Ethiopia vs South Africa: Population aged 65 years or older
Ethiopia
4,363 thousands
in 2025
South Africa
4,371 thousands
in 2025
Ethiopia rank
31st
South Africa rank
30th
Population aged 65 years or older over time
- Ethiopia
- South Africa
How they compare
South Africa currently reports 4,371 thousands against 4,363 thousands in Ethiopia, a difference of 8 thousands.
The two have swapped places 2 times across 56 shared years of data; in 1970 it was South Africa ahead.
Ethiopia ranks 31st and South Africa ranks 30th of 226 countries.
South Africa has averaged higher in every one of the 6 decades both report.
Head to head by decade
| Decade | Ethiopia | South Africa | Difference | Ahead |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1970s | 868.77 thousands | 922.61 thousands | 53.84 thousands | South Africa |
| 1980s | 1,072 thousands | 1,330 thousands | 258.97 thousands | South Africa |
| 1990s | 1,502 thousands | 1,832 thousands | 330.65 thousands | South Africa |
| 2000s | 2,013 thousands | 2,460 thousands | 447.11 thousands | South Africa |
| 2010s | 2,934 thousands | 3,011 thousands | 76.5 thousands | South Africa |
| 2020s | 3,944 thousands | 3,984 thousands | 39.36 thousands | South Africa |
Averages of every year both report within each decade.
Frequently asked questions
- Which has higher population aged 65 years or older, Ethiopia or South Africa?
- South Africa, at 4,371 thousands against 4,363 thousands in Ethiopia as of 2025.
- What is the difference in population aged 65 years or older between Ethiopia and South Africa?
- 8 thousands, with South Africa ahead.
- How many years of comparable data are there for Ethiopia and South Africa?
- 56 years are reported by both, from 1970 to 2025.
- How do Ethiopia and South Africa rank globally for population aged 65 years or older?
- Ethiopia ranks 31st and South Africa ranks 30th of 226 countries.
- Where does this data come from?
- UNESCO Institute for Statistics, published as Population aged 65 years or older (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