Population growth rate in South Africa
South Africa: Population growth rate was 0.23 in 2100. ◆ Volatile
Latest (2100)
0.23
Change on year
up 3.1%
World rank
48th
of 239 countries
All-time high
3.5
in 1983
All-time low
-0.415
in 2016
Years of data
163
1700–2100
Population growth rate in South Africa, 1700–2100
Source: Our World in Data.
Analysis
The most recent figure for population growth rate in South Africa is 0.23, measured in 2100.
The figure is up 3.1% on the previous year and down 8.0% over ten years.
Over the whole period, population growth rate in South Africa peaked at 3.5 in 1983 and was at its lowest, -0.415, in 2016.
That places South Africa 48th out of 239 countries with data for 2100, putting it in the top quarter.
The series is highly variable year to year, so single readings are best treated with caution.
Population growth rate in South Africa, year by year
| Year | Value | Change |
|---|---|---|
| 1700 | 0.3567 | — |
| 1800 | 0.0701 | -80.4% |
| 1900 | 1.33 | +1793.9% |
| 1905 | 1.7 | +27.9% |
| 1910 | 1.66 | -2.2% |
| 1915 | 1.6 | -3.3% |
| 1920 | 1.76 | +9.7% |
| 1925 | 2.08 | +18.1% |
| 1930 | 2.05 | -1.6% |
| 1935 | 2 | -2.3% |
| 1940 | 1.96 | -2.0% |
| 1945 | 1.9 | -2.9% |
| 1950 | 2.01 | +5.5% |
| 1951 | 2.1 | +4.7% |
| 1952 | 2.16 | +2.8% |
| 1953 | 2.17 | +0.4% |
| 1954 | 2.26 | +4.1% |
| 1955 | 2.33 | +3.2% |
| 1956 | 2.39 | +2.7% |
| 1957 | 2.44 | +2.0% |
| 1958 | 2.43 | -0.7% |
| 1959 | 2.56 | +5.6% |
| 1960 | 2.68 | +4.5% |
| 1961 | 2.93 | +9.5% |
| 1962 | 3.02 | +2.9% |
| 1963 | 3.04 | +0.9% |
| 1964 | 3.06 | +0.6% |
| 1965 | 3.09 | +0.8% |
| 1966 | 3.11 | +0.8% |
| 1967 | 3.13 | +0.6% |
| 1968 | 3.1 | -0.8% |
| 1969 | 3.07 | -1.1% |
| 1970 | 2.99 | -2.6% |
| 1971 | 2.87 | -4.2% |
| 1972 | 2.87 | +0.0% |
| 1973 | 2.85 | -0.6% |
| 1974 | 2.79 | -2.2% |
| 1975 | 2.75 | -1.4% |
| 1976 | 2.66 | -3.3% |
| 1977 | 2.75 | +3.2% |
| 1978 | 2.71 | -1.2% |
| 1979 | 2.7 | -0.6% |
| 1980 | 3.38 | +25.1% |
| 1981 | 3.43 | +1.6% |
| 1982 | 3.48 | +1.5% |
| 1983 | 3.5 | +0.6% |
| 1984 | 3.42 | -2.3% |
| 1985 | 3.25 | -5.0% |
| 1986 | 3.15 | -3.2% |
| 1987 | 3.09 | -1.8% |
| 1988 | 3 | -2.8% |
| 1989 | 2.88 | -4.2% |
| 1990 | 2.69 | -6.6% |
| 1991 | 1.89 | -29.7% |
| 1992 | 1.7 | -9.9% |
| 1993 | 2.27 | +33.4% |
| 1994 | 0.977 | -57.0% |
| 1995 | 1.45 | +48.2% |
| 1996 | 1.15 | -20.7% |
| 1997 | 1.25 | +8.7% |
| 1998 | 1.18 | -5.6% |
| 1999 | 1 | -14.9% |
| 2000 | 0.827 | -17.5% |
| 2001 | 0.891 | +7.7% |
| 2002 | 1 | +12.5% |
| 2003 | 0.991 | -1.1% |
| 2004 | 1.02 | +3.3% |
| 2005 | 1 | -2.1% |
| 2006 | 1.04 | +4.0% |
| 2007 | 1.07 | +2.5% |
| 2008 | 1.24 | +15.8% |
| 2009 | 1.15 | -6.9% |
| 2010 | 1.21 | +5.4% |
| 2011 | 1.26 | +3.6% |
| 2012 | 1.69 | +34.2% |
| 2013 | 1.62 | -4.1% |
| 2014 | 1.7 | +5.3% |
| 2015 | 2.31 | +35.5% |
| 2016 | -0.415 | -118.0% |
| 2017 | 1.72 | -513.5% |
| 2018 | 1.65 | -3.9% |
| 2019 | 1.65 | +0.1% |
| 2020 | 1.59 | -3.3% |
| 2021 | 1.49 | -6.8% |
| 2022 | 1.34 | -9.8% |
| 2023 | 1.31 | -2.0% |
| 2024 | 1.19 | -9.9% |
| 2025 | 1.11 | -5.9% |
| 2026 | 1.05 | -5.5% |
| 2027 | 1.04 | -1.0% |
| 2028 | 1.02 | -1.7% |
| 2029 | 0.99 | -3.4% |
| 2030 | 0.94 | -5.1% |
| 2031 | 0.921 | -2.0% |
| 2032 | 0.896 | -2.7% |
| 2033 | 0.865 | -3.5% |
| 2034 | 0.844 | -2.4% |
| 2035 | 0.828 | -1.9% |
| 2036 | 0.798 | -3.6% |
| 2037 | 0.787 | -1.4% |
| 2038 | 0.759 | -3.6% |
| 2039 | 0.734 | -3.3% |
| 2040 | 0.729 | -0.7% |
| 2041 | 0.724 | -0.7% |
| 2042 | 0.71 | -1.9% |
| 2043 | 0.696 | -2.0% |
| 2044 | 0.682 | -2.0% |
| 2045 | 0.671 | -1.6% |
| 2046 | 0.676 | +0.7% |
| 2047 | 0.659 | -2.5% |
| 2048 | 0.62 | -5.9% |
| 2049 | 0.614 | -1.0% |
| 2050 | 0.596 | -2.9% |
| 2051 | 0.6 | +0.7% |
| 2052 | 0.56 | -6.7% |
| 2053 | 0.54 | -3.6% |
| 2054 | 0.543 | +0.6% |
| 2055 | 0.524 | -3.5% |
| 2056 | 0.499 | -4.8% |
| 2057 | 0.495 | -0.8% |
| 2058 | 0.49 | -1.0% |
| 2059 | 0.472 | -3.7% |
| 2060 | 0.457 | -3.2% |
| 2061 | 0.439 | -3.9% |
| 2062 | 0.44 | +0.2% |
| 2063 | 0.434 | -1.4% |
| 2064 | 0.421 | -3.0% |
| 2065 | 0.386 | -8.3% |
| 2066 | 0.387 | +0.3% |
| 2067 | 0.371 | -4.1% |
| 2068 | 0.361 | -2.7% |
| 2069 | 0.354 | -1.9% |
| 2070 | 0.379 | +7.1% |
| 2071 | 0.372 | -1.8% |
| 2072 | 0.322 | -13.4% |
| 2073 | 0.316 | -1.9% |
| 2074 | 0.321 | +1.6% |
| 2075 | 0.307 | -4.4% |
| 2076 | 0.295 | -3.9% |
| 2077 | 0.31 | +5.1% |
| 2078 | 0.308 | -0.6% |
| 2079 | 0.3 | -2.6% |
| 2080 | 0.303 | +1.0% |
| 2081 | 0.298 | -1.7% |
| 2082 | 0.289 | -3.0% |
| 2083 | 0.288 | -0.3% |
| 2084 | 0.27 | -6.2% |
| 2085 | 0.25 | -7.4% |
| 2086 | 0.275 | +10.0% |
| 2087 | 0.268 | -2.5% |
| 2088 | 0.263 | -1.9% |
| 2089 | 0.258 | -1.9% |
| 2090 | 0.25 | -3.1% |
| 2091 | 0.267 | +6.8% |
| 2092 | 0.242 | -9.4% |
| 2093 | 0.244 | +0.8% |
| 2094 | 0.24 | -1.6% |
| 2095 | 0.221 | -7.9% |
| 2096 | 0.21 | -5.0% |
| 2097 | 0.203 | -3.3% |
| 2098 | 0.22 | +8.4% |
| 2099 | 0.223 | +1.4% |
| 2100 | 0.23 | +3.1% |
South Africa compared with similar countries
- South Africa's 0.23 is above the median for upper middle income countries, which is -0.5825. (58 countries reporting)
- South Africa's 0.23 is below the median for Sub-Saharan Africa, which is 0.2765, 83% of the median. (48 countries reporting)
Biggest year-on-year movements
Years where 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 |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1900 | +1793.9% | 0.0701 | 1.33 |
| 2017 | +513.5% | -0.415 | 1.72 |
| 2016 | -118.0% | 2.31 | -0.415 |
| 1800 | -80.4% | 0.3567 | 0.0701 |
| 1994 | -57.0% | 2.27 | 0.977 |
| 1995 | +48.2% | 0.977 | 1.45 |
Averages by decade
| Decade | Average | Lowest | Highest | Years |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1700s | 0.3567 | 0.3567 | 0.3567 | 1 |
| 1800s | 0.0701 | 0.0701 | 0.0701 | 1 |
| 1900s | 1.51 | 1.33 | 1.7 | 2 |
| 1910s | 1.63 | 1.6 | 1.66 | 2 |
| 1920s | 1.92 | 1.76 | 2.08 | 2 |
| 1930s | 2.02 | 2 | 2.05 | 2 |
| 1940s | 1.93 | 1.9 | 1.96 | 2 |
| 1950s | 2.28 | 2.01 | 2.56 | 10 |
| 1960s | 3.02 | 2.68 | 3.13 | 10 |
| 1970s | 2.79 | 2.66 | 2.99 | 10 |
| 1980s | 3.26 | 2.88 | 3.5 | 10 |
| 1990s | 1.56 | 0.977 | 2.69 | 10 |
| 2000s | 1.02 | 0.827 | 1.24 | 10 |
| 2010s | 1.44 | -0.415 | 2.31 | 10 |
| 2020s | 1.22 | 0.99 | 1.59 | 10 |
| 2030s | 0.8372 | 0.734 | 0.94 | 10 |
| 2040s | 0.6781 | 0.614 | 0.729 | 10 |
| 2050s | 0.5319 | 0.472 | 0.6 | 10 |
| 2060s | 0.405 | 0.354 | 0.457 | 10 |
| 2070s | 0.323 | 0.295 | 0.379 | 10 |
| 2080s | 0.2762 | 0.25 | 0.303 | 10 |
| 2090s | 0.232 | 0.203 | 0.267 | 10 |
| 2100s | 0.23 | 0.23 | 0.23 | 1 |
Countries ranked near South Africa
- 45 Eritrea 0.264 compare
- 46 Yemen 0.258 compare
- 47 Sao Tome and Principe 0.248 compare
- 49 Rwanda 0.217 compare
- 50 Tuvalu 0.212 compare
- 51 Kazakhstan 0.205 compare
- 51 Solomon Islands 0.205 compare
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 0.23 (2100)
- Projected population under age 5 5.55 million (2100)
- Population density 77.75 (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)
- Africa's Development Dynamics (AfDD) Table 05 - Demographic estimates 73,530 Persons (2050)
Frequently asked questions
- What is population growth rate in South Africa?
- Population growth rate in South Africa was 0.23 in 2100, according to Our World in Data.
- What is the highest population growth rate recorded in South Africa?
- The highest recorded value was 3.5 in 1983.
- What is the lowest population growth rate recorded in South Africa?
- The lowest recorded value was -0.415 in 2016.
- How does South Africa rank for population growth rate?
- South Africa ranks 48th out of 239 countries with data for 2100.
- Is population growth rate rising or falling in South Africa?
- Over the last ten years it is down 8.0%. 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 Population growth rate. Statizoid updates them automatically from the source API.
Download this data
CSV · JSON — 163 observations, free to reuse under CC BY 4.0 (Our World in Data).