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

Updated on by Georank team

The latest officially reported population of South Africa was 64,007,187 in 2024 vs 48,848,840 people in Spain in 2024. In 2026, based on the adjusted UN estimation, the current South Africa's population is 65,683,993 people compared to 48,806,901 in Spain.

Population statistics:

  • South Africa's population is 1.35 times bigger than Spain's.
  • South Africa is ranked the 24th most populous country in the world, while Spain is the 32nd.
  • The countries together account for 1.38% of the world: 0.79% for South Africa vs 0.59% for Spain.
  • For the last 10 years, South Africa has had an average growth rate of +1.44% per year vs +0.43% in Spain.
  • Since 2006, the population of South Africa has increased from 50M people to 65.7M (31.4% growth), while Spain has grown from 44.4M to 48.8M (9.93% growth).

South Africa vs Spain: population by year and forecast

South Africa
Factual

Projection
Spain
Factual

Projection
1x
Year Population
South Africa Spain
2100 94,767,727 33,862,981
2099 94,556,931 34,039,965
2098 94,349,546 34,215,187
2097 94,158,472 34,387,116
2096 93,960,605 34,552,002
2095 93,752,736 34,719,411
2094 93,527,902 34,882,039
2093 93,300,398 35,044,043
2092 93,074,837 35,204,657
2091 92,826,204 35,366,895
2090 92,594,033 35,535,838
2089 92,355,184 35,707,942
2088 92,112,914 35,877,681
2087 91,866,024 36,043,209
2086 91,614,165 36,210,710
2085 91,385,350 36,386,207
2084 91,139,318 36,564,622
2083 90,877,425 36,749,680
2082 90,615,359 36,936,644
2081 90,345,492 37,133,976
2080 90,071,835 37,337,517
2079 89,801,998 37,551,557
2078 89,526,224 37,771,135
2077 89,249,206 38,002,963
2076 88,986,114 38,249,247
2075 88,713,215 38,506,040
2074 88,428,616 38,777,715
2073 88,149,885 39,056,249
2072 87,866,246 39,348,447
2071 87,540,177 39,642,346
2070 87,209,425 39,949,413
2069 86,901,512 40,256,590
2068 86,588,742 40,575,543
2067 86,268,392 40,893,798
2066 85,935,310 41,218,263
2065 85,604,376 41,543,254
2064 85,244,950 41,878,338
2063 84,875,503 42,208,320
2062 84,503,237 42,542,893
2061 84,132,885 42,874,096
2060 83,748,999 43,191,452
2059 83,354,923 43,506,737
2058 82,947,675 43,809,907
2057 82,538,045 44,112,668
2056 82,127,477 44,415,689
2055 81,698,196 44,691,749
2054 81,255,867 44,958,971
2053 80,818,632 45,223,225
2052 80,367,409 45,470,541
2051 79,886,672 45,695,307
2050 79,411,977 45,911,520
2049 78,925,493 46,127,777
2048 78,437,677 46,322,244
2047 77,922,211 46,510,152
2046 77,397,298 46,687,914
2045 76,879,838 46,858,778
2044 76,357,155 47,016,278
2043 75,827,709 47,158,325
2042 75,291,615 47,301,091
2041 74,748,408 47,434,593
2040 74,205,530 47,563,236
2039 73,663,047 47,685,343
2038 73,105,930 47,798,797
2037 72,532,742 47,910,899
2036 71,956,247 48,020,350
2035 71,362,555 48,124,430
2034 70,762,815 48,220,051
2033 70,153,205 48,311,842
2032 69,527,410 48,402,470
2031 68,890,002 48,495,278
2030 68,245,372 48,579,920
2029 67,573,179 48,648,699
2028 66,884,377 48,707,969
2027 66,190,258 48,758,200
2026 65,496,277 48,806,901
2025 64,770,314 48,838,057
2024 64,007,187 48,848,840
2023 63,212,384 48,352,528
2022 62,378,410 47,786,102
2021 61,502,603 47,443,821
2020 60,562,381 47,359,424
2019 59,587,885 47,118,501
2018 58,613,001 46,782,011
2017 57,635,162 46,571,232
2016 57,259,551 46,458,139
2015 56,723,537 46,422,303
2014 55,594,838 46,460,733
2013 54,678,791 46,604,197
2012 53,782,567 46,773,055
2011 52,995,205 46,742,697
2010 52,344,051 46,576,897
2009 51,728,516 46,362,946
2008 51,114,599 45,954,106
2007 50,528,584 45,226,803
2006 49,998,277 44,397,319
2005 49,490,033 43,653,155
2004 48,991,421 42,921,895
2003 48,500,348 42,187,645
2002 48,019,415 41,431,558
2001 47,566,800 40,850,412
2000 47,159,719 40,567,864
1999 46,730,335 40,386,875
1998 46,223,880 40,223,509
1997 45,666,838 40,057,389
1996 45,123,018 39,889,852
1995 44,541,554 39,724,050
1994 44,004,139 39,549,108
1993 43,297,156 39,361,262
1992 42,443,509 39,157,685
1991 41,687,898 38,966,376
1990 40,746,268 38,867,322
1989 39,628,575 38,827,764
1988 38,480,649 38,766,939
1987 37,326,190 38,684,815
1986 36,180,515 38,584,624
1985 35,042,093 38,469,512
1984 33,892,788 38,330,364
1983 32,739,304 38,171,525
1982 31,615,339 37,986,012
1981 30,541,044 37,758,631
1980 29,518,857 37,491,165
1979 28,634,162 37,191,330
1978 27,869,507 36,864,898
1977 27,118,952 36,511,638
1976 26,395,450 36,137,812
1975 25,690,940 35,757,900
1974 24,989,108 35,373,335
1973 24,294,263 34,988,947
1972 23,609,456 34,604,469
1971 22,942,143 34,224,490
1970 22,279,984 33,814,531
1969 21,614,676 33,441,054
1968 20,957,287 33,113,134
1967 20,314,066 32,682,947
1966 19,690,087 32,283,194
1965 19,089,380 31,954,292
1964 18,511,361 31,609,195
1963 17,954,564 31,296,651
1962 17,418,522 31,023,366
1961 16,908,035 30,739,250
1960 16,440,172 30,455,000

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/south-africa/spain | CC BY

From 2006 to 2016, the population of South Africa increased by 7,261,274 people (a 14.5% growth), while Spain gained 2,060,820 people (a 4.64% growth).

For the next 10 years, from 2016 to 2026, South Africa gained 8,424,442 people (a 14.7% growth), while Spain's population increased by 2,348,762 people (a 5.06% growth).

South Africa was ranked 24th most populous country in 2006 and is still 24th in 2026. Spain was ranked 28th in 2006 and ranked 32nd now.

The UN's World Population Prospects forecasts that in 24 years (in 2050) South Africa's population will grow by 20.9% to 79,411,977 people with a rank change from 24th to 23rd. The population of Spain will decrease by 5.93% to 45,911,520 people and rank change from 32nd to 47th.

South Africa is projected to reach its peak in 2100 at 94.8M people, while Spain's population already peaked in 2024 at 48.8M people and is projected to decrease to 33.9M people by 2100.

Population growth rate by year

South Africa
Factual

Projection
Spain
Factual

Projection
1x
Year Growth rate
South Africa Spain
2100 0.22% -0.52%
2099 0.22% -0.51%
2098 0.2% -0.5%
2097 0.21% -0.48%
2096 0.22% -0.48%
2095 0.24% -0.47%
2094 0.24% -0.46%
2093 0.24% -0.46%
2092 0.27% -0.46%
2091 0.25% -0.48%
2090 0.26% -0.48%
2089 0.26% -0.47%
2088 0.27% -0.46%
2087 0.27% -0.46%
2086 0.25% -0.48%
2085 0.27% -0.49%
2084 0.29% -0.5%
2083 0.29% -0.51%
2082 0.3% -0.53%
2081 0.3% -0.55%
2080 0.3% -0.57%
2079 0.31% -0.58%
2078 0.31% -0.61%
2077 0.3% -0.64%
2076 0.31% -0.67%
2075 0.32% -0.7%
2074 0.32% -0.71%
2073 0.32% -0.74%
2072 0.37% -0.74%
2071 0.38% -0.77%
2070 0.35% -0.76%
2069 0.36% -0.79%
2068 0.37% -0.78%
2067 0.39% -0.79%
2066 0.39% -0.78%
2065 0.42% -0.8%
2064 0.44% -0.78%
2063 0.44% -0.79%
2062 0.44% -0.77%
2061 0.46% -0.73%
2060 0.47% -0.72%
2059 0.49% -0.69%
2058 0.5% -0.69%
2057 0.5% -0.68%
2056 0.53% -0.62%
2055 0.54% -0.59%
2054 0.54% -0.58%
2053 0.56% -0.54%
2052 0.6% -0.49%
2051 0.6% -0.47%
2050 0.62% -0.47%
2049 0.62% -0.42%
2048 0.66% -0.4%
2047 0.68% -0.38%
2046 0.67% -0.36%
2045 0.68% -0.33%
2044 0.7% -0.3%
2043 0.71% -0.3%
2042 0.73% -0.28%
2041 0.73% -0.27%
2040 0.74% -0.26%
2039 0.76% -0.24%
2038 0.79% -0.23%
2037 0.8% -0.23%
2036 0.83% -0.22%
2035 0.85% -0.2%
2034 0.87% -0.19%
2033 0.9% -0.19%
2032 0.93% -0.19%
2031 0.94% -0.17%
2030 0.99% -0.14%
2029 1.03% -0.12%
2028 1.05% -0.1%
2027 1.06% -0.1%
2026 1.12% -0.06%
2025 1.19% -0.02%
2024 1.26% 1.03%
2023 1.34% 1.19%
2022 1.42% 0.72%
2021 1.55% 0.18%
2020 1.64% 0.51%
2019 1.66% 0.72%
2018 1.7% 0.45%
2017 0.66% 0.24%
2016 0.94% 0.08%
2015 2.03% -0.08%
2014 1.68% -0.31%
2013 1.67% -0.36%
2012 1.49% 0.06%
2011 1.24% 0.36%
2010 1.19% 0.46%
2009 1.2% 0.89%
2008 1.16% 1.61%
2007 1.06% 1.87%
2006 1.03% 1.7%
2005 1.02% 1.7%
2004 1.01% 1.74%
2003 1% 1.82%
2002 0.95% 1.42%
2001 0.86% 0.7%
2000 0.92% 0.45%
1999 1.1% 0.41%
1998 1.22% 0.41%
1997 1.21% 0.42%
1996 1.31% 0.42%
1995 1.22% 0.44%
1994 1.63% 0.48%
1993 2.01% 0.52%
1992 1.81% 0.49%
1991 2.31% 0.25%
1990 2.82% 0.1%
1989 2.98% 0.16%
1988 3.09% 0.21%
1987 3.17% 0.26%
1986 3.25% 0.3%
1985 3.39% 0.36%
1984 3.52% 0.42%
1983 3.56% 0.49%
1982 3.52% 0.6%
1981 3.46% 0.71%
1980 3.09% 0.81%
1979 2.74% 0.89%
1978 2.77% 0.97%
1977 2.74% 1.03%
1976 2.74% 1.06%
1975 2.81% 1.09%
1974 2.86% 1.1%
1973 2.9% 1.11%
1972 2.91% 1.11%
1971 2.97% 1.21%
1970 3.08% 1.12%
1969 3.14% 0.99%
1968 3.17% 1.32%
1967 3.17% 1.24%
1966 3.15% 1.03%
1965 3.12% 1.09%
1964 3.1% 1%
1963 3.08% 0.88%
1962 3.02% 0.92%
1961 2.85% 0.93%

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/south-africa/spain | CC BY

In 2024, the population of South Africa grew by 1.26%, while Spain's population grew by 1.03%.

Live population counters

South Africa Spain
Current population
65683993
48806901
Population rank 24/197 32/197
Percent of world population 0.79% 0.59%
One net population change
39.7 seconds
1.06 minutes
One birth every
26.6 seconds
1.62 minutes
One death every
54 seconds
1.21 minutes
Daily growth/decline +2,178 +1,360
Annual growth/decline +794,803 +496,312
Annual growth/decline rate +1.26% +1.03%
Population growth rate rank 85/197 100/197
One migration net change every
3.6 minutes
5.45 minutes
Annual migration change +146,370 +96,630
Net migration rank 9/196 17/196
Foreign-born residents 2,631,100 8,870,527
Foreign-born residents rank 28/195 6/195
Foreign-born share of population 4.1% 18.5%
Foreign-born share rank 105/195 32/195

Natural population change vs migration

South Africa
Natural

Migration
Spain
Natural

Migration
1x
Year Population change
South Africa Spain
Natural Migration Natural Migration
2025 - 146,370 - 96,630
2024 - 166,972 - 111,674
2023 602,793 228,222 -111,211 119,099
2022 603,636 233,284 -133,801 299,779
2021 456,411 458,246 -113,865 144,385
2020 595,873 369,901 -151,551 236,854
2019 652,130 331,124 -56,542 464,783
2018 648,319 318,260 -56,139 337,467
2017 645,975 343,146 -32,600 201,135
2016 641,365 -879,235 0 106,474
2015 668,771 641,150 -4,642 -1,979
2014 674,754 272,697 32,522 -97,870
2013 652,427 232,230 37,284 -250,741
2012 643,723 264,091 51,450 -153,486
2011 601,708 65,166 84,137 60,761
2010 566,834 68,563 102,469 69,406
2009 554,115 41,528 106,635 129,557
2008 595,332 36,869 133,267 434,135
2007 503,567 36,339 108,545 772,317
2006 487,584 33,159 110,994 659,720
2005 464,464 31,286 78,576 629,803
2004 442,540 58,924 85,844 661,158
2003 415,018 65,604 54,844 658,428
2002 430,926 50,313 53,861 737,880
2001 484,801 -60,793 44,936 181,307
2000 526,963 -136,794 36,512 176,269
1999 594,643 -126,011 8,077 178,559
1998 627,027 -82,722 4,022 182,926
1997 667,969 -98,181 20,028 165,345
1996 710,868 -193,007 11,967 162,704
1995 743,488 -98,403 15,889 162,434
1994 698,609 -268,849 31,639 160,407
1993 789,220 194,977 47,234 160,907
1992 794,415 -71,342 62,652 177,544
1991 827,296 -39,131 58,450 122,841
1990 835,421 259,718 66,075 -30,684
1989 884,629 255,605 81,538 -25,892
1988 909,221 246,382 100,794 -17,663
1987 922,330 231,009 116,054 -12,681
1986 903,644 234,378 131,188 -13,540
1985 893,889 244,940 146,184 -589
1984 869,011 290,789 172,487 2,754
1983 837,013 310,172 183,223 1,241
1982 807,550 293,195 231,714 -7,384
1981 767,833 279,985 237,879 2,563
1980 738,415 258,127 281,184 20,166
1979 716,541 56,323 312,407 -5,929
1978 694,341 62,121 339,157 -2,504
1977 680,929 63,739 361,465 -1,332
1976 675,011 27,333 375,834 2,804
1975 667,862 38,809 371,882 -218
1974 658,438 38,518 396,182 105,838
1973 651,596 41,125 374,381 8,624
1972 638,754 38,163 391,030 7,935
1971 624,761 32,961 369,625 7,363
1970 605,102 61,514 378,723 -60,580
1969 590,794 73,225 367,851 -49,956
1968 571,841 78,932 387,423 -46,088
1967 553,741 81,932 402,001 -42,344
1966 534,862 77,417 397,084 -41,467
1965 506,632 82,514 405,819 -42,476
1964 490,606 76,298 429,885 -41,461
1963 473,821 72,844 394,338 -44,446
1962 455,634 69,771 384,690 -45,211
1961 437,851 57,728 396,537 -46,517
1960 421,263 18,891 398,960 -154,869

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

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

Over the last 10 years, 72.8% of the population change in South Africa is from natural causes (a gain of 6,190,027 people) and 27.2% is from migration (a gain of 2,316,795 people). In Spain 25.8% is from natural causes (a loss of 627,829 people) and 74.2% is from migration (a gain of 1,810,127 people).

As of 2024, 2,631,100 residents or 4.1% of the population were not native-born in South Africa, compared to 8,870,527 people or 18.5% in Spain.

Biggest cities by population

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
Spain
City Population
Madrid 3.51M
Barcelona 1.73M
Tenerife 955K
Valencia 841K
Zaragoza 693K
Seville 689K
Malaga 599K
Palma de Mallorca 435K
Las Palmas 382K
Alicante 366K

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/south-africa/spain | 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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