France vs South Africa: Total population (thousands)
France
66,601 thousands
in 2025
South Africa
64,386 thousands
in 2025
France rank
23rd
South Africa rank
24th
Total population (thousands) over time
- France
- South Africa
How they compare
France currently reports 66,601 thousands against 64,386 thousands in South Africa, a difference of 2,215 thousands.
Across all 56 years both countries report, France has been ahead every year.
France ranks 23rd and South Africa ranks 24th of 233 countries.
France has averaged higher in every one of the 6 decades both report.
Head to head by decade
| Decade | France | South Africa | Difference | Ahead |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1970s | 52,290 thousands | 25,029 thousands | 27,261 thousands | France |
| 1980s | 55,163 thousands | 33,938 thousands | 21,225 thousands | France |
| 1990s | 57,941 thousands | 43,708 thousands | 14,233 thousands | France |
| 2000s | 61,163 thousands | 49,057 thousands | 12,107 thousands | France |
| 2010s | 64,555 thousands | 55,519 thousands | 9,036 thousands | France |
| 2020s | 66,244 thousands | 62,316 thousands | 3,928 thousands | France |
Averages of every year both report within each decade.
Frequently asked questions
- Which has higher total population, France or South Africa?
- France, at 66,601 thousands against 64,386 thousands in South Africa as of 2025.
- What is the difference in total population between France and South Africa?
- 2,215 thousands, with France ahead.
- How many years of comparable data are there for France and South Africa?
- 56 years are reported by both, from 1970 to 2025.
- How do France and South Africa rank globally for total population?
- France ranks 23rd and South Africa ranks 24th of 233 countries.
- Where does this data come from?
- UNESCO Institute for Statistics, published as Total population (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