South Africa vs United Kingdom: Population aged 25-64 years (thousands)
South Africa
32,890 thousands
in 2025
United Kingdom
35,750 thousands
in 2025
South Africa rank
22nd
United Kingdom rank
20th
Population aged 25-64 years (thousands) over time
- South Africa
- United Kingdom
How they compare
United Kingdom currently reports 35,750 thousands against 32,890 thousands in South Africa, a difference of 2,860 thousands.
That makes United Kingdom's figure about 1.1 times South Africa's.
Across all 56 years both countries report, United Kingdom has been ahead every year.
South Africa ranks 22nd and United Kingdom ranks 20th of 233 countries.
United Kingdom has averaged higher in every one of the 6 decades both report.
Head to head by decade
| Decade | South Africa | United Kingdom | Difference | Ahead |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1970s | 8,802 thousands | 27,080 thousands | 18,278 thousands | United Kingdom |
| 1980s | 12,629 thousands | 27,778 thousands | 15,149 thousands | United Kingdom |
| 1990s | 17,199 thousands | 29,773 thousands | 12,575 thousands | United Kingdom |
| 2000s | 20,087 thousands | 31,936 thousands | 11,849 thousands | United Kingdom |
| 2010s | 25,910 thousands | 33,870 thousands | 7,960 thousands | United Kingdom |
| 2020s | 31,535 thousands | 35,261 thousands | 3,726 thousands | United Kingdom |
Averages of every year both report within each decade.
Frequently asked questions
- Which has higher population aged 25-64 years, South Africa or United Kingdom?
- United Kingdom, at 35,750 thousands against 32,890 thousands in South Africa as of 2025.
- What is the difference in population aged 25-64 years between South Africa and United Kingdom?
- 2,860 thousands, with United Kingdom ahead.
- How many years of comparable data are there for South Africa and United Kingdom?
- 56 years are reported by both, from 1970 to 2025.
- How do South Africa and United Kingdom rank globally for population aged 25-64 years?
- South Africa ranks 22nd and United Kingdom ranks 20th of 233 countries.
- Where does this data come from?
- UNESCO Institute for Statistics, published as Population aged 25-64 years (thousands). Statizoid refreshes it automatically from the source and publishes the full history for both places.
Individual pages
About this data
February 2026 Data Release