Annual growth rate of urban population share in South Africa
South Africa: Annual growth rate of urban population share was 0.2% in 2025. ◆ Volatile
Annual growth rate of urban population share in South Africa, 1950–2025
Source: United Nations Department of Economic and Social Affairs, Population Division (2025) – with minor processing by Our World in Data. Measured in %.
Analysis
The most recent figure for annual growth rate of urban population share in South Africa is 0.2%, measured in 2025.
Compared with earlier readings it is up 11.9% on the previous year and up 84.9% over ten years.
Over the whole period, annual growth rate of urban population share in South Africa peaked at 1.5% in 1999 and was at its lowest, 0.0%, in 2021.
That places South Africa 134th out of 236 countries with data for 2025, putting it in the middle of the range.
The series is highly variable year to year, so single readings are best treated with caution.
Annual growth rate of urban population share in South Africa, year by year
| Year | % | Change |
|---|---|---|
| 1950 | 1.4% | — |
| 1951 | 1.4% | +1.0% |
| 1952 | 1.4% | -2.5% |
| 1953 | 1.3% | -5.8% |
| 1954 | 1.2% | -6.8% |
| 1955 | 1.1% | -8.4% |
| 1956 | 1.0% | -10.4% |
| 1957 | 0.9% | -12.8% |
| 1958 | 0.7% | -16.0% |
| 1959 | 0.6% | -22.3% |
| 1960 | 0.4% | -24.9% |
| 1961 | 0.3% | -21.0% |
| 1962 | 0.3% | -10.9% |
| 1963 | 0.3% | -11.8% |
| 1964 | 0.2% | -11.2% |
| 1965 | 0.2% | -10.3% |
| 1966 | 0.2% | -8.9% |
| 1967 | 0.2% | -7.0% |
| 1968 | 0.2% | -4.6% |
| 1969 | 0.2% | -1.3% |
| 1970 | 0.2% | -4.5% |
| 1971 | 0.1% | -11.6% |
| 1972 | 0.1% | -13.2% |
| 1973 | 0.1% | -9.3% |
| 1974 | 0.1% | -4.8% |
| 1975 | 0.1% | +0.5% |
| 1976 | 0.1% | +6.1% |
| 1977 | 0.1% | +11.0% |
| 1978 | 0.1% | +14.6% |
| 1979 | 0.2% | +16.8% |
| 1980 | 0.2% | +18.9% |
| 1981 | 0.2% | +21.5% |
| 1982 | 0.3% | +21.8% |
| 1983 | 0.4% | +20.5% |
| 1984 | 0.4% | +16.6% |
| 1985 | 0.6% | +39.3% |
| 1986 | 0.9% | +59.0% |
| 1987 | 1.2% | +31.8% |
| 1988 | 1.3% | +7.9% |
| 1989 | 1.2% | -5.3% |
| 1990 | 1.0% | -19.4% |
| 1991 | 0.7% | -32.4% |
| 1992 | 0.5% | -31.7% |
| 1993 | 0.4% | -18.3% |
| 1994 | 0.4% | -0.7% |
| 1995 | 0.5% | +22.4% |
| 1996 | 0.6% | +38.2% |
| 1997 | 1.0% | +62.5% |
| 1998 | 1.3% | +31.5% |
| 1999 | 1.5% | +10.3% |
| 2000 | 1.4% | -5.1% |
| 2001 | 1.2% | -11.2% |
| 2002 | 1.2% | -5.9% |
| 2003 | 1.2% | +5.0% |
| 2004 | 1.2% | +0.7% |
| 2005 | 1.2% | -2.7% |
| 2006 | 1.1% | -6.0% |
| 2007 | 1.0% | -9.6% |
| 2008 | 0.9% | -14.1% |
| 2009 | 0.7% | -20.1% |
| 2010 | 0.5% | -34.1% |
| 2011 | 0.3% | -43.6% |
| 2012 | 0.1% | -44.2% |
| 2013 | 0.1% | -5.2% |
| 2014 | 0.1% | -9.6% |
| 2015 | 0.1% | -11.2% |
| 2016 | 0.1% | -13.2% |
| 2017 | 0.1% | -16.0% |
| 2018 | 0.1% | -20.1% |
| 2019 | 0.0% | -26.2% |
| 2020 | 0.0% | -37.8% |
| 2021 | 0.0% | -64.2% |
| 2022 | 0.1% | +1096.2% |
| 2023 | 0.2% | +27.5% |
| 2024 | 0.2% | +13.2% |
| 2025 | 0.2% | +11.9% |
Averages by decade
| Decade | Average | Lowest | Highest | Years |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1950s | 1.1% | 0.6% | 1.4% | 10 |
| 1960s | 0.2% | 0.2% | 0.4% | 10 |
| 1970s | 0.1% | 0.1% | 0.2% | 10 |
| 1980s | 0.7% | 0.2% | 1.3% | 10 |
| 1990s | 0.8% | 0.4% | 1.5% | 10 |
| 2000s | 1.1% | 0.7% | 1.4% | 10 |
| 2010s | 0.2% | 0.0% | 0.5% | 10 |
| 2020s | 0.1% | 0.0% | 0.2% | 6 |
Countries ranked near South Africa
More population data for South Africa
- Un population 2024 vs 2022, annual growth rate -0.1847 % change on previous year (2100)
- Population long run with projections, annual growth rate 0.2264 % change on previous year (2100)
- Urban and rural population 2050, annual growth rate -0.7997 % change on previous year (2050)
- Population regions with projections, annual growth rate 0.2264 % change on previous year (2100)
- Population growth rate, by level of development 0.2% (2100)
- Number of children under 5, by world region 5.55 million people (2100)
- Population density 77.75 people per km² (2100)
- World population growth 0.2% (2100)
- Projected population under age 5, annual growth rate -0.0148 % change on previous year (2100)
- Africa's Development Dynamics (AfDD) Table 03 - Annual population 0.8824 Percent per annum (2030)
Frequently asked questions
- What is annual growth rate of urban population share in South Africa?
- Annual growth rate of urban population share in South Africa was 0.2% in 2025, according to United Nations Department of Economic and Social Affairs, Population Division (2025) – with minor processing by Our World in Data.
- What is the highest annual growth rate of urban population share recorded in South Africa?
- The highest recorded value was 1.5% in 1999.
- What is the lowest annual growth rate of urban population share recorded in South Africa?
- The lowest recorded value was 0.0% in 2021.
- How does South Africa rank for annual growth rate of urban population share?
- South Africa ranks 134th out of 236 countries with data for 2025.
- Is annual growth rate of urban population share rising or falling in South Africa?
- Over the last ten years it is up 84.9%. The long-run trend across the full record is volatile.
- Where does this South Africa data come from?
- The figures come from United Nations Department of Economic and Social Affairs, Population Division (2025) – with minor processing by Our World in Data, published as part of Annual growth rate of urban population share. Statizoid updates them automatically from the source API.
Download this data
CSV · JSON — 76 observations, free to reuse under CC BY 4.0 (Our World in Data).
About this data
Average annual rate of change of the share of the population living in urban areas.