Long term urban population region in South Africa
South Africa: Long term urban population region was 69.34 in 2025. ◆ Volatile
Latest (2025)
69.34
Change on year
up 0.6%
World rank
92nd
of 202 countries
All-time high
69.34
in 2025
All-time low
0.0019
in 1000
Years of data
108
1000–2025
Long term urban population region in South Africa, 1000–2025
Source: Our World in Data.
Analysis
The most recent figure for long term urban population region in South Africa is 69.34, measured in 2025. That is the highest value across all 108 years on record.
The figure is up 0.6% on the previous year and up 7.6% over ten years.
Over the whole period, long term urban population region in South Africa peaked at 69.34 in 2025 and was at its lowest, 0.0019, in 1000.
South Africa ranks 92nd of 202 countries on this measure, in the middle of the range.
The series is highly variable year to year, so single readings are best treated with caution.
Long term urban population region in South Africa, year by year
| Year | Value | Change |
|---|---|---|
| 1000 | 0.0019 | — |
| 1100 | 0.0058 | +200.0% |
| 1200 | 0.0174 | +200.0% |
| 1300 | 0.0523 | +200.0% |
| 1400 | 0.157 | +200.0% |
| 1500 | 0.4711 | +200.0% |
| 1600 | 1.41 | +200.0% |
| 1700 | 4.24 | +200.0% |
| 1710 | 4.79 | +13.0% |
| 1720 | 5.35 | +11.5% |
| 1730 | 5.9 | +10.3% |
| 1740 | 6.45 | +9.4% |
| 1750 | 7 | +8.6% |
| 1760 | 7.56 | +7.9% |
| 1770 | 8.11 | +7.3% |
| 1780 | 8.66 | +6.8% |
| 1790 | 9.22 | +6.4% |
| 1800 | 9.77 | +6.0% |
| 1810 | 10.32 | +5.7% |
| 1820 | 10.88 | +5.4% |
| 1830 | 11.43 | +5.1% |
| 1840 | 11.98 | +4.8% |
| 1850 | 12.54 | +4.6% |
| 1860 | 13.09 | +4.4% |
| 1870 | 13.64 | +4.2% |
| 1880 | 14.19 | +4.1% |
| 1890 | 14.75 | +3.9% |
| 1900 | 15.3 | +3.7% |
| 1910 | 18 | +17.6% |
| 1920 | 20.7 | +15.0% |
| 1930 | 24.7 | +19.3% |
| 1940 | 28.9 | +17.0% |
| 1950 | 42.4 | +46.7% |
| 1951 | 42.79 | +0.9% |
| 1952 | 43.19 | +1.0% |
| 1953 | 43.61 | +1.0% |
| 1954 | 44.02 | +1.0% |
| 1955 | 44.44 | +0.9% |
| 1956 | 44.84 | +0.9% |
| 1957 | 45.24 | +0.9% |
| 1958 | 45.64 | +0.9% |
| 1959 | 46.05 | +0.9% |
| 1960 | 46.46 | +0.9% |
| 1961 | 46.61 | +0.3% |
| 1962 | 46.7 | +0.2% |
| 1963 | 46.8 | +0.2% |
| 1964 | 46.88 | +0.2% |
| 1965 | 46.94 | +0.1% |
| 1966 | 46.99 | +0.1% |
| 1967 | 47.02 | +0.1% |
| 1968 | 47.04 | +0.1% |
| 1969 | 47.07 | +0.1% |
| 1970 | 47.1 | +0.1% |
| 1971 | 47.24 | +0.3% |
| 1972 | 47.43 | +0.4% |
| 1973 | 47.65 | +0.5% |
| 1974 | 47.88 | +0.5% |
| 1975 | 48.11 | +0.5% |
| 1976 | 48.13 | +0.0% |
| 1977 | 48.16 | +0.1% |
| 1978 | 48.2 | +0.1% |
| 1979 | 48.28 | +0.2% |
| 1980 | 48.42 | +0.3% |
| 1981 | 48.54 | +0.2% |
| 1982 | 48.7 | +0.3% |
| 1983 | 48.88 | +0.4% |
| 1984 | 49.06 | +0.4% |
| 1985 | 49.34 | +0.6% |
| 1986 | 49.84 | +1.0% |
| 1987 | 50.32 | +1.0% |
| 1988 | 50.81 | +1.0% |
| 1989 | 51.35 | +1.1% |
| 1990 | 51.97 | +1.2% |
| 1991 | 52.45 | +0.9% |
| 1992 | 52.97 | +1.0% |
| 1993 | 53.52 | +1.0% |
| 1994 | 54.03 | +0.9% |
| 1995 | 54.45 | +0.8% |
| 1996 | 55.09 | +1.2% |
| 1997 | 55.64 | +1.0% |
| 1998 | 56.12 | +0.9% |
| 1999 | 56.57 | +0.8% |
| 2000 | 57.03 | +0.8% |
| 2001 | 57.5 | +0.8% |
| 2002 | 57.97 | +0.8% |
| 2003 | 58.43 | +0.8% |
| 2004 | 58.9 | +0.8% |
| 2005 | 59.37 | +0.8% |
| 2006 | 59.83 | +0.8% |
| 2007 | 60.3 | +0.8% |
| 2008 | 60.77 | +0.8% |
| 2009 | 61.24 | +0.8% |
| 2010 | 61.7 | +0.8% |
| 2011 | 62.25 | +0.9% |
| 2012 | 62.79 | +0.9% |
| 2013 | 63.34 | +0.9% |
| 2014 | 63.88 | +0.9% |
| 2015 | 64.43 | +0.9% |
| 2016 | 64.97 | +0.8% |
| 2017 | 65.52 | +0.8% |
| 2018 | 66.06 | +0.8% |
| 2019 | 66.61 | +0.8% |
| 2020 | 67.15 | +0.8% |
| 2021 | 67.59 | +0.7% |
| 2022 | 68.03 | +0.6% |
| 2023 | 68.46 | +0.6% |
| 2024 | 68.9 | +0.6% |
| 2025 | 69.34 | +0.6% |
South Africa compared with similar countries
- South Africa's 69.34 is above the median for upper middle income countries, which is 69.17, 1.0× the median. (52 countries reporting)
- South Africa's 69.34 is above the median for Sub-Saharan Africa, which is 46.24, 1.5× the median. (46 countries reporting)
Biggest year-on-year movements
Years where Long term urban population region in South Africa changed far more than this series normally does. A large move can be a real event or a change in how the figure was measured — the source note below says who published it.
| Year | Change | From | To |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1100 | +200.0% | 0.0019 | 0.0058 |
| 1200 | +200.0% | 0.0058 | 0.0174 |
| 1300 | +200.0% | 0.0174 | 0.0523 |
| 1400 | +200.0% | 0.0523 | 0.157 |
| 1500 | +200.0% | 0.157 | 0.4711 |
| 1600 | +200.0% | 0.4711 | 1.41 |
Averages by decade
| Decade | Average | Lowest | Highest | Years |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1000s | 0.0019 | 0.0019 | 0.0019 | 1 |
| 1100s | 0.0058 | 0.0058 | 0.0058 | 1 |
| 1200s | 0.0174 | 0.0174 | 0.0174 | 1 |
| 1300s | 0.0523 | 0.0523 | 0.0523 | 1 |
| 1400s | 0.157 | 0.157 | 0.157 | 1 |
| 1500s | 0.4711 | 0.4711 | 0.4711 | 1 |
| 1600s | 1.41 | 1.41 | 1.41 | 1 |
| 1700s | 4.24 | 4.24 | 4.24 | 1 |
| 1710s | 4.79 | 4.79 | 4.79 | 1 |
| 1720s | 5.35 | 5.35 | 5.35 | 1 |
| 1730s | 5.9 | 5.9 | 5.9 | 1 |
| 1740s | 6.45 | 6.45 | 6.45 | 1 |
| 1750s | 7 | 7 | 7 | 1 |
| 1760s | 7.56 | 7.56 | 7.56 | 1 |
| 1770s | 8.11 | 8.11 | 8.11 | 1 |
| 1780s | 8.66 | 8.66 | 8.66 | 1 |
| 1790s | 9.22 | 9.22 | 9.22 | 1 |
| 1800s | 9.77 | 9.77 | 9.77 | 1 |
| 1810s | 10.32 | 10.32 | 10.32 | 1 |
| 1820s | 10.88 | 10.88 | 10.88 | 1 |
| 1830s | 11.43 | 11.43 | 11.43 | 1 |
| 1840s | 11.98 | 11.98 | 11.98 | 1 |
| 1850s | 12.54 | 12.54 | 12.54 | 1 |
| 1860s | 13.09 | 13.09 | 13.09 | 1 |
| 1870s | 13.64 | 13.64 | 13.64 | 1 |
| 1880s | 14.19 | 14.19 | 14.19 | 1 |
| 1890s | 14.75 | 14.75 | 14.75 | 1 |
| 1900s | 15.3 | 15.3 | 15.3 | 1 |
| 1910s | 18 | 18 | 18 | 1 |
| 1920s | 20.7 | 20.7 | 20.7 | 1 |
| 1930s | 24.7 | 24.7 | 24.7 | 1 |
| 1940s | 28.9 | 28.9 | 28.9 | 1 |
| 1950s | 44.22 | 42.4 | 46.05 | 10 |
| 1960s | 46.85 | 46.46 | 47.07 | 10 |
| 1970s | 47.82 | 47.1 | 48.28 | 10 |
| 1980s | 49.53 | 48.42 | 51.35 | 10 |
| 1990s | 54.28 | 51.97 | 56.57 | 10 |
| 2000s | 59.13 | 57.03 | 61.24 | 10 |
| 2010s | 64.15 | 61.7 | 66.61 | 10 |
| 2020s | 68.24 | 67.15 | 69.34 | 6 |
Countries ranked near South Africa
More population data for South Africa
- Population regions 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 long run with projections, annual growth rate 0.2264 % change on previous year (2100)
- Un population 2024 vs 2022, annual growth rate -0.1847 % change on previous year (2100)
- Africa's Development Dynamics (AfDD) Table 05 - Demographic estimates 73,530 Persons (2050)
- Africa's Development Dynamics (AfDD) Table 03 - Annual population 0.8824 Percent per annum (2030)
- Projected population under age 5, annual growth rate -0.0148 % change on previous year (2100)
- Population growth rate 0.23 (2100)
- Population density 77.75 (2100)
- Projected population under age 5 5.55 million (2100)
Frequently asked questions
- What is long term urban population region in South Africa?
- Long term urban population region in South Africa was 69.34 in 2025, according to Our World in Data.
- What is the highest long term urban population region recorded in South Africa?
- The highest recorded value was 69.34 in 2025.
- What is the lowest long term urban population region recorded in South Africa?
- The lowest recorded value was 0.0019 in 1000.
- How does South Africa rank for long term urban population region?
- South Africa ranks 92nd out of 202 countries with data for 2025.
- Is long term urban population region rising or falling in South Africa?
- Over the last ten years it is up 7.6%. The long-run trend across the full record is volatile.
- Where does this South Africa data come from?
- The figures come from Our World in Data, published as part of Long term urban population region. Statizoid updates them automatically from the source API.
Download this data
CSV · JSON — 108 observations, free to reuse under CC BY 4.0 (Our World in Data).