405,973 49,998,277
2005 144,715,786 49,490,033
2004 142,902,856 48,991,421
2003 140,970,351 48,500,348
2002 138,933,658 48,019,415
2001 136,805,810 47,566,800
2000 134,544,304 47,159,719
1999 132,108,065 46,730,335
1998 129,622,332 46,223,880
1997 127,198,069 45,666,838
1996 124,862,179 45,123,018
1995 122,600,370 44,541,554
1994 120,343,179 44,004,139
1993 118,132,360 43,297,156
1992 115,952,192 42,443,509
1991 113,787,109 41,687,898
1990 111,633,717 40,746,268
1989 109,433,799 39,628,575
1988 107,216,008 38,480,649
1987 104,959,291 37,326,190
1986 102,635,572 36,180,515
1985 100,253,825 35,042,093
1984 97,814,966 33,892,788
1983 95,335,155 32,739,304
1982 92,814,507 31,615,339
1981 90,303,105 30,541,044
1980 88,016,432 29,518,857
1979 85,935,072 28,634,162
1978 83,889,655 27,869,507
1977 81,867,264 27,118,952
1976 79,855,318 26,395,450
1975 77,854,351 25,690,940
1974 75,839,348 24,989,108
1973 73,722,294 24,294,263
1972 71,641,519 23,609,456
1971 70,276,758 22,942,143
1970 69,058,894 22,279,984
1969 67,294,133 21,614,676
1968 65,408,276 20,957,287
1967 63,510,929 20,314,066
1966 61,669,806 19,690,087
1965 59,902,519 19,089,380
1964 58,178,374 18,511,361
1963 56,504,402 17,954,564
1962 54,881,146 17,418,522
1961 53,310,348 16,908,035
1960 51,828,660 16,440,172

Data sources: United Nations | World Population Prospects (2025–2100, retrieved 2026-03-10); World Bank | Health (1960–2024, retrieved 2026-04-06).

GeoRank.org/population/bangladesh/south-africa | CC BY

From 2006 to 2016, the population of Bangladesh increased by 14,405,959 people (a 9.84% growth), while South Africa gained 7,261,274 people (a 14.5% growth).

For the next 10 years, from 2016 to 2026, Bangladesh gained 17,603,254 people (a 10.9% growth), while South Africa's population increased by 8,424,442 people (a 14.7% growth).

Bangladesh was ranked 8th most populous country in 2006 and is still 8th in 2026. South Africa was ranked 24th in 2006 and still ranked 24th now.

The UN's World Population Prospects forecasts that in 24 years (in 2050) Bangladesh's population will grow by 20.8% to 215,489,899 people with a rank change from 8th to 10th. The population of South Africa will increase by 20.9% to 79,411,977 people and rank change from 24th to 23rd.

Bangladesh is projected to reach its peak in 2071 at 228M people compared to the peak of 94.8M people in 2100 for South Africa.

Population growth rate by year

Bangladesh
Factual

Projection
South Africa
Factual

Projection
1x
Year Growth rate
Bangladesh South Africa
2100 -0.5% 0.22%
2099 -0.48% 0.22%
2098 -0.47% 0.2%
2097 -0.46% 0.21%
2096 -0.45% 0.22%
2095 -0.44% 0.24%
2094 -0.42% 0.24%
2093 -0.4% 0.24%
2092 -0.38% 0.27%
2091 -0.36% 0.25%
2090 -0.34% 0.26%
2089 -0.33% 0.26%
2088 -0.31% 0.27%
2087 -0.29% 0.27%
2086 -0.27% 0.25%
2085 -0.25% 0.27%
2084 -0.24% 0.29%
2083 -0.22% 0.29%
2082 -0.21% 0.3%
2081 -0.19% 0.3%
2080 -0.17% 0.3%
2079 -0.15% 0.31%
2078 -0.14% 0.31%
2077 -0.11% 0.3%
2076 -0.09% 0.31%
2075 -0.07% 0.32%
2074 -0.05% 0.32%
2073 -0.03% 0.32%
2072 -0.008% 0.37%
2071 0.01% 0.38%
2070 0.03% 0.35%
2069 0.05% 0.36%
2068 0.08% 0.37%
2067 0.11% 0.39%
2066 0.13% 0.39%
2065 0.15% 0.42%
2064 0.18% 0.44%
2063 0.21% 0.44%
2062 0.24% 0.44%
2061 0.27% 0.46%
2060 0.29% 0.47%
2059 0.32% 0.49%
2058 0.35% 0.5%
2057 0.37% 0.5%
2056 0.39% 0.53%
2055 0.41% 0.54%
2054 0.43% 0.54%
2053 0.45% 0.56%
2052 0.48% 0.6%
2051 0.49% 0.6%
2050 0.51% 0.62%
2049 0.53% 0.62%
2048 0.55% 0.66%
2047 0.57% 0.68%
2046 0.58% 0.67%
2045 0.6% 0.68%
2044 0.62% 0.7%
2043 0.64% 0.71%
2042 0.66% 0.73%
2041 0.67% 0.73%
2040 0.7% 0.74%
2039 0.74% 0.76%
2038 0.77% 0.79%
2037 0.81% 0.8%
2036 0.84% 0.83%
2035 0.88% 0.85%
2034 0.94% 0.87%
2033 0.97% 0.9%
2032 1.03% 0.93%
2031 1.07% 0.94%
2030 1.11% 0.99%
2029 1.14% 1.03%
2028 1.17% 1.05%
2027 1.2% 1.06%
2026 1.23% 1.12%
2025 1.22% 1.19%
2024 1.22% 1.26%
2023 1.23% 1.34%
2022 1.03% 1.42%
2021 0.82% 1.55%
2020 0.84% 1.64%
2019 0.85% 1.66%
2018 0.82% 1.7%
2017 0.85% 0.66%
2016 0.9% 0.94%
2015 0.9% 2.03%
2014 0.92% 1.68%
2013 0.94% 1.67%
2012 0.96% 1.49%
2011 0.91% 1.24%
2010 0.88% 1.19%
2009 0.94% 1.2%
2008 1% 1.16%
2007 1.08% 1.06%
2006 1.17% 1.03%
2005 1.27% 1.02%
2004 1.37% 1.01%
2003 1.47% 1%
2002 1.56% 0.95%
2001 1.68% 0.86%
2000 1.84% 0.92%
1999 1.92% 1.1%
1998 1.91% 1.22%
1997 1.87% 1.21%
1996 1.84% 1.31%
1995 1.88% 1.22%
1994 1.87% 1.63%
1993 1.88% 2.01%
1992 1.9% 1.81%
1991 1.93% 2.31%
1990 2.01% 2.82%
1989 2.07% 2.98%
1988 2.15% 3.09%
1987 2.26% 3.17%
1986 2.38% 3.25%
1985 2.49% 3.39%
1984 2.6% 3.52%
1983 2.72% 3.56%
1982 2.78% 3.52%
1981 2.6% 3.46%
1980 2.42% 3.09%
1979 2.44% 2.74%
1978 2.47% 2.77%
1977 2.52% 2.74%
1976 2.57% 2.74%
1975 2.66% 2.81%
1974 2.87% 2.86%
1973 2.9% 2.9%
1972 1.94% 2.91%
1971 1.76% 2.97%
1970 2.62% 3.08%
1969 2.88% 3.14%
1968 2.99% 3.17%
1967 2.99% 3.17%
1966 2.95% 3.15%
1965 2.96% 3.12%
1964 2.96% 3.1%
1963 2.96% 3.08%
1962 2.95% 3.02%
1961 2.86% 2.85%

Data sources: United Nations | World Population Prospects (2025–2100, retrieved 2026-03-10); World Bank | Health (1961–2024, retrieved 2026-04-06).

GeoRank.org/population/bangladesh/south-africa | CC BY

In 2024, the population of Bangladesh grew by 1.22%, while South Africa's population grew by 1.26%.

Live population counters

Bangladesh South Africa
Current population
178415186
65683993
Population rank 8/197 24/197
Percent of world population 2.15% 0.79%
One net population change
15.1 seconds
39.7 seconds
One birth every
9.04 seconds
26.6 seconds
One death every
36.7 seconds
54 seconds
Daily growth/decline +5,741 +2,178
Annual growth/decline +2,095,374 +794,803
Annual growth/decline rate +1.22% +1.26%
Population growth rate rank 90/197 85/197
One migration net change every
1.31 minutes
3.6 minutes
Annual migration change -402,100 +146,370
Net migration rank 194/196 9/196
Foreign-born residents 2,906,338 2,631,100
Foreign-born residents rank 24/195 28/195
Foreign-born share of population 1.7% 4.1%
Foreign-born share rank 139/195 105/195

Natural population change vs migration

Bangladesh
Natural

Migration
South Africa
Natural

Migration
1x
Year Population change
Bangladesh South Africa
Natural Migration Natural Migration
2025 - -402,100 - 146,370
2024 - -473,362 - 166,972
2023 2,630,818 -549,918 602,793 228,222
2022 2,633,258 -549,990 603,636 233,284
2021 2,363,487 -994,722 456,411 458,246
2020 2,355,279 -1,002,522 595,873 369,901
2019 2,433,952 -1,016,796 652,130 331,124
2018 2,391,853 -1,029,069 648,319 318,260
2017 2,348,293 -1,037,176 645,975 343,146
2016 2,356,056 -918,770 641,365 -879,235
2015 2,329,544 -909,223 668,771 641,150
2014 2,305,499 -889,222 674,754 272,697
2013 2,312,293 -862,944 652,427 232,230
2012 2,304,652 -829,875 643,723 264,091
2011 2,332,126 -848,910 601,708 65,166
2010 2,408,597 -1,113,727 566,834 68,563
2009 2,511,746 -1,150,194 554,115 41,528
2008 2,595,770 -1,158,420 595,332 36,869
2007 2,666,175 -1,133,553 503,567 36,339
2006 2,725,786 -1,091,865 487,584 33,159
2005 2,783,029 -1,036,635 464,464 31,286
2004 2,849,626 -970,264 442,540 58,924
2003 2,881,857 -896,335 415,018 65,604
2002 2,907,604 -819,909 430,926 50,313
2001 2,905,755 -737,740 484,801 -60,793
2000 2,867,543 -512,422 526,963 -136,794
1999 2,803,597 -286,256 594,643 -126,011
1998 2,740,993 -286,966 627,027 -82,722
1997 2,667,979 -273,442 667,969 -98,181
1996 2,531,581 -254,239 710,868 -193,007
1995 2,477,509 -231,304 743,488 -98,403
1994 2,475,098 -206,958 698,609 -268,849
1993 2,425,139 -271,677 789,220 194,977
1992 2,453,664 -246,914 794,415 -71,342
1991 2,354,255 -230,852 827,296 -39,131
1990 2,587,558 -404,105 835,421 259,718
1989 2,623,347 -406,910 884,629 255,605
1988 2,614,570 -395,408 909,221 246,382
1987 2,661,768 -367,475 922,330 231,009
1986 2,685,152 -331,992 903,644 234,378
1985 2,698,231 -287,872 893,889 244,940
1984 2,713,094 -245,693 869,011 290,789
1983 2,694,172 -201,909 837,013 310,172
1982 2,705,822 -156,729 807,550 293,195
1981 2,658,613 -184,884 767,833 279,985
1980 2,615,497 -515,918 738,415 258,127
1979 2,570,404 -507,354 716,541 56,323
1978 2,514,509 -486,721 694,341 62,121
1977 2,475,502 -458,491 680,929 63,739
1976 2,431,754 -424,970 675,011 27,333
1975 2,385,302 -390,212 667,862 38,809
1974 2,312,418 -277,545 658,438 38,518
1973 2,276,471 -77,324 651,596 41,125
1972 2,231,204 -269,033 638,754 38,163
1971 542,747 224,369 624,761 32,961
1970 1,742,287 -73,719 605,102 61,514
1969 1,985,984 -125,010 590,794 73,225
1968 1,918,686 -7,970 571,841 78,932
1967 1,860,743 23,164 553,741 81,932
1966 1,794,530 3,758 534,862 77,417
1965 1,688,652 47,610 506,632 82,514
1964 1,686,591 25,426 490,606 76,298
1963 1,612,749 23,215 473,821 72,844
1962 1,584,035 26,533 455,634 69,771
1961 1,504,524 26,503 437,851 57,728
1960 1,418,810 13,580 421,263 18,891

Data sources: World Bank | Health (1960–2025, retrieved 2026-04-06).

GeoRank.org/population/bangladesh/south-africa | CC BY

Over the last 10 years, 73.1% of the population change in Bangladesh is from natural causes (a gain of 24,148,039 people) and 26.9% is from migration (a loss of 8,897,408 people). In South Africa 72.8% is from natural causes (a gain of 6,190,027 people) and 27.2% is from migration (a gain of 2,316,795 people).

As of 2024, 2,906,338 residents or 1.7% of the population were not native-born in Bangladesh, compared to 2,631,100 people or 4.1% in South Africa.

Biggest cities by population

Bangladesh
City Population
Dhaka 16.8M
Chittagong 2.58M
Narayanganj 968K
Khulna 929K
Sylhet 480K
Rajshahi 448K
Bogra 401K
Barisal 328K
Rangpur 294K
Brahmanbaria 268K
South Africa
City Population
Johannesburg 4.8M
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 map with other countries

1x

Data sources: World Bank | Health (1960–2024, retrieved 2026-04-06); United Nations | World Population Prospects (1960–2026, retrieved 2026-03-10); U.S. Census Bureau (1960–2025, retrieved 2026-02-08); Central Intelligence Agency (CIA) (2000–2019, retrieved 2026-02-20).

GeoRank.org/population/bangladesh/south-africa | CC BY

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Data sources:

  1. World Bank | Health (1960–2025, retrieved 2026-04-06)
  2. United Nations | World Population Prospects (1960–2100, retrieved 2026-03-10)
  3. U.S. Census Bureau (1960–2025, retrieved 2026-02-08)
  4. Wikidata (2026, retrieved 2026-02-08)
  5. Central Intelligence Agency (CIA) (2000–2019, retrieved 2026-02-20)

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