Skip to content

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

Updated on by Georank team

The latest officially reported population of Kenya was 56,432,944 in 2024 vs 64,007,187 people in South Africa in 2024. In 2026, based on the adjusted UN estimation, the current Kenya's population is 58,955,623 people compared to 65,683,993 in South Africa.

Population statistics:

  • South Africa's population is 1.11 times bigger than Kenya's.
  • Kenya is ranked the 25th most populous country in the world, while South Africa is the 24th.
  • The countries together account for 1.5% of the world: 0.71% for Kenya vs 0.79% for South Africa.
  • For the last 10 years, Kenya has had an average growth rate of +2.08% per year vs +1.44% in South Africa.
  • Since 2006, the population of Kenya has increased from 36.9M people to 59M (59.8% growth), while South Africa has grown from 50M to 65.7M (31.4% growth).

Kenya vs South Africa: population by year and forecast

Kenya
Factual

Projection
South Africa
Factual

Projection
1x
Year Population
Kenya South Africa
2100 105,238,162 94,767,727
2099 105,257,438 94,556,931
2098 105,257,489 94,349,546
2097 105,250,948 94,158,472
2096 105,220,085 93,960,605
2095 105,175,623 93,752,736
2094 105,118,372 93,527,902
2093 105,046,907 93,300,398
2092 104,955,024 93,074,837
2091 104,846,805 92,826,204
2090 104,718,130 92,594,033
2089 104,573,271 92,355,184
2088 104,414,197 92,112,914
2087 104,243,505 91,866,024
2086 104,056,143 91,614,165
2085 103,854,891 91,385,350
2084 103,640,244 91,139,318
2083 103,407,124 90,877,425
2082 103,158,580 90,615,359
2081 102,889,291 90,345,492
2080 102,594,978 90,071,835
2079 102,286,967 89,801,998
2078 101,961,280 89,526,224
2077 101,613,181 89,249,206
2076 101,239,843 88,986,114
2075 100,849,423 88,713,215
2074 100,436,632 88,428,616
2073 100,001,277 88,149,885
2072 99,533,234 87,866,246
2071 99,042,264 87,540,177
2070 98,529,166 87,209,425
2069 97,992,232 86,901,512
2068 97,428,138 86,588,742
2067 96,842,744 86,268,392
2066 96,230,345 85,935,310
2065 95,598,937 85,604,376
2064 94,942,874 85,244,950
2063 94,266,124 84,875,503
2062 93,561,519 84,503,237
2061 92,837,768 84,132,885
2060 92,098,717 83,748,999
2059 91,343,602 83,354,923
2058 90,569,828 82,947,675
2057 89,783,087 82,538,045
2056 88,994,126 82,127,477
2055 88,192,182 81,698,196
2054 87,379,992 81,255,867
2053 86,552,281 80,818,632
2052 85,710,403 80,367,409
2051 84,850,558 79,886,672
2050 83,976,685 79,411,977
2049 83,090,517 78,925,493
2048 82,191,119 78,437,677
2047 81,274,836 77,922,211
2046 80,340,592 77,397,298
2045 79,389,433 76,879,838
2044 78,414,158 76,357,155
2043 77,418,567 75,827,709
2042 76,399,781 75,291,615
2041 75,363,853 74,748,408
2040 74,308,480 74,205,530
2039 73,241,028 73,663,047
2038 72,153,876 73,105,930
2037 71,058,753 72,532,742
2036 69,949,421 71,956,247
2035 68,831,151 71,362,555
2034 67,705,051 70,762,815
2033 66,569,532 70,153,205
2032 65,431,402 69,527,410
2031 64,289,540 68,890,002
2030 63,153,520 68,245,372
2029 62,021,378 67,573,179
2028 60,894,078 66,884,377
2027 59,770,115 66,190,258
2026 58,653,621 65,496,277
2025 57,540,609 64,770,314
2024 56,432,944 64,007,187
2023 55,339,003 63,212,384
2022 54,252,461 62,378,410
2021 53,219,166 61,502,603
2020 52,217,334 60,562,381
2019 51,202,827 59,587,885
2018 50,207,107 58,613,001
2017 49,197,766 57,635,162
2016 48,139,687 57,259,551
2015 47,088,526 56,723,537
2014 46,051,440 55,594,838
2013 44,986,791 54,678,791
2012 43,888,303 53,782,567
2011 42,758,461 52,995,205
2010 41,598,567 52,344,051
2009 40,408,891 51,728,516
2008 39,206,351 51,114,599
2007 38,036,349 50,528,584
2006 36,904,008 49,998,277
2005 35,796,484 49,490,033
2004 34,713,455 48,991,421
2003 33,652,223 48,500,348
2002 32,629,808 48,019,415
2001 31,619,170 47,566,800
2000 30,642,890 47,159,719
1999 29,733,408 46,730,335
1998 28,888,057 46,223,880
1997 28,101,768 45,666,838
1996 27,344,211 45,123,018
1995 26,601,751 44,541,554
1994 25,857,130 44,004,139
1993 25,117,188 43,297,156
1992 24,382,460 42,443,509
1991 23,646,514 41,687,898
1990 22,892,651 40,746,268
1989 22,118,434 39,628,575
1988 21,356,219 38,480,649
1987 20,616,096 37,326,190
1986 19,901,646 36,180,515
1985 19,201,768 35,042,093
1984 18,514,906 33,892,788
1983 17,846,374 32,739,304
1982 17,206,175 31,615,339
1981 16,601,507 30,541,044
1980 16,018,459 29,518,857
1979 15,460,666 28,634,162
1978 14,934,126 27,869,507
1977 14,428,819 27,118,952
1976 13,957,623 26,395,450
1975 13,511,671 25,690,940
1974 13,070,078 24,989,108
1973 12,634,835 24,294,263
1972 12,206,060 23,609,456
1971 11,788,904 22,942,143
1970 11,368,791 22,279,984
1969 10,939,695 21,614,676
1968 10,518,823 20,957,287
1967 10,111,057 20,314,066
1966 9,717,816 19,690,087
1965 9,338,078 19,089,380
1964 8,973,535 18,511,361
1963 8,627,971 17,954,564
1962 8,299,308 17,418,522
1961 7,987,770 16,908,035
1960 7,695,307 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/kenya/south-africa | CC BY

From 2006 to 2016, the population of Kenya increased by 11,235,679 people (a 30.4% growth), while South Africa gained 7,261,274 people (a 14.5% growth).

For the next 10 years, from 2016 to 2026, Kenya gained 10,815,936 people (a 22.5% growth), while South Africa's population increased by 8,424,442 people (a 14.7% growth).

Kenya was ranked 33rd most populous country in 2006 and is 25th 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) Kenya's population will grow by 42.4% to 83,976,685 people with a rank change from 25th to 22nd. The population of South Africa will increase by 20.9% to 79,411,977 people and rank change from 24th to 23rd.

Kenya is projected to reach its peak in 2098 at 105M people compared to the peak of 94.8M people in 2100 for South Africa.

Population growth rate by year

Kenya
Factual

Projection
South Africa
Factual

Projection
1x
Year Growth rate
Kenya South Africa
2100 -0.02% 0.22%
2099 -0% 0.22%
2098 0.006% 0.2%
2097 0.03% 0.21%
2096 0.04% 0.22%
2095 0.05% 0.24%
2094 0.07% 0.24%
2093 0.09% 0.24%
2092 0.1% 0.27%
2091 0.12% 0.25%
2090 0.14% 0.26%
2089 0.15% 0.26%
2088 0.16% 0.27%
2087 0.18% 0.27%
2086 0.19% 0.25%
2085 0.21% 0.27%
2084 0.23% 0.29%
2083 0.24% 0.29%
2082 0.26% 0.3%
2081 0.29% 0.3%
2080 0.3% 0.3%
2079 0.32% 0.31%
2078 0.34% 0.31%
2077 0.37% 0.3%
2076 0.39% 0.31%
2075 0.41% 0.32%
2074 0.44% 0.32%
2073 0.47% 0.32%
2072 0.5% 0.37%
2071 0.52% 0.38%
2070 0.55% 0.35%
2069 0.58% 0.36%
2068 0.6% 0.37%
2067 0.64% 0.39%
2066 0.66% 0.39%
2065 0.69% 0.42%
2064 0.72% 0.44%
2063 0.75% 0.44%
2062 0.78% 0.44%
2061 0.8% 0.46%
2060 0.83% 0.47%
2059 0.85% 0.49%
2058 0.88% 0.5%
2057 0.89% 0.5%
2056 0.91% 0.53%
2055 0.93% 0.54%
2054 0.96% 0.54%
2053 0.98% 0.56%
2052 1.01% 0.6%
2051 1.04% 0.6%
2050 1.07% 0.62%
2049 1.09% 0.62%
2048 1.13% 0.66%
2047 1.16% 0.68%
2046 1.2% 0.67%
2045 1.24% 0.68%
2044 1.29% 0.7%
2043 1.33% 0.71%
2042 1.37% 0.73%
2041 1.42% 0.73%
2040 1.46% 0.74%
2039 1.51% 0.76%
2038 1.54% 0.79%
2037 1.59% 0.8%
2036 1.62% 0.83%
2035 1.66% 0.85%
2034 1.71% 0.87%
2033 1.74% 0.9%
2032 1.78% 0.93%
2031 1.8% 0.94%
2030 1.83% 0.99%
2029 1.85% 1.03%
2028 1.88% 1.05%
2027 1.9% 1.06%
2026 1.93% 1.12%
2025 1.96% 1.19%
2024 1.98% 1.26%
2023 2% 1.34%
2022 1.94% 1.42%
2021 1.92% 1.55%
2020 1.98% 1.64%
2019 1.98% 1.66%
2018 2.05% 1.7%
2017 2.2% 0.66%
2016 2.23% 0.94%
2015 2.25% 2.03%
2014 2.37% 1.68%
2013 2.5% 1.67%
2012 2.64% 1.49%
2011 2.79% 1.24%
2010 2.94% 1.19%
2009 3.07% 1.2%
2008 3.08% 1.16%
2007 3.07% 1.06%
2006 3.09% 1.03%
2005 3.12% 1.02%
2004 3.15% 1.01%
2003 3.13% 1%
2002 3.2% 0.95%
2001 3.19% 0.86%
2000 3.06% 0.92%
1999 2.93% 1.1%
1998 2.8% 1.22%
1997 2.77% 1.21%
1996 2.79% 1.31%
1995 2.88% 1.22%
1994 2.95% 1.63%
1993 3.01% 2.01%
1992 3.11% 1.81%
1991 3.29% 2.31%
1990 3.5% 2.82%
1989 3.57% 2.98%
1988 3.59% 3.09%
1987 3.59% 3.17%
1986 3.64% 3.25%
1985 3.71% 3.39%
1984 3.75% 3.52%
1983 3.72% 3.56%
1982 3.64% 3.52%
1981 3.64% 3.46%
1980 3.61% 3.09%
1979 3.53% 2.74%
1978 3.5% 2.77%
1977 3.38% 2.74%
1976 3.3% 2.74%
1975 3.38% 2.81%
1974 3.44% 2.86%
1973 3.51% 2.9%
1972 3.54% 2.91%
1971 3.7% 2.97%
1970 3.92% 3.08%
1969 4% 3.14%
1968 4.03% 3.17%
1967 4.05% 3.17%
1966 4.07% 3.15%
1965 4.06% 3.12%
1964 4.01% 3.1%
1963 3.96% 3.08%
1962 3.9% 3.02%
1961 3.8% 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/kenya/south-africa | CC BY

In 2024, the population of Kenya grew by 1.98%, while South Africa's population grew by 1.26%.

Live population counters

Kenya South Africa
Current population
58955623
65683993
Population rank 25/197 24/197
Percent of world population 0.71% 0.79%
One net population change
28.8 seconds
39.7 seconds
One birth every
21 seconds
26.6 seconds
One death every
1.32 minutes
54 seconds
Daily growth/decline +2,997 +2,178
Annual growth/decline +1,093,941 +794,803
Annual growth/decline rate +1.98% +1.26%
Population growth rate rank 53/197 85/197
One migration net change every
19.3 minutes
3.6 minutes
Annual migration change -27,330 +146,370
Net migration rank 160/196 9/196
Foreign-born residents 992,536 2,631,100
Foreign-born residents rank 61/195 28/195
Foreign-born share of population 1.8% 4.1%
Foreign-born share rank 136/195 105/195

Natural population change vs migration

Kenya
Natural

Migration
South Africa
Natural

Migration
1x
Year Population change
Kenya South Africa
Natural Migration Natural Migration
2025 - -27,330 - 146,370
2024 - -19,781 - 166,972
2023 1,100,970 -10,003 602,793 228,222
2022 1,092,102 -10,003 603,636 233,284
2021 1,037,082 -52,552 456,411 458,246
2020 1,036,253 -17,111 595,873 369,901
2019 1,071,777 -61,949 652,130 331,124
2018 1,097,075 -115,436 648,319 318,260
2017 1,105,769 -68,702 645,975 343,146
2016 1,108,801 -29,728 641,365 -879,235
2015 1,119,200 -95,977 668,771 641,150
2014 1,123,333 -72,415 674,754 272,697
2013 1,136,006 -57,634 652,427 232,230
2012 1,161,548 -42,928 643,723 264,091
2011 1,185,863 -44,795 601,708 65,166
2010 1,199,786 -21,069 566,834 68,563
2009 1,193,598 7,096 554,115 41,528
2008 1,174,818 29,612 595,332 36,869
2007 1,147,063 -11,495 503,567 36,339
2006 1,113,357 15,767 487,584 33,159
2005 1,080,446 5,501 464,464 31,286
2004 1,048,590 31,525 442,540 58,924
2003 1,018,182 24,175 415,018 65,604
2002 992,044 10,431 430,926 50,313
2001 963,721 55,052 484,801 -60,793
2000 928,357 5,407 526,963 -136,794
1999 898,484 -13,257 594,643 -126,011
1998 875,511 -70,023 627,027 -82,722
1997 847,493 -80,443 667,969 -98,181
1996 827,326 -79,276 710,868 -193,007
1995 812,391 -75,506 743,488 -98,403
1994 792,702 -40,367 698,609 -268,849
1993 788,579 -61,054 789,220 194,977
1992 785,018 -43,085 794,415 -71,342
1991 790,030 -60,087 827,296 -39,131
1990 789,087 -11,338 835,421 259,718
1989 795,622 -24,949 884,629 255,605
1988 785,652 -31,894 909,221 246,382
1987 775,124 -48,633 922,330 231,009
1986 755,606 -53,183 903,644 234,378
1985 732,739 -35,400 893,889 244,940
1984 709,639 -33,253 869,011 290,789
1983 684,587 -23,905 837,013 310,172
1982 663,109 -43,382 807,550 293,195
1981 642,379 -52,761 767,833 279,985
1980 616,390 -39,920 738,415 258,127
1979 595,390 -56,280 716,541 56,323
1978 574,695 -60,718 694,341 62,121
1977 554,124 -57,493 680,929 63,739
1976 536,740 -90,990 675,011 27,333
1975 517,579 -71,421 667,862 38,809
1974 500,008 -62,973 658,438 38,518
1973 485,556 -52,102 651,596 41,125
1972 472,557 -48,466 638,754 38,163
1971 459,897 -49,671 624,761 32,961
1970 443,065 -13,064 605,102 61,514
1969 427,819 369 590,794 73,225
1968 411,948 1,611 571,841 78,932
1967 396,920 5,060 553,741 81,932
1966 382,891 1,616 534,862 77,417
1965 366,444 8,524 506,632 82,514
1964 349,322 4,788 490,606 76,298
1963 332,763 4,246 473,821 72,844
1962 315,797 4,521 455,634 69,771
1961 298,463 4,296 437,851 57,728
1960 280,032 2,134 421,263 18,891

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

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

Over the last 10 years, 95.3% of the population change in Kenya is from natural causes (a gain of 10,892,362 people) and 4.67% is from migration (a loss of 533,876 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, 992,536 residents or 1.8% of the population were not native-born in Kenya, compared to 2,631,100 people or 4.1% in South Africa.

Biggest cities by population

Kenya
City Population
Nairobi 5.54M
Mombasa 1.21M
Kisumu 398K
Nakuru 308K
Eldoret 289K
Thika 279K
Malindi 120K
Machakos 114K
Mumias 100K
Meru 42.7K
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/kenya/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.