Kenya vs South Africa: Total population (thousands)
Kenya
56,981 thousands
in 2025
South Africa
64,386 thousands
in 2025
Kenya rank
26th
South Africa rank
24th
Total population (thousands) over time
- Kenya
- South Africa
How they compare
South Africa currently reports 64,386 thousands against 56,981 thousands in Kenya, a difference of 7,405 thousands.
That makes South Africa's figure about 1.1 times Kenya's.
Across all 56 years both countries report, South Africa has been ahead every year.
Kenya ranks 26th and South Africa ranks 24th of 233 countries.
South Africa has averaged higher in every one of the 6 decades both report.
Head to head by decade
| Decade | Kenya | South Africa | Difference | Ahead |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1970s | 13,107 thousands | 25,029 thousands | 11,921 thousands | South Africa |
| 1980s | 18,599 thousands | 33,938 thousands | 15,338 thousands | South Africa |
| 1990s | 25,873 thousands | 43,708 thousands | 17,835 thousands | South Africa |
| 2000s | 34,819 thousands | 49,057 thousands | 14,237 thousands | South Africa |
| 2010s | 45,977 thousands | 55,519 thousands | 9,542 thousands | South Africa |
| 2020s | 54,301 thousands | 62,316 thousands | 8,015 thousands | South Africa |
Averages of every year both report within each decade.
Frequently asked questions
- Which has higher total population, Kenya or South Africa?
- South Africa, at 64,386 thousands against 56,981 thousands in Kenya as of 2025.
- What is the difference in total population between Kenya and South Africa?
- 7,405 thousands, with South Africa ahead.
- How many years of comparable data are there for Kenya and South Africa?
- 56 years are reported by both, from 1970 to 2025.
- How do Kenya and South Africa rank globally for total population?
- Kenya ranks 26th 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