Romania vs South Africa: Population aged 65 years or older
Romania
3,806 thousands
in 2025
South Africa
4,371 thousands
in 2025
Romania rank
33rd
South Africa rank
30th
Population aged 65 years or older over time
- Romania
- South Africa
How they compare
South Africa currently reports 4,371 thousands against 3,806 thousands in Romania, a difference of 565 thousands.
That makes South Africa's figure about 1.1 times Romania's.
The two have swapped places 1 time across 56 shared years of data; in 1970 it was Romania ahead.
Romania ranks 33rd and South Africa ranks 30th of 226 countries.
Across the 6 decades both report, Romania averaged higher in 5 and South Africa in 1.
Head to head by decade
| Decade | Romania | South Africa | Difference | Ahead |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1970s | 1,994 thousands | 922.61 thousands | 1,071 thousands | Romania |
| 1980s | 2,286 thousands | 1,330 thousands | 955.04 thousands | Romania |
| 1990s | 2,658 thousands | 1,832 thousands | 825.99 thousands | Romania |
| 2000s | 3,113 thousands | 2,460 thousands | 653.41 thousands | Romania |
| 2010s | 3,384 thousands | 3,011 thousands | 373.4 thousands | Romania |
| 2020s | 3,743 thousands | 3,984 thousands | 241.04 thousands | South Africa |
Averages of every year both report within each decade.
Frequently asked questions
- Which has higher population aged 65 years or older, Romania or South Africa?
- South Africa, at 4,371 thousands against 3,806 thousands in Romania as of 2025.
- What is the difference in population aged 65 years or older between Romania and South Africa?
- 565 thousands, with South Africa ahead.
- How many years of comparable data are there for Romania and South Africa?
- 56 years are reported by both, from 1970 to 2025.
- How do Romania and South Africa rank globally for population aged 65 years or older?
- Romania ranks 33rd 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