Skip to content

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

Updated on by Georank team

The latest officially reported population of Germany was 83,516,593 in 2024 vs 64,007,187 people in South Africa in 2024. In 2026, based on the adjusted UN estimation, the current Germany's population is 82,575,542 people compared to 65,683,993 in South Africa.

Population statistics:

  • Germany's population is 1.26 times bigger than South Africa's.
  • Germany is ranked the 19th most populous country in the world, while South Africa is the 24th.
  • The countries together account for 1.79% of the world: 1% for Germany vs 0.79% for South Africa.
  • For the last 10 years, Germany has had an average growth rate of +0.32% per year vs +1.44% in South Africa.
  • Since 2006, the population of Germany has increased from 82.4M people to 82.6M (0.24% growth), while South Africa has grown from 50M to 65.7M (31.4% growth).

Germany vs South Africa: population by year and forecast

Germany
Factual

Projection
South Africa
Factual

Projection
1x
Year Population
Germany South Africa
2100 69,929,981 94,767,727
2099 69,956,854 94,556,931
2098 69,973,838 94,349,546
2097 70,015,834 94,158,472
2096 70,046,713 93,960,605
2095 70,067,131 93,752,736
2094 70,085,911 93,527,902
2093 70,106,718 93,300,398
2092 70,132,132 93,074,837
2091 70,178,440 92,826,204
2090 70,240,137 92,594,033
2089 70,294,005 92,355,184
2088 70,352,443 92,112,914
2087 70,434,814 91,866,024
2086 70,532,124 91,614,165
2085 70,627,602 91,385,350
2084 70,722,960 91,139,318
2083 70,829,392 90,877,425
2082 70,932,273 90,615,359
2081 71,045,881 90,345,492
2080 71,171,519 90,071,835
2079 71,305,544 89,801,998
2078 71,445,484 89,526,224
2077 71,601,117 89,249,206
2076 71,757,525 88,986,114
2075 71,891,567 88,713,215
2074 72,046,795 88,428,616
2073 72,206,145 88,149,885
2072 72,356,324 87,866,246
2071 72,517,749 87,540,177
2070 72,664,462 87,209,425
2069 72,828,330 86,901,512
2068 72,993,859 86,588,742
2067 73,178,408 86,268,392
2066 73,370,207 85,935,310
2065 73,561,648 85,604,376
2064 73,762,096 85,244,950
2063 73,971,537 84,875,503
2062 74,198,775 84,503,237
2061 74,426,082 84,132,885
2060 74,678,280 83,748,999
2059 74,932,496 83,354,923
2058 75,206,278 82,947,675
2057 75,482,742 82,538,045
2056 75,756,281 82,127,477
2055 76,041,477 81,698,196
2054 76,325,196 81,255,867
2053 76,595,801 80,818,632
2052 76,839,962 80,367,409
2051 77,084,029 79,886,672
2050 77,325,459 79,411,977
2049 77,569,721 78,925,493
2048 77,818,888 78,437,677
2047 78,049,343 77,922,211
2046 78,272,834 77,397,298
2045 78,497,690 76,879,838
2044 78,722,126 76,357,155
2043 78,936,540 75,827,709
2042 79,130,312 75,291,615
2041 79,324,161 74,748,408
2040 79,536,735 74,205,530
2039 79,754,631 73,663,047
2038 79,978,474 73,105,930
2037 80,194,225 72,532,742
2036 80,425,162 71,956,247
2035 80,640,951 71,362,555
2034 80,844,719 70,762,815
2033 81,069,119 70,153,205
2032 81,286,326 69,527,410
2031 81,520,272 68,890,002
2030 81,736,996 68,245,372
2029 81,963,002 67,573,179
2028 82,178,048 66,884,377
2027 82,384,302 66,190,258
2026 82,575,542 65,496,277
2025 83,233,941 64,770,314
2024 83,516,593 64,007,187
2023 83,287,273 63,212,384
2022 83,177,813 62,378,410
2021 83,196,078 61,502,603
2020 83,160,871 60,562,381
2019 83,092,962 59,587,885
2018 82,905,782 58,613,001
2017 82,657,002 57,635,162
2016 82,348,669 57,259,551
2015 81,686,611 56,723,537
2014 80,982,500 55,594,838
2013 80,645,605 54,678,791
2012 80,425,823 53,782,567
2011 80,274,983 52,995,205
2010 81,776,930 52,344,051
2009 81,902,307 51,728,516
2008 82,110,097 51,114,599
2007 82,266,372 50,528,584
2006 82,376,451 49,998,277
2005 82,469,422 49,490,033
2004 82,516,260 48,991,421
2003 82,534,176 48,500,348
2002 82,488,495 48,019,415
2001 82,349,925 47,566,800
2000 82,211,508 47,159,719
1999 82,100,243 46,730,335
1998 82,047,195 46,223,880
1997 82,034,771 45,666,838
1996 81,914,831 45,123,018
1995 81,678,051 44,541,554
1994 81,438,348 44,004,139
1993 81,156,363 43,297,156
1992 80,624,598 42,443,509
1991 80,013,896 41,687,898
1990 79,433,029 40,746,268
1989 78,751,283 39,628,575
1988 78,144,619 38,480,649
1987 77,839,920 37,326,190
1986 77,720,436 36,180,515
1985 77,684,873 35,042,093
1984 77,858,685 33,892,788
1983 78,128,282 32,739,304
1982 78,333,366 31,615,339
1981 78,407,907 30,541,044
1980 78,288,576 29,518,857
1979 78,126,350 28,634,162
1978 78,091,820 27,869,507
1977 78,159,814 27,118,952
1976 78,336,950 26,395,450
1975 78,673,554 25,690,940
1974 78,967,433 24,989,108
1973 78,936,666 24,294,263
1972 78,688,452 23,609,456
1971 78,312,842 22,942,143
1970 78,169,289 22,279,984
1969 77,909,682 21,614,676
1968 77,294,314 20,957,287
1967 76,951,336 20,314,066
1966 76,600,311 19,690,087
1965 75,963,695 19,089,380
1964 75,318,337 18,511,361
1963 74,714,353 17,954,564
1962 74,025,784 17,418,522
1961 73,377,632 16,908,035
1960 72,814,900 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/germany/south-africa | CC BY

From 2006 to 2016, the population of Germany decreased by 27,782 people (a 0.03% decline), while South Africa gained 7,261,274 people (a 14.5% growth).

For the next 10 years, from 2016 to 2026, Germany gained 226,873 people (a 0.28% growth), while South Africa's population increased by 8,424,442 people (a 14.7% growth).

Germany was ranked 14th most populous country in 2006 and is 19th 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) Germany's population will shrink by 6.36% to 77,325,459 people with a rank change from 19th to 25th. 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 Germany's population already peaked in 2024 at 83.5M people and is projected to decrease to 69.9M people by 2100.

Population growth rate by year

Germany
Factual

Projection
South Africa
Factual

Projection
1x
Year Growth rate
Germany South Africa
2100 -0.04% 0.22%
2099 -0.02% 0.22%
2098 -0.06% 0.2%
2097 -0.04% 0.21%
2096 -0.03% 0.22%
2095 -0.03% 0.24%
2094 -0.03% 0.24%
2093 -0.04% 0.24%
2092 -0.07% 0.27%
2091 -0.09% 0.25%
2090 -0.08% 0.26%
2089 -0.08% 0.26%
2088 -0.12% 0.27%
2087 -0.14% 0.27%
2086 -0.14% 0.25%
2085 -0.13% 0.27%
2084 -0.15% 0.29%
2083 -0.15% 0.29%
2082 -0.16% 0.3%
2081 -0.18% 0.3%
2080 -0.19% 0.3%
2079 -0.2% 0.31%
2078 -0.22% 0.31%
2077 -0.22% 0.3%
2076 -0.19% 0.31%
2075 -0.22% 0.32%
2074 -0.22% 0.32%
2073 -0.21% 0.32%
2072 -0.22% 0.37%
2071 -0.2% 0.38%
2070 -0.23% 0.35%
2069 -0.23% 0.36%
2068 -0.25% 0.37%
2067 -0.26% 0.39%
2066 -0.26% 0.39%
2065 -0.27% 0.42%
2064 -0.28% 0.44%
2063 -0.31% 0.44%
2062 -0.31% 0.44%
2061 -0.34% 0.46%
2060 -0.34% 0.47%
2059 -0.36% 0.49%
2058 -0.37% 0.5%
2057 -0.36% 0.5%
2056 -0.38% 0.53%
2055 -0.37% 0.54%
2054 -0.35% 0.54%
2053 -0.32% 0.56%
2052 -0.32% 0.6%
2051 -0.31% 0.6%
2050 -0.31% 0.62%
2049 -0.32% 0.62%
2048 -0.3% 0.66%
2047 -0.29% 0.68%
2046 -0.29% 0.67%
2045 -0.29% 0.68%
2044 -0.27% 0.7%
2043 -0.24% 0.71%
2042 -0.24% 0.73%
2041 -0.27% 0.73%
2040 -0.27% 0.74%
2039 -0.28% 0.76%
2038 -0.27% 0.79%
2037 -0.29% 0.8%
2036 -0.27% 0.83%
2035 -0.25% 0.85%
2034 -0.28% 0.87%
2033 -0.27% 0.9%
2032 -0.29% 0.93%
2031 -0.27% 0.94%
2030 -0.28% 0.99%
2029 -0.26% 1.03%
2028 -0.25% 1.05%
2027 -0.23% 1.06%
2026 -0.79% 1.12%
2025 -0.34% 1.19%
2024 0.28% 1.26%
2023 0.13% 1.34%
2022 -0.02% 1.42%
2021 0.04% 1.55%
2020 0.08% 1.64%
2019 0.23% 1.66%
2018 0.3% 1.7%
2017 0.37% 0.66%
2016 0.81% 0.94%
2015 0.87% 2.03%
2014 0.42% 1.68%
2013 0.27% 1.67%
2012 0.19% 1.49%
2011 -1.84% 1.24%
2010 -0.15% 1.19%
2009 -0.25% 1.2%
2008 -0.19% 1.16%
2007 -0.13% 1.06%
2006 -0.11% 1.03%
2005 -0.06% 1.02%
2004 -0.02% 1.01%
2003 0.06% 1%
2002 0.17% 0.95%
2001 0.17% 0.86%
2000 0.14% 0.92%
1999 0.06% 1.1%
1998 0.02% 1.22%
1997 0.15% 1.21%
1996 0.29% 1.31%
1995 0.29% 1.22%
1994 0.35% 1.63%
1993 0.66% 2.01%
1992 0.76% 1.81%
1991 0.73% 2.31%
1990 0.87% 2.82%
1989 0.78% 2.98%
1988 0.39% 3.09%
1987 0.15% 3.17%
1986 0.05% 3.25%
1985 -0.22% 3.39%
1984 -0.35% 3.52%
1983 -0.26% 3.56%
1982 -0.1% 3.52%
1981 0.15% 3.46%
1980 0.21% 3.09%
1979 0.04% 2.74%
1978 -0.09% 2.77%
1977 -0.23% 2.74%
1976 -0.43% 2.74%
1975 -0.37% 2.81%
1974 0.04% 2.86%
1973 0.32% 2.9%
1972 0.48% 2.91%
1971 0.18% 2.97%
1970 0.33% 3.08%
1969 0.8% 3.14%
1968 0.45% 3.17%
1967 0.46% 3.17%
1966 0.84% 3.15%
1965 0.86% 3.12%
1964 0.81% 3.1%
1963 0.93% 3.08%
1962 0.88% 3.02%
1961 0.77% 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/germany/south-africa | CC BY

In 2024, the population of Germany grew by 0.28%, while South Africa's population grew by 1.26%.

Live population counters

Germany South Africa
Current population
82575542
65683993
Population rank 19/197 24/197
Percent of world population 1% 0.79%
One net population change
2.29 minutes
39.7 seconds
One birth every
45.6 seconds
26.6 seconds
One death every
30.8 seconds
54 seconds
Daily growth/decline +628 +2,178
Annual growth/decline +229,320 +794,803
Annual growth/decline rate +0.28% +1.26%
Population growth rate rank 151/197 85/197
One migration net change every
1.58 minutes
3.6 minutes
Annual migration change -334,072 +146,370
Net migration rank 192/196 9/196
Foreign-born residents 16,750,084 2,631,100
Foreign-born residents rank 2/195 28/195
Foreign-born share of population 19.8% 4.1%
Foreign-born share rank 31/195 105/195

Natural population change vs migration

Germany
Natural

Migration
South Africa
Natural

Migration
1x
Year Population change
Germany South Africa
Natural Migration Natural Migration
2025 - -334,072 - 146,370
2024 - 36,954 - 166,972
2023 -333,149 609,553 602,793 228,222
2022 -324,394 981,552 603,636 233,284
2021 -224,629 310,264 456,411 458,246
2020 -216,218 203,468 595,873 369,901
2019 -157,877 319,082 652,130 331,124
2018 -165,812 403,908 648,319 318,260
2017 -148,783 452,988 645,975 343,146
2016 -123,523 517,480 641,365 -879,235
2015 -187,879 1,175,283 668,771 641,150
2014 -153,866 592,338 674,754 272,697
2013 -209,679 462,384 652,427 232,230
2012 -193,022 199,143 643,723 264,091
2011 -184,632 295,282 601,708 65,166
2010 -179,909 130,116 566,834 68,563
2009 -188,375 46,533 554,115 41,528
2008 -164,220 -23,341 595,332 36,869
2007 -148,080 -24,772 503,567 36,339
2006 -148,278 -489,056 487,584 33,159
2005 -148,445 81,351 464,464 31,286
2004 -107,271 81,735 442,540 58,924
2003 -140,309 142,009 415,018 65,604
2002 -123,733 218,795 430,926 50,313
2001 -98,820 272,875 484,801 -60,793
2000 -73,990 174,594 526,963 -136,794
1999 -73,890 219,280 594,643 -126,011
1998 -65,637 -754,469 627,027 -82,722
1997 -49,221 93,281 667,969 -98,181
1996 -90,107 281,280 710,868 -193,007
1995 -114,349 398,077 743,488 -98,403
1994 -114,013 315,585 698,609 -268,849
1993 -105,503 462,096 789,220 194,977
1992 -80,625 811,606 794,415 -71,342
1991 -80,014 602,638 827,296 -39,131
1990 -15,887 679,702 835,421 259,718
1989 -23,625 761,002 884,629 255,605
1988 -7,815 515,962 909,221 246,382
1987 -31,136 174,272 922,330 231,009
1986 -77,721 212,822 903,644 234,378
1985 -116,527 103,556 893,889 244,940
1984 -109,002 -150,771 869,011 290,789
1983 -109,380 -81,349 837,013 310,172
1982 -78,333 -58,121 807,550 293,195
1981 -94,090 130,713 767,833 279,985
1980 -86,117 324,203 738,415 258,127
1979 -125,002 237,705 716,541 56,323
1978 -140,566 117,167 694,341 62,121
1977 -125,055 33,881 680,929 63,739
1976 -164,508 -79,761 675,011 27,333
1975 -212,418 -207,740 667,862 38,809
1974 -150,038 -15,126 658,438 38,518
1973 -149,980 386,881 651,596 41,125
1972 -62,950 336,015 638,754 38,163
1971 46,988 450,328 624,761 32,961
1970 70,352 -273,498 605,102 61,514
1969 155,820 584,017 590,794 73,225
1968 239,612 293,307 571,841 78,932
1967 353,977 -174,155 553,741 81,932
1966 405,982 134,107 534,862 77,417
1965 410,204 338,258 506,632 82,514
1964 482,038 69,825 490,606 76,298
1963 455,757 205,976 473,821 72,844
1962 436,752 276,505 455,634 69,771
1961 462,279 27,534 437,851 57,728
1960 385,919 212,666 421,263 18,891

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

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

Over the last 10 years, 26.8% of the population change in Germany is from natural causes (a loss of 2,036,130 people) and 73.2% is from migration (a gain of 5,565,916 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, 16,750,084 residents or 19.8% of the population were not native-born in Germany, compared to 2,631,100 people or 4.1% in South Africa.

Biggest cities by population

Germany
City Population
Berlin 3.78M
Hamburg 1.91M
Munich 1.51M
Cologne 1.09M
Frankfurt 776K
Stuttgart 633K
Dusseldorf 631K
Leipzig 620K
Dortmund 595K
Essen 587K
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/germany/south-africa | CC BY

Help us show the world through your eyes

Share a photo of your city and help others discover what it looks like to live there. Your contribution makes our data come alive.

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)

Creative Commons Attribution (CC BY) — you’re free to copy, share, remix, adapt, and use even commercially as long as you give appropriate credit and clearly indicate if you made changes. Other sources may be subject to different license terms.