Number of people living in cities, towns and rural areas in South Africa
South Africa: Number of people living in cities, towns and rural areas was 12.95 million people in 2020. ▲ Rising
Number of people living in cities, towns and rural areas in South Africa, 1950–2020
Source: European Commission, Joint Research Centre (JRC) (2025) – with major processing by Our World in Data. Measured in people.
Analysis
The most recent figure for number of people living in cities, towns and rural areas in South Africa is 12.95 million people, measured in 2020.
That represents a change of up 1.8% over ten years.
Over the whole period, number of people living in cities, towns and rural areas in South Africa peaked at 12.97 million people in 2015 and was at its lowest, 6.71 million people, in 1950.
That places South Africa 25th out of 236 countries with data for 2020, putting it in the top quarter.
The long-run direction has been consistently rising across the 15 years of available data.
Number of people living in cities, towns and rural areas in South Africa, year by year
| Year | people | Change |
|---|---|---|
| 1950 | 6.71 million people | — |
| 1955 | 7.20 million people | +7.4% |
| 1960 | 7.77 million people | +7.9% |
| 1965 | 8.46 million people | +8.9% |
| 1970 | 9.17 million people | +8.4% |
| 1975 | 9.83 million people | +7.2% |
| 1980 | 10.60 million people | +7.8% |
| 1985 | 11.76 million people | +11.0% |
| 1990 | 12.60 million people | +7.1% |
| 1995 | 12.88 million people | +2.2% |
| 2000 | 12.78 million people | -0.8% |
| 2005 | 12.75 million people | -0.2% |
| 2010 | 12.72 million people | -0.2% |
| 2015 | 12.97 million people | +2.0% |
| 2020 | 12.95 million people | -0.2% |
Averages by decade
| Decade | Average | Lowest | Highest | Years |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1950s | 6.95 million people | 6.71 million people | 7.20 million people | 2 |
| 1960s | 8.12 million people | 7.77 million people | 8.46 million people | 2 |
| 1970s | 9.50 million people | 9.17 million people | 9.83 million people | 2 |
| 1980s | 11.18 million people | 10.60 million people | 11.76 million people | 2 |
| 1990s | 12.74 million people | 12.60 million people | 12.88 million people | 2 |
| 2000s | 12.76 million people | 12.75 million people | 12.78 million people | 2 |
| 2010s | 12.84 million people | 12.72 million people | 12.97 million people | 2 |
| 2020s | 12.95 million people | 12.95 million people | 12.95 million people | 1 |
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 number of people living in cities, towns and rural areas in South Africa?
- Number of people living in cities, towns and rural areas in South Africa was 12.95 million people in 2020, according to European Commission, Joint Research Centre (JRC) (2025) – with major processing by Our World in Data.
- What is the highest number of people living in cities, towns and rural areas recorded in South Africa?
- The highest recorded value was 12.97 million people in 2015.
- What is the lowest number of people living in cities, towns and rural areas recorded in South Africa?
- The lowest recorded value was 6.71 million people in 1950.
- How does South Africa rank for number of people living in cities, towns and rural areas?
- South Africa ranks 25th out of 236 countries with data for 2020.
- Is number of people living in cities, towns and rural areas rising or falling in South Africa?
- Over the last ten years it is up 1.8%. The long-run trend across the full record is rising.
- Where does this South Africa data come from?
- The figures come from European Commission, Joint Research Centre (JRC) (2025) – with major processing by Our World in Data, published as part of Number of people living in cities, towns and rural areas. Statizoid updates them automatically from the source API.
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CSV · JSON — 15 observations, free to reuse under CC BY 4.0 (Our World in Data).
About this data
Estimated number of people living in rural areas. Rural areas are identified using satellite imagery and population data, applying the same definitions across countries.