How does South Africa rank for number of children, working-age adults, and older people?

South Africa ranks 31st out of 236 countries with data for 2023.

Is number of children, working-age adults, and older people rising or falling in South Africa?

Over the last ten years it is up 42.3%. The long-run trend across the full record is volatile.

Where does this South Africa data come from?

The figures come from UN, World Population Prospects (2024) – processed by Our World in Data, published as part of Number of children, working-age adults, and older people. Statizoid updates them automatically from the source API.

Number of children, working-age adults, and older people in South Africa

Name: Number of children, working-age adults, and older people in South Africa
Creator: UN, World Population Prospects (2024) – processed by Our World in Data
License: CC BY 4.0 (Our World in Data)

South Africa: Number of children, working-age adults, and older people was 4.11 million people in 2023. ◆ Volatile

Latest (2023)

4.11 million people

Change on year

up 3.8%

World rank

31st

of 236 countries

All-time high

4.11 million people

in 2023

All-time low

526,297 people

in 1953

Years of data

1950–2023

Number of children, working-age adults, and older people in South Africa, 1950–2023

Source: UN, World Population Prospects (2024) – processed by Our World in Data. Measured in people.

Analysis

The most recent figure for number of children, working-age adults, and older people in South Africa is 4.11 million people, measured in 2023. That is the highest value across all 74 years on record.

Compared with earlier readings it is up 3.8% on the previous year and up 42.3% over ten years.

Over the whole period, number of children, working-age adults, and older people in South Africa peaked at 4.11 million people in 2023 and was at its lowest, 526,297 people, in 1953.

South Africa ranks 31st of 236 countries on this measure, in the top quarter.

The series is highly variable year to year, so single readings are best treated with caution.

Averages by decade

Decade	Average	Lowest	Highest	Years
1950s	532,068 people	526,297 people	547,491 people	10
1960s	648,519 people	557,736 people	765,825 people	10
1970s	938,457 people	797,316 people	1.08 million people	10
1980s	1.35 million people	1.12 million people	1.58 million people	10
1990s	1.86 million people	1.61 million people	2.18 million people	10
2000s	2.48 million people	2.24 million people	2.71 million people	10
2010s	3.05 million people	2.75 million people	3.54 million people	10
2020s	3.90 million people	3.70 million people	4.11 million people	4

Countries ranked near South Africa

28 Colombia 4.90 million people compare
29 Australia 4.59 million people compare
30 Taiwan 4.27 million people compare
32 Ethiopia 4.08 million people compare
33 Myanmar 3.84 million people compare
34 Romania 3.78 million people compare

See the full ranking of 236 places →

More population data for South Africa

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)
Population growth rate, by level of development 0.2% (2100)
Total fertility rate vs. contraceptive prevalence 2.21 births per woman (2024)
Fertility rate vs. unmet need for contraception 2.21 births per woman (2024)
Refugees by country of asylum 71,171 people (2024)
Total fertility rate vs. wanted fertility rate 2.21 births per woman (2024)
Fertility rate vs. Share of people who are religious 2.22 live births per woman (2023)
Fertility rate accounting for survival until childbearing age 2.07 children per women (2023)

All data for South Africa →

Frequently asked questions

What is number of children, working-age adults, and older people in South Africa?: Number of children, working-age adults, and older people in South Africa was 4.11 million people in 2023, according to UN, World Population Prospects (2024) – processed by Our World in Data.
What is the highest number of children, working-age adults, and older people recorded in South Africa?: The highest recorded value was 4.11 million people in 2023.
What is the lowest number of children, working-age adults, and older people recorded in South Africa?: The lowest recorded value was 526,297 people in 1953.
How does South Africa rank for number of children, working-age adults, and older people?: South Africa ranks 31st out of 236 countries with data for 2023.
Is number of children, working-age adults, and older people rising or falling in South Africa?: Over the last ten years it is up 42.3%. The long-run trend across the full record is volatile.
Where does this South Africa data come from?: The figures come from UN, World Population Prospects (2024) – processed by Our World in Data, published as part of Number of children, working-age adults, and older people. 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).

About this data

Indicator: Number of children, working-age adults, and older people
Unit: people
Source: UN, World Population Prospects (2024) – processed by Our World in Data
Licence: CC BY 4.0 (Our World in Data)
Coverage: 236 places, 17,464 data points, 1950–2023
Last refreshed: 07 August 2026

The total population, measured on 1 July of the year shown. This only includes people aged 65+.