Natural population growth rate in South Africa
South Africa: Natural population growth rate was 1.0% in 2023. ▼ Falling
Natural population growth rate in South Africa, 1950–2023
Source: UN, World Population Prospects (2024) – processed by Our World in Data. Measured in %.
Analysis
In 2023, natural population growth rate in South Africa stood at 1.0%.
That represents a change of down 1.5% on the previous year and down 20.1% over ten years.
Over the whole period, natural population growth rate in South Africa peaked at 2.7% in 1969 and was at its lowest, 0.7%, in 2021.
That places South Africa 102nd out of 236 countries with data for 2023, putting it in the middle of the range.
The long-run direction has been consistently falling across the 74 years of available data.
Natural population growth rate in South Africa, year by year
| Year | % | Change |
|---|---|---|
| 1950 | 1.9% | — |
| 1951 | 2.0% | +5.2% |
| 1952 | 2.1% | +4.4% |
| 1953 | 2.2% | +3.7% |
| 1954 | 2.3% | +3.2% |
| 1955 | 2.3% | +3.1% |
| 1956 | 2.4% | +2.5% |
| 1957 | 2.5% | +2.3% |
| 1958 | 2.5% | +2.2% |
| 1959 | 2.5% | +0.7% |
| 1960 | 2.6% | +1.2% |
| 1961 | 2.6% | +1.1% |
| 1962 | 2.6% | +1.0% |
| 1963 | 2.6% | +0.9% |
| 1964 | 2.7% | +0.4% |
| 1965 | 2.7% | +0.1% |
| 1966 | 2.7% | +2.4% |
| 1967 | 2.7% | +0.3% |
| 1968 | 2.7% | +0.1% |
| 1969 | 2.7% | +0.2% |
| 1970 | 2.7% | -0.6% |
| 1971 | 2.7% | +0.3% |
| 1972 | 2.7% | -0.6% |
| 1973 | 2.7% | -0.9% |
| 1974 | 2.6% | -1.8% |
| 1975 | 2.6% | -1.3% |
| 1976 | 2.6% | -1.6% |
| 1977 | 2.5% | -1.8% |
| 1978 | 2.5% | -0.8% |
| 1979 | 2.5% | +0.4% |
| 1980 | 2.5% | -0.0% |
| 1981 | 2.5% | +0.5% |
| 1982 | 2.6% | +1.6% |
| 1983 | 2.6% | +0.1% |
| 1984 | 2.6% | +0.3% |
| 1985 | 2.6% | -0.5% |
| 1986 | 2.5% | -2.1% |
| 1987 | 2.5% | -1.1% |
| 1988 | 2.4% | -4.4% |
| 1989 | 2.2% | -5.5% |
| 1990 | 2.1% | -8.2% |
| 1991 | 2.0% | -3.2% |
| 1992 | 1.9% | -5.7% |
| 1993 | 1.8% | -2.6% |
| 1994 | 1.6% | -12.9% |
| 1995 | 1.7% | +5.1% |
| 1996 | 1.6% | -5.6% |
| 1997 | 1.5% | -7.2% |
| 1998 | 1.4% | -7.3% |
| 1999 | 1.3% | -6.2% |
| 2000 | 1.1% | -12.2% |
| 2001 | 1.0% | -8.8% |
| 2002 | 0.9% | -12.0% |
| 2003 | 0.9% | -4.6% |
| 2004 | 0.9% | +5.6% |
| 2005 | 0.9% | +3.9% |
| 2006 | 1.0% | +3.9% |
| 2007 | 1.0% | +2.2% |
| 2008 | 1.2% | +16.9% |
| 2009 | 1.1% | -8.0% |
| 2010 | 1.1% | +1.1% |
| 2011 | 1.1% | +4.8% |
| 2012 | 1.2% | +5.4% |
| 2013 | 1.2% | -0.3% |
| 2014 | 1.2% | +1.7% |
| 2015 | 1.2% | -2.9% |
| 2016 | 1.1% | -5.0% |
| 2017 | 1.1% | +0.1% |
| 2018 | 1.1% | -1.3% |
| 2019 | 1.1% | -1.1% |
| 2020 | 1.0% | -10.1% |
| 2021 | 0.7% | -24.6% |
| 2022 | 1.0% | +30.4% |
| 2023 | 1.0% | -1.5% |
South Africa compared with similar countries
- South Africa's 1.0% is above the median for upper middle income countries, which is 0.8%, 1.2× the median. (58 countries reporting)
- South Africa's 1.0% is below the median for Sub-Saharan Africa, which is 2.4%, 40% of the median. (48 countries reporting)
Biggest year-on-year movements
Years where Natural population growth rate 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 |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2022 | +30.4% | 0.7% | 1.0% |
Averages by decade
| Decade | Average | Lowest | Highest | Years |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1950s | 2.3% | 1.9% | 2.5% | 10 |
| 1960s | 2.7% | 2.6% | 2.7% | 10 |
| 1970s | 2.6% | 2.5% | 2.7% | 10 |
| 1980s | 2.5% | 2.2% | 2.6% | 10 |
| 1990s | 1.7% | 1.3% | 2.1% | 10 |
| 2000s | 1.0% | 0.9% | 1.2% | 10 |
| 2010s | 1.1% | 1.1% | 1.2% | 10 |
| 2020s | 0.9% | 0.7% | 1.0% | 4 |
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 natural population growth rate in South Africa?
- Natural population growth rate in South Africa was 1.0% in 2023, according to UN, World Population Prospects (2024) – processed by Our World in Data.
- What is the highest natural population growth rate recorded in South Africa?
- The highest recorded value was 2.7% in 1969.
- What is the lowest natural population growth rate recorded in South Africa?
- The lowest recorded value was 0.7% in 2021.
- How does South Africa rank for natural population growth rate?
- South Africa ranks 102nd out of 236 countries with data for 2023.
- Is natural population growth rate rising or falling in South Africa?
- Over the last ten years it is down 20.1%. The long-run trend across the full record is falling.
- Where does this South Africa data come from?
- The figures come from UN, World Population Prospects (2024) – processed by Our World in Data, published as part of Natural population growth rate. Statizoid updates them automatically from the source API.
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About this data
Births minus deaths, as a share of the population. This is the part of population change that comes only from births and deaths, ignoring migration.