How does South Africa rank for population aged 65 years or older (thousands), per square kilometre?

South Africa ranks 146th out of 215 countries with data for 2023.

Is population aged 65 years or older (thousands), per square kilometre rising or falling in South Africa?

Over the last ten years it is up 41.6%. The long-run trend across the full record is rising.

Population aged 65 years or older (thousands), per square kilometre in South Africa

Name: Population aged 65 years or older (thousands), per square kilometre in South Africa
Creator: Statizoid (derived)
License: Derived by Statizoid from the sources named on the page

South Africa: Population aged 65 years or older (thousands), per square kilometre was 0.0033 thousands per square kilometre in 2023. ▲ Rising

Latest (2023)

0.0033 thousands per square kilometre

Change on year

up 3.8%

World rank

146th

of 215 countries

All-time high

0.0033 thousands per square kilometre

in 2023

All-time low

0.0006 thousands per square kilometre

in 1970

Years of data

1970–2023

Population aged 65 years or older (thousands), per square kilometre in South Africa, 1970–2023

Source: Statizoid (derived). Measured in thousands per square kilometre.

Analysis

South Africa recorded 0.0033 thousands per square kilometre for population aged 65 years or older (thousands), per square kilometre in 2023. That is the highest value across all 54 years on record.

The figure is up 3.8% on the previous year and up 41.6% over ten years.

Over the whole period, population aged 65 years or older (thousands), per square kilometre in South Africa peaked at 0.0033 thousands per square kilometre in 2023 and was at its lowest, 0.0006 thousands per square kilometre, in 1970.

South Africa ranks 146th of 215 countries on this measure, in the middle of the range.

The long-run direction has been consistently rising across the 54 years of available data.

Population aged 65 years or older (thousands), per square kilometre in South Africa, year by year

Annual values for Population aged 65 years or older (thousands), per square kilometre in South Africa, 1970 to 2023.
Year	thousands per square kilometre	Change
1970	0.0006 thousands per square kilometre	—
1971	0.0007 thousands per square kilometre	+4.1%
1972	0.0007 thousands per square kilometre	+3.8%
1973	0.0007 thousands per square kilometre	+3.7%
1974	0.0007 thousands per square kilometre	+3.6%
1975	0.0008 thousands per square kilometre	+3.5%
1976	0.0008 thousands per square kilometre	+3.4%
1977	0.0008 thousands per square kilometre	+3.3%
1978	0.0009 thousands per square kilometre	+3.3%
1979	0.0009 thousands per square kilometre	+3.2%
1980	0.0009 thousands per square kilometre	+3.2%
1981	0.0009 thousands per square kilometre	+4.0%
1982	0.001 thousands per square kilometre	+4.2%
1983	0.001 thousands per square kilometre	+4.4%
1984	0.0011 thousands per square kilometre	+4.6%
1985	0.0011 thousands per square kilometre	+4.8%
1986	0.0012 thousands per square kilometre	+3.8%
1987	0.0012 thousands per square kilometre	+3.5%
1988	0.0012 thousands per square kilometre	+3.2%
1989	0.0013 thousands per square kilometre	+2.9%
1990	0.0013 thousands per square kilometre	+2.4%
1991	0.0013 thousands per square kilometre	+2.0%
1992	0.0014 thousands per square kilometre	+2.3%
1993	0.0014 thousands per square kilometre	+3.4%
1994	0.0014 thousands per square kilometre	+0.7%
1995	0.0015 thousands per square kilometre	+5.5%
1996	0.0016 thousands per square kilometre	+4.1%
1997	0.0017 thousands per square kilometre	+5.5%
1998	0.0017 thousands per square kilometre	+3.8%
1999	0.0018 thousands per square kilometre	+3.4%
2000	0.0018 thousands per square kilometre	+2.6%
2001	0.0019 thousands per square kilometre	+2.5%
2002	0.0019 thousands per square kilometre	+2.3%
2003	0.002 thousands per square kilometre	+2.4%
2004	0.002 thousands per square kilometre	+2.4%
2005	0.0021 thousands per square kilometre	+2.6%
2006	0.0021 thousands per square kilometre	+2.4%
2007	0.0021 thousands per square kilometre	+2.0%
2008	0.0022 thousands per square kilometre	+1.9%
2009	0.0022 thousands per square kilometre	+1.7%
2010	0.0023 thousands per square kilometre	+1.2%
2011	0.0023 thousands per square kilometre	+1.2%
2012	0.0023 thousands per square kilometre	+1.1%
2013	0.0024 thousands per square kilometre	+2.2%
2014	0.0024 thousands per square kilometre	+2.6%
2015	0.0025 thousands per square kilometre	+2.5%
2016	0.0025 thousands per square kilometre	+3.1%
2017	0.0026 thousands per square kilometre	+2.7%
2018	0.0027 thousands per square kilometre	+4.2%
2019	0.0029 thousands per square kilometre	+4.5%
2020	0.003 thousands per square kilometre	+4.7%
2021	0.0031 thousands per square kilometre	+4.2%
2022	0.0032 thousands per square kilometre	+3.1%
2023	0.0033 thousands per square kilometre	+3.8%

Averages by decade

Decade	Average	Lowest	Highest	Years
1970s	0.0008 thousands per square kilometre	0.0006 thousands per square kilometre	0.0009 thousands per square kilometre	10
1980s	0.0011 thousands per square kilometre	0.0009 thousands per square kilometre	0.0013 thousands per square kilometre	10
1990s	0.0015 thousands per square kilometre	0.0013 thousands per square kilometre	0.0018 thousands per square kilometre	10
2000s	0.002 thousands per square kilometre	0.0018 thousands per square kilometre	0.0022 thousands per square kilometre	10
2010s	0.0025 thousands per square kilometre	0.0023 thousands per square kilometre	0.0029 thousands per square kilometre	10
2020s	0.0032 thousands per square kilometre	0.003 thousands per square kilometre	0.0033 thousands per square kilometre	4

Countries ranked near South Africa

143 Chile 0.0036 thousands per square kilometre compare
144 Ethiopia 0.0035 thousands per square kilometre compare
145 Iraq 0.0035 thousands per square kilometre compare
147 Senegal 0.0033 thousands per square kilometre compare
148 New Zealand 0.0032 thousands per square kilometre compare
149 Fiji 0.0032 thousands per square kilometre compare

See the full ranking of 215 places →

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)
World population growth 0.2% (2100)
Population density 77.75 people per km² (2100)
Number of children under 5, by world region 5.55 million people (2100)

All data for South Africa →

Frequently asked questions

What is population aged 65 years or older (thousands), per square kilometre in South Africa?: Population aged 65 years or older (thousands), per square kilometre in South Africa was 0.0033 thousands per square kilometre in 2023, according to Statizoid (derived).
What is the highest population aged 65 years or older (thousands), per square kilometre recorded in South Africa?: The highest recorded value was 0.0033 thousands per square kilometre in 2023.
What is the lowest population aged 65 years or older (thousands), per square kilometre recorded in South Africa?: The lowest recorded value was 0.0006 thousands per square kilometre in 1970.
How does South Africa rank for population aged 65 years or older (thousands), per square kilometre?: South Africa ranks 146th out of 215 countries with data for 2023.
Is population aged 65 years or older (thousands), per square kilometre rising or falling in South Africa?: Over the last ten years it is up 41.6%. 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 Population aged 65 years or older (thousands), per square kilometre. Statizoid updates them automatically from the source API.

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Population aged 65 years or older (thousands), per square kilometre in South Africa. Statizoid, drawing on Statizoid (derived). Retrieved 29 August 2026, from https://population.statizoid.com/stat/population-aged-65-years-or-older-thousands-per-square-kilometre/south-africa/

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<a href="https://population.statizoid.com/stat/population-aged-65-years-or-older-thousands-per-square-kilometre/south-africa/">Population aged 65 years or older (thousands), per square kilometre in South Africa</a> — Statizoid

How this figure is calculated

Population aged 65 years or older (thousands) 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.

Population aged 65 years or older (thousands) ÷ Land area (sq. km)

Computed from

Population aged 65 years or older UNESCO Institute for Statistics
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

Indicator: Population aged 65 years or older (thousands), per square kilometre
Unit: thousands per square kilometre
Source: Statizoid (derived)
Licence: Derived by Statizoid from the sources named on the page
Coverage: 215 places, 10,529 data points, 1970–2023
Last refreshed: 27 August 2026

Population aged 65 years or older (thousands) 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.