Number of people living in urban and rural areas, per square kilometre in South Africa
South Africa: Number of people living in urban and rural areas, per square kilometre was 33.13 people per square kilometre in 2023. ▲ Rising
Latest (2023)
33.13 people per square kilometre
Change on year
up 1.5%
World rank
136th
of 215 countries
All-time high
33.13 people per square kilometre
in 2023
All-time low
6.53 people per square kilometre
in 1961
Years of data
63
1961–2023
Number of people living in urban and rural areas, per square kilometre in South Africa, 1961–2023
Source: Statizoid (derived). Measured in people per square kilometre.
Analysis
In 2023, number of people living in urban and rural areas, per square kilometre in South Africa stood at 33.13 people per square kilometre. That is the highest value across all 63 years on record.
The figure is up 1.5% on the previous year and up 16.6% over ten years.
Over the whole period, number of people living in urban and rural areas, per square kilometre in South Africa peaked at 33.13 people per square kilometre in 2023 and was at its lowest, 6.53 people per square kilometre, in 1961.
South Africa ranks 136th of 215 countries on this measure, in the middle of the range.
The long-run direction has been consistently rising across the 63 years of available data.
Number of people living in urban and rural areas, per square kilometre in South Africa, year by year
| Year | people per square kilometre | Change |
|---|---|---|
| 1961 | 6.53 people per square kilometre | — |
| 1962 | 6.75 people per square kilometre | +3.3% |
| 1963 | 6.98 people per square kilometre | +3.4% |
| 1964 | 7.21 people per square kilometre | +3.4% |
| 1965 | 7.45 people per square kilometre | +3.3% |
| 1966 | 7.7 people per square kilometre | +3.4% |
| 1967 | 7.96 people per square kilometre | +3.4% |
| 1968 | 8.23 people per square kilometre | +3.3% |
| 1969 | 8.5 people per square kilometre | +3.3% |
| 1970 | 8.77 people per square kilometre | +3.2% |
| 1971 | 9.05 people per square kilometre | +3.1% |
| 1972 | 9.32 people per square kilometre | +3.0% |
| 1973 | 9.61 people per square kilometre | +3.0% |
| 1974 | 9.89 people per square kilometre | +3.0% |
| 1975 | 10.18 people per square kilometre | +2.9% |
| 1976 | 10.47 people per square kilometre | +2.9% |
| 1977 | 10.77 people per square kilometre | +2.9% |
| 1978 | 11.08 people per square kilometre | +2.9% |
| 1979 | 11.4 people per square kilometre | +2.9% |
| 1980 | 11.78 people per square kilometre | +3.3% |
| 1981 | 12.21 people per square kilometre | +3.7% |
| 1982 | 12.67 people per square kilometre | +3.8% |
| 1983 | 13.17 people per square kilometre | +3.9% |
| 1984 | 13.68 people per square kilometre | +3.9% |
| 1985 | 14.21 people per square kilometre | +3.9% |
| 1986 | 14.78 people per square kilometre | +4.0% |
| 1987 | 15.42 people per square kilometre | +4.3% |
| 1988 | 16.09 people per square kilometre | +4.4% |
| 1989 | 16.79 people per square kilometre | +4.3% |
| 1990 | 17.46 people per square kilometre | +4.0% |
| 1991 | 18.01 people per square kilometre | +3.2% |
| 1992 | 18.43 people per square kilometre | +2.4% |
| 1993 | 18.88 people per square kilometre | +2.4% |
| 1994 | 19.26 people per square kilometre | +2.0% |
| 1995 | 19.57 people per square kilometre | +1.6% |
| 1996 | 19.93 people per square kilometre | +1.8% |
| 1997 | 20.33 people per square kilometre | +2.0% |
| 1998 | 20.83 people per square kilometre | +2.4% |
| 1999 | 21.36 people per square kilometre | +2.5% |
| 2000 | 21.87 people per square kilometre | +2.4% |
| 2001 | 22.35 people per square kilometre | +2.2% |
| 2002 | 22.83 people per square kilometre | +2.1% |
| 2003 | 23.34 people per square kilometre | +2.2% |
| 2004 | 23.87 people per square kilometre | +2.3% |
| 2005 | 24.41 people per square kilometre | +2.3% |
| 2006 | 24.95 people per square kilometre | +2.2% |
| 2007 | 25.48 people per square kilometre | +2.2% |
| 2008 | 26.03 people per square kilometre | +2.1% |
| 2009 | 26.55 people per square kilometre | +2.0% |
| 2010 | 27.02 people per square kilometre | +1.8% |
| 2011 | 27.46 people per square kilometre | +1.6% |
| 2012 | 27.91 people per square kilometre | +1.7% |
| 2013 | 28.42 people per square kilometre | +1.8% |
| 2014 | 28.93 people per square kilometre | +1.8% |
| 2015 | 29.56 people per square kilometre | +2.2% |
| 2016 | 29.87 people per square kilometre | +1.0% |
| 2017 | 30.09 people per square kilometre | +0.7% |
| 2018 | 30.62 people per square kilometre | +1.8% |
| 2019 | 31.15 people per square kilometre | +1.7% |
| 2020 | 31.67 people per square kilometre | +1.7% |
| 2021 | 32.17 people per square kilometre | +1.6% |
| 2022 | 32.64 people per square kilometre | +1.5% |
| 2023 | 33.13 people per square kilometre | +1.5% |
South Africa compared with similar countries
- South Africa's 33.13 people per square kilometre is below the median for upper middle income countries, which is 48.45 people per square kilometre, 68% of the median. (58 countries reporting)
- South Africa's 33.13 people per square kilometre is above the median for Sub-Saharan Africa, which is 28.41 people per square kilometre, 1.2× the median. (48 countries reporting)
Averages by decade
| Decade | Average | Lowest | Highest | Years |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1960s | 7.48 people per square kilometre | 6.53 people per square kilometre | 8.5 people per square kilometre | 9 |
| 1970s | 10.06 people per square kilometre | 8.77 people per square kilometre | 11.4 people per square kilometre | 10 |
| 1980s | 14.08 people per square kilometre | 11.78 people per square kilometre | 16.79 people per square kilometre | 10 |
| 1990s | 19.4 people per square kilometre | 17.46 people per square kilometre | 21.36 people per square kilometre | 10 |
| 2000s | 24.17 people per square kilometre | 21.87 people per square kilometre | 26.55 people per square kilometre | 10 |
| 2010s | 29.1 people per square kilometre | 27.02 people per square kilometre | 31.15 people per square kilometre | 10 |
| 2020s | 32.4 people per square kilometre | 31.67 people per square kilometre | 33.13 people per square kilometre | 4 |
Countries ranked near South Africa
- 133 Guinea-Bissau 34.91 people per square kilometre compare
- 134 Nicaragua 33.53 people per square kilometre compare
- 135 Georgia 33.29 people per square kilometre compare
- 137 Cameroon 33.09 people per square kilometre compare
- 138 Lesotho 32.49 people per square kilometre compare
- 139 Bahamas 32.45 people per square kilometre compare
More population data for South Africa
- Africa's Development Dynamics (AfDD) Table 05 - Demographic estimates 73,530 Persons (2050)
- 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)
Frequently asked questions
- What is number of people living in urban and rural areas, per square kilometre in South Africa?
- Number of people living in urban and rural areas, per square kilometre in South Africa was 33.13 people per square kilometre in 2023, according to Statizoid (derived).
- What is the highest number of people living in urban and rural areas, per square kilometre recorded in South Africa?
- The highest recorded value was 33.13 people per square kilometre in 2023.
- What is the lowest number of people living in urban and rural areas, per square kilometre recorded in South Africa?
- The lowest recorded value was 6.53 people per square kilometre in 1961.
- How does South Africa rank for number of people living in urban and rural areas, per square kilometre?
- South Africa ranks 136th out of 215 countries with data for 2023.
- Is number of people living in urban and rural areas, per square kilometre rising or falling in South Africa?
- Over the last ten years it is up 16.6%. The long-run trend across the full record is rising.
- Where does this South Africa data come from?
- The figures come from Statizoid (derived), published as part of Number of people living in urban and rural areas, per square kilometre. Statizoid updates them automatically from the source API.
Download this data
CSV · JSON — 63 observations, free to reuse under Derived by Statizoid from the sources named on the page.
How this figure is calculated
Number of people living in urban and rural areas divided by Land area (sq. km), matched on country and year. Neither publisher issues this ratio as a series; it is computed here from both.
Number of people living in urban and rural areas ÷ Land area (sq. km)
Computed from
- Number of people living in urban and rural areas United Nations Department of Economic and Social Affairs, Population Division (2025) – with minor processing by Our World in Data
- Land area FAOSTAT, Food and Agriculture Organization of the United Nations (FAO)
Statizoid computes this series; the underlying measurements belong to the publishers named above. The arithmetic is applied to every country and year where both inputs report, and nothing is estimated unless the page says so.
About this data
Number of people living in urban and rural areas divided by Land area (sq. km), matched on country and year. Neither publisher issues this ratio as a series; it is computed here from both.