Kenya vs South Africa: Population: comparison of UN projections
Kenya
55.34 million people
in 2023
South Africa
63.21 million people
in 2023
Kenya rank
26th
South Africa rank
24th
Population: comparison of UN projections over time
- Kenya
- South Africa
How they compare
South Africa currently reports 63.21 million people against 55.34 million people in Kenya, a difference of 7.87 million people.
That makes South Africa's figure about 1.1 times Kenya's.
Across all 74 years both countries report, South Africa has been ahead every year.
Kenya ranks 26th and South Africa ranks 24th of 236 countries.
South Africa has averaged higher in every one of the 8 decades both report.
Head to head by decade
| Decade | Kenya | South Africa | Difference | Ahead |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1950s | 6.50 million people | 14.43 million people | 7.93 million people | South Africa |
| 1960s | 9.22 million people | 18.89 million people | 9.67 million people | South Africa |
| 1970s | 13.34 million people | 25.38 million people | 12.05 million people | South Africa |
| 1980s | 18.94 million people | 34.50 million people | 15.56 million people | South Africa |
| 1990s | 26.26 million people | 44.05 million people | 17.79 million people | South Africa |
| 2000s | 35.36 million people | 49.31 million people | 13.95 million people | South Africa |
| 2010s | 46.51 million people | 55.92 million people | 9.41 million people | South Africa |
| 2020s | 53.76 million people | 61.91 million people | 8.16 million people | South Africa |
Averages of every year both report within each decade.
Frequently asked questions
- Which has higher population: comparison of un projections, Kenya or South Africa?
- South Africa, at 63.21 million people against 55.34 million people in Kenya as of 2023.
- What is the difference in population: comparison of un projections between Kenya and South Africa?
- 7.87 million people, with South Africa ahead.
- How many years of comparable data are there for Kenya and South Africa?
- 74 years are reported by both, from 1950 to 2023.
- How do Kenya and South Africa rank globally for population: comparison of un projections?
- Kenya ranks 26th and South Africa ranks 24th of 236 countries.
- Where does this data come from?
- UN, World Population Prospects (2024) – processed by Our World in Data, published as Population: comparison of UN projections. Statizoid refreshes it automatically from the source and publishes the full history for both places.
Individual pages
About this data
Total population, measured on 1 July of the year shown.