Skip to content

Population in South Africa compared to Sri Lanka: Trends, Charts, Rankings

Updated on by Georank

The latest officially reported population of South Africa was 64,747,319 in 2025 vs 21,756,000 people in Sri Lanka in 2025. In 2026, based on the adjusted UN estimation, the current South Africa's population is 65,829,368 people compared to 21,926,160 in Sri Lanka.

Population statistics:

  • South Africa's population is 3 times bigger than Sri Lanka's.
  • South Africa is ranked the 24th most populous country in the world, while Sri Lanka is the 63rd.
  • The countries together account for 1.06% of the world: 0.79% for South Africa vs 0.26% for Sri Lanka.
  • For the last 10 years, South Africa has had an average growth rate of +1.4% per year vs +0.42% in Sri Lanka.
  • Since 2006, the population of South Africa has increased from 50M people to 65.8M (31.7% growth), while Sri Lanka has grown from 20.4M to 21.9M (7.73% growth).

South Africa vs Sri Lanka: population by year and forecast

South Africa
Factual

Projection
Sri Lanka
Factual

Projection
1x
Year Population
South Africa Sri Lanka
2100 94,734,082 20,009,380
2099 94,523,360 20,121,095
2098 94,316,049 20,234,513
2097 94,125,043 20,345,619
2096 93,927,246 20,456,607
2095 93,719,451 20,566,246
2094 93,494,697 20,674,019
2093 93,267,274 20,780,946
2092 93,041,793 20,886,274
2091 92,793,249 20,990,047
2090 92,561,159 21,095,968
2089 92,322,396 21,198,788
2088 92,080,212 21,299,229
2087 91,833,409 21,398,269
2086 91,581,639 21,496,892
2085 91,352,906 21,594,661
2084 91,106,961 21,687,323
2083 90,845,161 21,778,597
2082 90,583,188 21,866,395
2081 90,313,417 21,954,337
2080 90,039,857 22,038,953
2079 89,770,116 22,122,744
2078 89,494,440 22,200,069
2077 89,217,520 22,274,355
2076 88,954,522 22,345,857
2075 88,681,719 22,414,609
2074 88,397,221 22,485,066
2073 88,118,589 22,550,427
2072 87,835,051 22,610,645
2071 87,509,098 22,669,042
2070 87,178,463 22,725,948
2069 86,870,660 22,779,050
2068 86,558,000 22,831,596
2067 86,237,764 22,885,941
2066 85,904,801 22,935,123
2065 85,573,984 22,985,942
2064 85,214,686 23,030,844
2063 84,845,370 23,071,114
2062 84,473,236 23,107,970
2061 84,103,016 23,139,924
2060 83,719,266 23,171,649
2059 83,325,330 23,199,387
2058 82,918,226 23,224,997
2057 82,508,742 23,247,211
2056 82,098,320 23,267,292
2055 81,669,191 23,278,653
2054 81,227,019 23,287,520
2053 80,789,939 23,297,347
2052 80,338,877 23,301,287
2051 79,858,310 23,302,108
2050 79,383,784 23,299,282
2049 78,897,472 23,293,630
2048 78,409,829 23,283,465
2047 77,894,547 23,267,251
2046 77,369,819 23,244,081
2045 76,852,544 23,212,221
2044 76,330,046 23,181,041
2043 75,800,788 23,144,217
2042 75,264,885 23,103,489
2041 74,721,871 23,056,478
2040 74,179,185 23,005,928
2039 73,636,894 22,948,866
2038 73,079,976 22,888,821
2037 72,506,991 22,822,943
2036 71,930,701 22,756,462
2035 71,337,219 22,685,766
2034 70,737,692 22,611,514
2033 70,128,299 22,532,374
2032 69,502,726 22,449,310
2031 68,865,544 22,364,063
2030 68,221,143 22,273,377
2029 67,549,189 22,181,300
2028 66,860,631 22,082,826
2027 66,166,759 21,979,196
2026 65,473,024 21,870,145
2025 64,747,319 21,756,000
2024 64,007,187 21,916,000
2023 63,212,384 22,037,000
2022 62,378,410 22,181,000
2021 61,502,603 22,156,000
2020 60,562,381 21,919,000
2019 59,587,885 21,803,000
2018 58,613,001 21,670,000
2017 57,635,162 21,453,000
2016 57,259,551 21,209,000
2015 56,723,537 20,970,000
2014 55,594,838 20,778,000
2013 54,678,791 20,585,000
2012 53,782,567 21,169,458
2011 52,995,205 21,009,048
2010 52,344,051 20,879,089
2009 51,728,516 20,756,435
2008 51,114,599 20,629,378
2007 50,528,584 20,492,545
2006 49,998,277 20,352,411
2005 49,490,033 20,216,524
2004 48,991,421 20,087,605
2003 48,500,348 19,951,521
2002 48,019,415 19,805,752
2001 47,566,800 19,600,362
2000 47,159,719 19,293,054
1999 46,730,335 18,944,731
1998 46,223,880 18,596,003
1997 45,666,838 18,248,200
1996 45,123,018 17,905,018
1995 44,541,554 17,564,068
1994 44,004,139 17,275,773
1993 43,297,156 17,025,918
1992 42,443,509 16,739,284
1991 41,687,898 16,475,354
1990 40,746,268 16,352,458
1989 39,628,575 16,248,557
1988 38,480,649 16,078,621
1987 37,326,190 15,916,576
1986 36,180,515 15,731,256
1985 35,042,093 15,544,154
1984 33,892,788 15,441,860
1983 32,739,304 15,388,794
1982 31,615,339 15,286,567
1981 30,541,044 15,099,414
1980 29,518,857 14,847,974
1979 28,634,162 14,579,614
1978 27,869,507 14,310,128
1977 27,118,952 14,049,371
1976 26,395,450 13,796,770
1975 25,690,940 13,548,984
1974 24,989,108 13,305,693
1973 24,294,263 13,060,916
1972 23,609,456 12,809,205
1971 22,942,143 12,551,910
1970 22,279,984 12,287,110
1969 21,614,676 12,013,858
1968 20,957,287 11,736,088
1967 20,314,066 11,457,328
1966 19,690,087 11,183,928
1965 19,089,380 10,916,965
1964 18,511,361 10,653,397
1963 17,954,564 10,395,040
1962 17,418,522 10,143,754
1961 16,908,035 9,899,372
1960 16,440,172 9,661,389

Data sources: United Nations | World Population Prospects (2026–2100, retrieved 2026-07-08); World Bank | Health (1960–2025, retrieved 2026-07-08).

GeoRank.org/population/south-africa/sri-lanka | CC BY

From 2006 to 2016, the population of South Africa increased by 7,261,274 people (a 14.5% growth), while Sri Lanka gained 856,589 people (a 4.21% growth).

For the next 10 years, from 2016 to 2026, South Africa gained 8,569,817 people (a 15% growth), while Sri Lanka's population increased by 717,160 people (a 3.38% growth).

South Africa was ranked 24th most populous country in 2006 and is still 24th in 2026. Sri Lanka was ranked 55th in 2006 and ranked 63rd now.

The UN's World Population Prospects forecasts that in 24 years (in 2050) South Africa's population will grow by 20.6% to 79,383,784 people with a rank change from 24th to 23rd. The population of Sri Lanka will increase by 6.26% to 23,299,282 people and rank change from 63rd to 71st.

South Africa is projected to reach its peak in 2100 at 94.7M people compared to the peak of 23.3M people in 2051 for Sri Lanka.

Population growth rate by year

South Africa
Factual

Projection
Sri Lanka
Factual

Projection
1x
Year Growth rate
South Africa Sri Lanka
2100 0.22% -0.56%
2099 0.22% -0.56%
2098 0.2% -0.55%
2097 0.21% -0.54%
2096 0.22% -0.53%
2095 0.24% -0.52%
2094 0.24% -0.51%
2093 0.24% -0.5%
2092 0.27% -0.49%
2091 0.25% -0.5%
2090 0.26% -0.49%
2089 0.26% -0.47%
2088 0.27% -0.46%
2087 0.27% -0.46%
2086 0.25% -0.45%
2085 0.27% -0.43%
2084 0.29% -0.42%
2083 0.29% -0.4%
2082 0.3% -0.4%
2081 0.3% -0.38%
2080 0.3% -0.38%
2079 0.31% -0.35%
2078 0.31% -0.33%
2077 0.3% -0.32%
2076 0.31% -0.31%
2075 0.32% -0.31%
2074 0.32% -0.29%
2073 0.32% -0.27%
2072 0.37% -0.26%
2071 0.38% -0.25%
2070 0.35% -0.23%
2069 0.36% -0.23%
2068 0.37% -0.24%
2067 0.39% -0.21%
2066 0.39% -0.22%
2065 0.42% -0.19%
2064 0.44% -0.17%
2063 0.44% -0.16%
2062 0.44% -0.14%
2061 0.46% -0.14%
2060 0.47% -0.12%
2059 0.49% -0.11%
2058 0.5% -0.1%
2057 0.5% -0.09%
2056 0.53% -0.05%
2055 0.54% -0.04%
2054 0.54% -0.04%
2053 0.56% -0.02%
2052 0.6% -0.004%
2051 0.6% 0.01%
2050 0.62% 0.02%
2049 0.62% 0.04%
2048 0.66% 0.07%
2047 0.68% 0.1%
2046 0.67% 0.14%
2045 0.68% 0.13%
2044 0.7% 0.16%
2043 0.71% 0.18%
2042 0.73% 0.2%
2041 0.73% 0.22%
2040 0.74% 0.25%
2039 0.76% 0.26%
2038 0.79% 0.29%
2037 0.8% 0.29%
2036 0.83% 0.31%
2035 0.85% 0.33%
2034 0.87% 0.35%
2033 0.9% 0.37%
2032 0.93% 0.38%
2031 0.94% 0.41%
2030 0.99% 0.42%
2029 1.03% 0.45%
2028 1.05% 0.47%
2027 1.06% 0.5%
2026 1.12% 0.52%
2025 1.16% -0.73%
2024 1.26% -0.55%
2023 1.34% -0.65%
2022 1.42% 0.11%
2021 1.55% 1.08%
2020 1.64% 0.53%
2019 1.66% 0.61%
2018 1.7% 1.01%
2017 0.66% 1.15%
2016 0.94% 1.14%
2015 2.03% 0.92%
2014 1.68% 0.94%
2013 1.67% -2.76%
2012 1.49% 0.76%
2011 1.24% 0.62%
2010 1.19% 0.59%
2009 1.2% 0.62%
2008 1.16% 0.67%
2007 1.06% 0.69%
2006 1.03% 0.67%
2005 1.02% 0.64%
2004 1.01% 0.68%
2003 1% 0.74%
2002 0.95% 1.05%
2001 0.86% 1.59%
2000 0.92% 1.84%
1999 1.1% 1.88%
1998 1.22% 1.91%
1997 1.21% 1.92%
1996 1.31% 1.94%
1995 1.22% 1.67%
1994 1.63% 1.47%
1993 2.01% 1.71%
1992 1.81% 1.6%
1991 2.31% 0.75%
1990 2.82% 0.64%
1989 2.98% 1.06%
1988 3.09% 1.02%
1987 3.17% 1.18%
1986 3.25% 1.2%
1985 3.39% 0.66%
1984 3.52% 0.34%
1983 3.56% 0.67%
1982 3.52% 1.24%
1981 3.46% 1.69%
1980 3.09% 1.84%
1979 2.74% 1.88%
1978 2.77% 1.86%
1977 2.74% 1.83%
1976 2.74% 1.83%
1975 2.81% 1.83%
1974 2.86% 1.87%
1973 2.9% 1.97%
1972 2.91% 2.05%
1971 2.97% 2.16%
1970 3.08% 2.27%
1969 3.14% 2.37%
1968 3.17% 2.43%
1967 3.17% 2.44%
1966 3.15% 2.45%
1965 3.12% 2.47%
1964 3.1% 2.49%
1963 3.08% 2.48%
1962 3.02% 2.47%
1961 2.85% 2.46%

Data sources: United Nations | World Population Prospects (2026–2100, retrieved 2026-07-08); World Bank | Health (1961–2025, retrieved 2026-07-08).

GeoRank.org/population/south-africa/sri-lanka | CC BY

In 2025, the population of South Africa grew by 1.16%, while Sri Lanka's population declined by 0.73%.

Live population counters

South Africa Sri Lanka
Current population
65829368
21926160
Population rank 24/197 63/197
Percent of world population 0.79% 0.26%
One net population change
42.7 seconds
3.29 minutes
One birth every
26.7 seconds
2.37 minutes
One death every
53.3 seconds
3.07 minutes
Daily growth/decline +2,028 -438
Annual growth/decline +740,132 -160,000
Annual growth/decline rate +1.16% -0.73%
Population growth rate rank 91/197 190/197
One migration net change every
3.6 minutes
17.2 minutes
Annual migration change +146,370 -30,724
Net migration rank 9/196 165/196
Foreign-born residents 2,631,100 40,698
Foreign-born residents rank 28/195 156/195
Foreign-born share of population 4.1% 0.2%
Foreign-born share rank 105/195 190/195

Natural population change vs migration

South Africa
Natural

Migration
Sri Lanka
Natural

Migration
1x
Year Population change
South Africa Sri Lanka
Natural Migration Natural Migration
2025 - 146,370 - -30,724
2024 591,618 166,972 50,407 -27,245
2023 602,793 228,222 66,111 -28,011
2022 603,636 233,284 95,378 -27,435
2021 456,411 458,246 121,858 -29,586
2020 595,873 369,901 170,968 -29,875
2019 652,130 331,124 172,243 -28,426
2018 648,319 318,260 183,610 -28,607
2017 645,975 343,146 187,993 -22,324
2016 641,365 -879,235 194,232 -18,388
2015 668,771 641,150 201,815 -29,797
2014 674,754 272,697 211,541 -33,672
2013 652,427 232,230 221,021 -37,754
2012 643,723 264,091 229,138 -41,955
2011 601,708 65,166 224,461 -90,839
2010 566,834 68,563 224,325 -98,060
2009 554,115 41,528 200,175 -81,130
2008 595,332 36,869 232,225 -97,144
2007 503,567 36,339 248,287 -109,695
2006 487,584 33,159 248,706 -107,045
2005 464,464 31,286 248,683 -118,594
2004 442,540 58,924 212,527 -84,795
2003 415,018 65,604 252,008 -107,573
2002 430,926 50,313 252,840 -105,718
2001 484,801 -60,793 244,377 19,273
2000 526,963 -136,794 227,060 123,894
1999 594,643 -126,011 206,876 138,799
1998 627,027 -82,722 201,059 150,724
1997 667,969 -98,181 208,193 135,636
1996 710,868 -193,007 215,290 127,236
1995 743,488 -98,403 221,957 117,416
1994 698,609 -268,849 228,904 8,323
1993 789,220 194,977 226,257 36,232
1992 794,415 -71,342 222,230 88,542
1991 827,296 -39,131 218,117 -1,047
1990 835,421 259,718 224,454 -195,736
1989 884,629 255,605 212,401 -33,305
1988 909,221 246,382 219,184 -58,415
1987 922,330 231,009 226,414 -63,105
1986 903,644 234,378 233,782 -26,460
1985 893,889 244,940 247,836 -80,950
1984 869,011 290,789 263,175 -225,450
1983 837,013 310,172 277,768 -209,362
1982 807,550 293,195 300,030 -163,987
1981 767,833 279,985 328,096 -89,824
1980 738,415 258,127 328,155 -63,541
1979 716,541 56,323 329,791 -57,683
1978 694,341 62,121 317,055 -50,189
1977 680,929 63,739 300,038 -45,383
1976 675,011 27,333 291,816 -41,258
1975 667,862 38,809 282,496 -37,475
1974 658,438 38,518 275,521 -33,979
1973 651,596 41,125 278,577 -30,582
1972 638,754 38,163 282,494 -27,071
1971 624,761 32,961 281,200 -22,021
1970 605,102 61,514 286,719 -16,299
1969 590,794 73,225 286,218 -10,152
1968 571,841 78,932 286,642 -7,163
1967 553,741 81,932 284,738 -6,696
1966 534,862 77,417 275,549 -6,794
1965 506,632 82,514 272,422 -7,249
1964 490,606 76,298 269,584 -7,614
1963 473,821 72,844 262,880 -8,118
1962 455,634 69,771 256,719 -8,909
1961 437,851 57,728 251,087 -10,144
1960 421,263 18,891 247,631 -12,610

Data sources: World Bank | Health (1960–2025, retrieved 2026-07-08).

GeoRank.org/population/south-africa/sri-lanka | CC BY

Over the last 10 years, 73.4% of the population change in South Africa is from natural causes (a gain of 6,106,891 people) and 26.6% is from migration (a gain of 2,211,070 people). In Sri Lanka 84.3% is from natural causes (a gain of 1,444,615 people) and 15.7% is from migration (a loss of 269,694 people).

As of 2024, 2,631,100 residents or 4.1% of the population were not native-born in South Africa, compared to 40,698 people or 0.2% in Sri Lanka.

Biggest cities by population

South Africa
City Population
Johannesburg 4.8M
Cape Town 3.78M
Soweto 1.27M
Pretoria 742K
Pietermaritzburg 619K
Durban 595K
Rustenburg 550K
Randburg 337K
Port Elizabeth 312K
East London 267K
Sri Lanka
City Population
Colombo 648K
Gampaha 191K
Beruwala 165K
Negombo 142K
Kandy 120K
Sri Jayawardenepura Kotte 116K
Trincomalee 99.1K
Galle 93.1K
Matara 68.2K
Anuradhapura 63.2K

Compare countries by 7 more topics

Population map with other countries

1x

Data sources: World Bank | Health (1960–2025, retrieved 2026-07-08); United Nations | World Population Prospects (1960–2026, retrieved 2026-07-08); U.S. Census Bureau (1960–2025, retrieved 2026-07-08); Central Intelligence Agency (CIA) (2000–2019, retrieved 2026-07-08).

GeoRank.org/population/south-africa/sri-lanka | 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 2026-07-08)
  2. United Nations | World Population Prospects (1960–2100, retrieved 2026-07-08)
  3. U.S. Census Bureau (1960–2025, retrieved 2026-07-08)
  4. Wikidata (2026, retrieved 2026-07-08)
  5. Central Intelligence Agency (CIA) (2000–2019, retrieved 2026-07-08)

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.