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

Updated on by Georank team

The latest officially reported population of China was 1,408,975,000 in 2024 vs 64,007,187 people in South Africa in 2024. In 2026, based on the adjusted UN estimation, the current China's population is 1,402,578,808 people compared to 65,683,993 in South Africa.

Population statistics:

  • China's population is 21.4 times bigger than South Africa's.
  • China is ranked the 2nd most populous country in the world, while South Africa is the 24th.
  • The countries together account for 17.7% of the world: 16.9% for China vs 0.79% for South Africa.
  • For the last 10 years, China has had an average growth rate of +0.3% per year vs +1.44% in South Africa.
  • Since 2006, the population of China has increased from 1.31B people to 1.4B (6.98% growth), while South Africa has grown from 50M to 65.7M (31.4% growth).

China vs South Africa: population by year and forecast

China
Factual

Projection
South Africa
Factual

Projection
1x
Year Population
China South Africa
2100 633,320,628 94,767,727
2099 643,959,697 94,556,931
2098 654,691,595 94,349,546
2097 665,517,335 94,158,472
2096 676,438,150 93,960,605
2095 687,457,915 93,752,736
2094 698,589,897 93,527,902
2093 709,852,629 93,300,398
2092 721,251,520 93,074,837
2091 732,791,748 92,826,204
2090 744,501,355 92,594,033
2089 756,404,299 92,355,184
2088 768,478,316 92,112,914
2087 780,707,622 91,866,024
2086 793,081,006 91,614,165
2085 805,608,315 91,385,350
2084 818,268,277 91,139,318
2083 830,972,107 90,877,425
2082 843,721,746 90,615,359
2081 856,534,631 90,345,492
2080 869,351,919 90,071,835
2079 882,146,959 89,801,998
2078 894,889,246 89,526,224
2077 907,592,919 89,249,206
2076 920,280,380 88,986,114
2075 932,956,157 88,713,215
2074 945,631,173 88,428,616
2073 958,352,980 88,149,885
2072 971,115,895 87,866,246
2071 983,938,054 87,540,177
2070 996,853,418 87,209,425
2069 1,009,905,851 86,901,512
2068 1,023,081,790 86,588,742
2067 1,036,420,010 86,268,392
2066 1,049,887,382 85,935,310
2065 1,063,477,623 85,604,376
2064 1,077,206,695 85,244,950
2063 1,090,982,303 84,875,503
2062 1,104,833,556 84,503,237
2061 1,118,682,849 84,132,885
2060 1,132,504,136 83,748,999
2059 1,146,199,736 83,354,923
2058 1,159,714,746 82,947,675
2057 1,172,963,523 82,538,045
2056 1,185,938,083 82,127,477
2055 1,198,550,408 81,698,196
2054 1,210,749,681 81,255,867
2053 1,222,500,569 80,818,632
2052 1,233,808,926 80,367,409
2051 1,244,584,333 79,886,672
2050 1,254,824,040 79,411,977
2049 1,264,598,914 78,925,493
2048 1,273,885,471 78,437,677
2047 1,282,701,271 77,922,211
2046 1,291,133,690 77,397,298
2045 1,299,154,327 76,879,838
2044 1,306,805,350 76,357,155
2043 1,314,176,710 75,827,709
2042 1,321,319,298 75,291,615
2041 1,328,219,755 74,748,408
2040 1,334,857,481 74,205,530
2039 1,341,265,381 73,663,047
2038 1,347,407,165 73,105,930
2037 1,353,377,505 72,532,742
2036 1,359,133,287 71,956,247
2035 1,364,651,508 71,362,555
2034 1,369,940,557 70,762,815
2033 1,375,003,005 70,153,205
2032 1,379,784,204 69,527,410
2031 1,384,301,522 68,890,002
2030 1,388,520,533 68,245,372
2029 1,392,490,007 67,573,179
2028 1,396,163,778 66,884,377
2027 1,399,515,824 66,190,258
2026 1,402,578,808 65,496,277
2025 1,405,826,385 64,770,314
2024 1,408,975,000 64,007,187
2023 1,410,710,000 63,212,384
2022 1,412,175,000 62,378,410
2021 1,412,360,000 61,502,603
2020 1,411,100,000 60,562,381
2019 1,407,745,000 59,587,885
2018 1,402,760,000 58,613,001
2017 1,396,215,000 57,635,162
2016 1,387,790,000 57,259,551
2015 1,379,860,000 56,723,537
2014 1,371,860,000 55,594,838
2013 1,363,240,000 54,678,791
2012 1,354,190,000 53,782,567
2011 1,345,035,000 52,995,205
2010 1,337,705,000 52,344,051
2009 1,331,260,000 51,728,516
2008 1,324,655,000 51,114,599
2007 1,317,885,000 50,528,584
2006 1,311,020,000 49,998,277
2005 1,303,720,000 49,490,033
2004 1,296,075,000 48,991,421
2003 1,288,400,000 48,500,348
2002 1,280,400,000 48,019,415
2001 1,271,850,000 47,566,800
2000 1,262,645,000 47,159,719
1999 1,252,735,000 46,730,335
1998 1,241,935,000 46,223,880
1997 1,230,075,000 45,666,838
1996 1,217,550,000 45,123,018
1995 1,204,855,000 44,541,554
1994 1,191,835,000 44,004,139
1993 1,178,440,000 43,297,156
1992 1,164,970,000 42,443,509
1991 1,150,780,000 41,687,898
1990 1,135,185,000 40,746,268
1989 1,118,650,000 39,628,575
1988 1,101,630,000 38,480,649
1987 1,084,035,000 37,326,190
1986 1,066,790,000 36,180,515
1985 1,051,040,000 35,042,093
1984 1,036,825,000 33,892,788
1983 1,023,310,000 32,739,304
1982 1,008,630,000 31,615,339
1981 993,885,000 30,541,044
1980 981,235,000 29,518,857
1979 969,005,000 28,634,162
1978 956,165,000 27,869,507
1977 943,455,000 27,118,952
1976 930,685,000 26,395,450
1975 916,395,000 25,690,940
1974 900,350,000 24,989,108
1973 881,940,000 24,294,263
1972 862,030,000 23,609,456
1971 841,105,000 22,942,143
1970 818,315,000 22,279,984
1969 796,025,000 21,614,676
1968 774,510,000 20,957,287
1967 754,550,000 20,314,066
1966 735,400,000 19,690,087
1965 715,185,000 19,089,380
1964 698,355,000 18,511,361
1963 682,335,000 17,954,564
1962 665,770,000 17,418,522
1961 660,330,000 16,908,035
1960 667,070,000 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/china/south-africa | CC BY

From 2006 to 2016, the population of China increased by 76,770,000 people (a 5.86% growth), while South Africa gained 7,261,274 people (a 14.5% growth).

For the next 10 years, from 2016 to 2026, China gained 14,788,808 people (a 1.07% growth), while South Africa's population increased by 8,424,442 people (a 14.7% growth).

China was ranked 1st most populous country in 2006 and is 2nd 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) China's population will shrink by 10.5% to 1,254,824,040 people and will still be ranked 2nd. The population of South Africa will increase by 20.9% to 79,411,977 people and rank change from 24th to 23rd.

South Africa is projected to reach its peak in 2100 at 94.8M people, while China's population already peaked in 2021 at 1.41B people and is projected to decrease to 633M people by 2100.

Population growth rate by year

China
Factual

Projection
South Africa
Factual

Projection
1x
Year Growth rate
China South Africa
2100 -1.65% 0.22%
2099 -1.64% 0.22%
2098 -1.63% 0.2%
2097 -1.61% 0.21%
2096 -1.6% 0.22%
2095 -1.59% 0.24%
2094 -1.59% 0.24%
2093 -1.58% 0.24%
2092 -1.57% 0.27%
2091 -1.57% 0.25%
2090 -1.57% 0.26%
2089 -1.57% 0.26%
2088 -1.57% 0.27%
2087 -1.56% 0.27%
2086 -1.56% 0.25%
2085 -1.55% 0.27%
2084 -1.53% 0.29%
2083 -1.51% 0.29%
2082 -1.5% 0.3%
2081 -1.47% 0.3%
2080 -1.45% 0.3%
2079 -1.42% 0.31%
2078 -1.4% 0.31%
2077 -1.38% 0.3%
2076 -1.36% 0.31%
2075 -1.34% 0.32%
2074 -1.33% 0.32%
2073 -1.31% 0.32%
2072 -1.3% 0.37%
2071 -1.3% 0.38%
2070 -1.29% 0.35%
2069 -1.29% 0.36%
2068 -1.29% 0.37%
2067 -1.28% 0.39%
2066 -1.28% 0.39%
2065 -1.27% 0.42%
2064 -1.26% 0.44%
2063 -1.25% 0.44%
2062 -1.24% 0.44%
2061 -1.22% 0.46%
2060 -1.19% 0.47%
2059 -1.17% 0.49%
2058 -1.13% 0.5%
2057 -1.09% 0.5%
2056 -1.05% 0.53%
2055 -1.01% 0.54%
2054 -0.96% 0.54%
2053 -0.92% 0.56%
2052 -0.87% 0.6%
2051 -0.82% 0.6%
2050 -0.77% 0.62%
2049 -0.73% 0.62%
2048 -0.69% 0.66%
2047 -0.65% 0.68%
2046 -0.62% 0.67%
2045 -0.59% 0.68%
2044 -0.56% 0.7%
2043 -0.54% 0.71%
2042 -0.52% 0.73%
2041 -0.5% 0.73%
2040 -0.48% 0.74%
2039 -0.46% 0.76%
2038 -0.44% 0.79%
2037 -0.42% 0.8%
2036 -0.4% 0.83%
2035 -0.39% 0.85%
2034 -0.37% 0.87%
2033 -0.35% 0.9%
2032 -0.33% 0.93%
2031 -0.3% 0.94%
2030 -0.29% 0.99%
2029 -0.26% 1.03%
2028 -0.24% 1.05%
2027 -0.22% 1.06%
2026 -0.23% 1.12%
2025 -0.22% 1.19%
2024 -0.12% 1.26%
2023 -0.1% 1.34%
2022 -0.01% 1.42%
2021 0.09% 1.55%
2020 0.24% 1.64%
2019 0.36% 1.66%
2018 0.47% 1.7%
2017 0.61% 0.66%
2016 0.57% 0.94%
2015 0.58% 2.03%
2014 0.63% 1.68%
2013 0.67% 1.67%
2012 0.68% 1.49%
2011 0.55% 1.24%
2010 0.48% 1.19%
2009 0.5% 1.2%
2008 0.51% 1.16%
2007 0.52% 1.06%
2006 0.56% 1.03%
2005 0.59% 1.02%
2004 0.6% 1.01%
2003 0.62% 1%
2002 0.67% 0.95%
2001 0.73% 0.86%
2000 0.79% 0.92%
1999 0.87% 1.1%
1998 0.96% 1.22%
1997 1.03% 1.21%
1996 1.05% 1.31%
1995 1.09% 1.22%
1994 1.14% 1.63%
1993 1.16% 2.01%
1992 1.23% 1.81%
1991 1.37% 2.31%
1990 1.48% 2.82%
1989 1.54% 2.98%
1988 1.62% 3.09%
1987 1.62% 3.17%
1986 1.5% 3.25%
1985 1.37% 3.39%
1984 1.32% 3.52%
1983 1.46% 3.56%
1982 1.48% 3.52%
1981 1.29% 3.46%
1980 1.26% 3.09%
1979 1.34% 2.74%
1978 1.35% 2.77%
1977 1.37% 2.74%
1976 1.56% 2.74%
1975 1.78% 2.81%
1974 2.09% 2.86%
1973 2.31% 2.9%
1972 2.49% 2.91%
1971 2.78% 2.97%
1970 2.8% 3.08%
1969 2.78% 3.14%
1968 2.65% 3.17%
1967 2.6% 3.17%
1966 2.83% 3.15%
1965 2.41% 3.12%
1964 2.35% 3.1%
1963 2.49% 3.08%
1962 0.82% 3.02%
1961 -1.01% 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/china/south-africa | CC BY

In 2024, the population of China declined by 0.12%, while South Africa's population grew by 1.26%.

Live population counters

China South Africa
Current population
1402578808
65683993
Population rank 2/197 24/197
Percent of world population 16.9% 0.79%
One net population change
18.2 seconds
39.7 seconds
One birth every
3.5 seconds
26.6 seconds
One death every
2.84 seconds
54 seconds
Daily growth/decline -4,753 +2,178
Annual growth/decline -1,735,000 +794,803
Annual growth/decline rate -0.12% +1.26%
Population growth rate rank 173/197 85/197
One migration net change every
1.97 minutes
3.6 minutes
Annual migration change -268,126 +146,370
Net migration rank 189/196 9/196
Foreign-born residents 1,638,718 2,631,100
Foreign-born residents rank 43/195 28/195
Foreign-born share of population 0.1% 4.1%
Foreign-born share rank 192/195 105/195

Natural population change vs migration

China
Natural

Migration
South Africa
Natural

Migration
1x
Year Population change
China South Africa
Natural Migration Natural Migration
2025 - -268,126 - 146,370
2024 - -318,992 - 166,972
2023 -2,087,851 -567,724 602,793 228,222
2022 -847,305 -293,846 603,636 233,284
2021 480,203 -379,749 456,411 458,246
2020 2,046,095 -91,577 595,873 369,901
2019 4,673,713 -656,091 652,130 331,124
2018 5,302,433 -198,206 648,319 318,260
2017 7,790,880 -94,625 645,975 343,146
2016 9,062,269 -153,056 641,365 -879,235
2015 6,788,911 -646,941 668,771 641,150
2014 9,205,180 -371,108 674,754 272,697
2013 8,043,116 -188,951 652,427 232,230
2012 10,075,174 -58,864 643,723 264,091
2011 8,245,065 -416,189 601,708 65,166
2010 6,407,607 -184,144 566,834 68,563
2009 6,483,236 -177,135 554,115 41,528
2008 6,729,247 -764,370 595,332 36,869
2007 6,813,465 -1,042,019 503,567 36,339
2006 6,922,185 -759,559 487,584 33,159
2005 7,678,911 -103,701 464,464 31,286
2004 7,607,960 -770,977 442,540 58,924
2003 7,743,284 -613,223 415,018 65,604
2002 8,258,580 -761,291 430,926 50,313
2001 8,839,358 -176,419 484,801 -60,793
2000 9,570,849 -62,622 526,963 -136,794
1999 10,247,372 -96,102 594,643 -126,011
1998 11,351,286 -40,472 627,027 -82,722
1997 12,374,554 -279,251 667,969 -98,181
1996 12,686,872 -250,750 710,868 -193,007
1995 12,711,220 -365,986 743,488 -98,403
1994 13,360,470 -723,641 698,609 -268,849
1993 13,493,138 -373,316 789,220 194,977
1992 13,548,601 -142,985 794,415 -71,342
1991 14,937,124 -544,650 827,296 -39,131
1990 16,335,313 -11,187 835,421 259,718
1989 16,824,495 -313,476 884,629 255,605
1988 17,328,640 -282,194 909,221 246,382
1987 18,005,821 -169,170 922,330 231,009
1986 16,609,920 -79,190 903,644 234,378
1985 14,987,830 -60,929 893,889 244,940
1984 13,561,671 -51,961 869,011 290,789
1983 13,599,789 -43,756 837,013 310,172
1982 15,815,318 -36,181 807,550 293,195
1981 14,461,027 -28,016 767,833 279,985
1980 11,647,260 -20,129 738,415 258,127
1979 11,250,148 -13,704 716,541 56,323
1978 11,473,980 -9,916 694,341 62,121
1977 11,378,068 -15,323 680,929 63,739
1976 11,782,472 -55,109 675,011 27,333
1975 14,378,237 -115,173 667,862 38,809
1974 15,738,118 -175,239 658,438 38,518
1973 18,423,727 -214,997 651,596 41,125
1972 19,102,585 -215,650 638,754 38,163
1971 19,622,980 -180,153 624,761 32,961
1970 21,137,076 -126,510 605,102 61,514
1969 20,760,332 -72,836 590,794 73,225
1968 21,206,083 -37,290 571,841 78,932
1967 19,263,662 1,246,654 553,741 81,932
1966 19,282,187 4,165 534,862 77,417
1965 20,296,950 -130,900 506,632 82,514
1964 19,302,532 -1,250,441 490,606 76,298
1963 22,742,225 -31,383 473,821 72,844
1962 17,969,132 -31,305 455,634 69,771
1961 2,496,047 -25,578 437,851 57,728
1960 -3,048,510 -16,927 421,263 18,891

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

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

Over the last 10 years, 92.5% of the population change in China is from natural causes (a gain of 42,414,528 people) and 7.53% is from migration (a loss of 3,452,923 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, 1,638,718 residents or 0.1% of the population were not native-born in China, compared to 2,631,100 people or 4.1% in South Africa.

Biggest cities by population

China
City Population
Chongqing 32.1M
Shanghai 24.9M
Beijing 21.9M
Chengdu 20.9M
Guangzhou 18.7M
Shenzhen 17.5M
Tianjin 13.9M
Xi'an 13M
Suzhou 12.7M
Zhengzhou 12.6M
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/china/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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