Population growth rates in South Africa
South Africa: Population growth rates was 1.31 in 2023. ▼ Falling
Latest (2023)
1.31
Change on year
down 2.0%
World rank
92nd
of 236 countries
All-time high
3.5
in 1983
All-time low
-0.415
in 2016
Years of data
74
1950–2023
Population growth rates in South Africa, 1950–2023
Source: Our World in Data.
Analysis
South Africa recorded 1.31 for population growth rates in 2023.
That represents a change of down 2.0% on the previous year and down 18.7% over ten years.
Over the whole period, population growth rates in South Africa peaked at 3.5 in 1983 and was at its lowest, -0.415, in 2016.
South Africa ranks 92nd of 236 countries on this measure, in the middle of the range.
The long-run direction has been consistently falling across the 74 years of available data.
Population growth rates in South Africa, year by year
| Year | Value | Change |
|---|---|---|
| 1950 | 2.01 | — |
| 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% |
South Africa compared with similar countries
- South Africa's 1.31 is above the median for upper middle income countries, which is 0.5505, 2.4× the median. (58 countries reporting)
- South Africa's 1.31 is below the median for Sub-Saharan Africa, which is 2.35, 56% of the median. (48 countries reporting)
Biggest year-on-year movements
Years where Population growth rates 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 |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2017 | +513.5% | -0.415 | 1.72 |
| 2016 | -118.0% | 2.31 | -0.415 |
| 1994 | -57.0% | 2.27 | 0.977 |
| 1995 | +48.2% | 0.977 | 1.45 |
| 2015 | +35.5% | 1.7 | 2.31 |
| 2012 | +34.2% | 1.26 | 1.69 |
Averages by decade
| Decade | Average | Lowest | Highest | Years |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 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 | 1.43 | 1.31 | 1.59 | 4 |
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 population growth rates in South Africa?
- Population growth rates in South Africa was 1.31 in 2023, according to Our World in Data.
- What is the highest population growth rates recorded in South Africa?
- The highest recorded value was 3.5 in 1983.
- What is the lowest population growth rates recorded in South Africa?
- The lowest recorded value was -0.415 in 2016.
- How does South Africa rank for population growth rates?
- South Africa ranks 92nd out of 236 countries with data for 2023.
- Is population growth rates rising or falling in South Africa?
- Over the last ten years it is down 18.7%. The long-run trend across the full record is falling.
- Where does this South Africa data come from?
- The figures come from Our World in Data, published as part of Population growth rates. Statizoid updates them automatically from the source API.
Download this data
CSV · JSON — 74 observations, free to reuse under CC BY 4.0 (Our World in Data).