Total population (thousands), per square kilometre in South Africa
South Africa: Total population (thousands), per square kilometre was 0.0518 thousands per square kilometre in 2023. ▲ Rising
Latest (2023)
0.0518 thousands per square kilometre
Change on year
up 1.4%
World rank
150th
of 215 countries
All-time high
0.0518 thousands per square kilometre
in 2023
All-time low
0.0181 thousands per square kilometre
in 1970
Years of data
54
1970–2023
Total population (thousands), per square kilometre in South Africa, 1970–2023
Source: Statizoid (derived). Measured in thousands per square kilometre.
Analysis
The most recent figure for total population (thousands), per square kilometre in South Africa is 0.0518 thousands per square kilometre, measured in 2023. That is the highest value across all 54 years on record.
The figure is up 1.4% on the previous year and up 15.8% over ten years.
Over the whole period, total population (thousands), per square kilometre in South Africa peaked at 0.0518 thousands per square kilometre in 2023 and was at its lowest, 0.0181 thousands per square kilometre, in 1970.
South Africa ranks 150th 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.
Total population (thousands), per square kilometre in South Africa, year by year
| Year | thousands per square kilometre | Change |
|---|---|---|
| 1970 | 0.0181 thousands per square kilometre | — |
| 1971 | 0.0186 thousands per square kilometre | +3.0% |
| 1972 | 0.0192 thousands per square kilometre | +2.9% |
| 1973 | 0.0197 thousands per square kilometre | +2.9% |
| 1974 | 0.0203 thousands per square kilometre | +2.9% |
| 1975 | 0.0209 thousands per square kilometre | +2.8% |
| 1976 | 0.0215 thousands per square kilometre | +2.8% |
| 1977 | 0.022 thousands per square kilometre | +2.7% |
| 1978 | 0.0227 thousands per square kilometre | +2.8% |
| 1979 | 0.0233 thousands per square kilometre | +2.8% |
| 1980 | 0.0239 thousands per square kilometre | +2.7% |
| 1981 | 0.0247 thousands per square kilometre | +3.4% |
| 1982 | 0.0256 thousands per square kilometre | +3.5% |
| 1983 | 0.0265 thousands per square kilometre | +3.5% |
| 1984 | 0.0275 thousands per square kilometre | +3.6% |
| 1985 | 0.0284 thousands per square kilometre | +3.5% |
| 1986 | 0.0294 thousands per square kilometre | +3.3% |
| 1987 | 0.0303 thousands per square kilometre | +3.2% |
| 1988 | 0.0312 thousands per square kilometre | +3.1% |
| 1989 | 0.0322 thousands per square kilometre | +3.0% |
| 1990 | 0.0331 thousands per square kilometre | +2.9% |
| 1991 | 0.034 thousands per square kilometre | +2.7% |
| 1992 | 0.0347 thousands per square kilometre | +1.9% |
| 1993 | 0.0353 thousands per square kilometre | +1.7% |
| 1994 | 0.0361 thousands per square kilometre | +2.3% |
| 1995 | 0.0365 thousands per square kilometre | +1.0% |
| 1996 | 0.037 thousands per square kilometre | +1.5% |
| 1997 | 0.0374 thousands per square kilometre | +1.2% |
| 1998 | 0.0379 thousands per square kilometre | +1.3% |
| 1999 | 0.0383 thousands per square kilometre | +1.2% |
| 2000 | 0.0387 thousands per square kilometre | +1.0% |
| 2001 | 0.039 thousands per square kilometre | +0.8% |
| 2002 | 0.0394 thousands per square kilometre | +0.9% |
| 2003 | 0.0398 thousands per square kilometre | +1.0% |
| 2004 | 0.0402 thousands per square kilometre | +1.0% |
| 2005 | 0.0406 thousands per square kilometre | +1.0% |
| 2006 | 0.041 thousands per square kilometre | +1.0% |
| 2007 | 0.0414 thousands per square kilometre | +1.0% |
| 2008 | 0.0419 thousands per square kilometre | +1.1% |
| 2009 | 0.0424 thousands per square kilometre | +1.2% |
| 2010 | 0.0429 thousands per square kilometre | +1.2% |
| 2011 | 0.0434 thousands per square kilometre | +1.2% |
| 2012 | 0.044 thousands per square kilometre | +1.3% |
| 2013 | 0.0447 thousands per square kilometre | +1.7% |
| 2014 | 0.0454 thousands per square kilometre | +1.6% |
| 2015 | 0.0462 thousands per square kilometre | +1.7% |
| 2016 | 0.0473 thousands per square kilometre | +2.3% |
| 2017 | 0.0471 thousands per square kilometre | -0.4% |
| 2018 | 0.0479 thousands per square kilometre | +1.7% |
| 2019 | 0.0487 thousands per square kilometre | +1.7% |
| 2020 | 0.0495 thousands per square kilometre | +1.7% |
| 2021 | 0.0503 thousands per square kilometre | +1.6% |
| 2022 | 0.0511 thousands per square kilometre | +1.5% |
| 2023 | 0.0518 thousands per square kilometre | +1.4% |
South Africa compared with similar countries
- South Africa's 0.0518 thousands per square kilometre is below the median for upper middle income countries, which is 0.0914 thousands per square kilometre, 57% of the median. (58 countries reporting)
- South Africa's 0.0518 thousands per square kilometre is below the median for Sub-Saharan Africa, which is 0.0681 thousands per square kilometre, 76% of the median. (48 countries reporting)
Averages by decade
| Decade | Average | Lowest | Highest | Years |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1970s | 0.0206 thousands per square kilometre | 0.0181 thousands per square kilometre | 0.0233 thousands per square kilometre | 10 |
| 1980s | 0.028 thousands per square kilometre | 0.0239 thousands per square kilometre | 0.0322 thousands per square kilometre | 10 |
| 1990s | 0.036 thousands per square kilometre | 0.0331 thousands per square kilometre | 0.0383 thousands per square kilometre | 10 |
| 2000s | 0.0404 thousands per square kilometre | 0.0387 thousands per square kilometre | 0.0424 thousands per square kilometre | 10 |
| 2010s | 0.0458 thousands per square kilometre | 0.0429 thousands per square kilometre | 0.0487 thousands per square kilometre | 10 |
| 2020s | 0.0507 thousands per square kilometre | 0.0495 thousands per square kilometre | 0.0518 thousands per square kilometre | 4 |
Countries ranked near South Africa
- 147 Iran 0.0555 thousands per square kilometre compare
- 148 Georgia 0.0548 thousands per square kilometre compare
- 149 Madagascar 0.053 thousands per square kilometre compare
- 151 Fiji 0.0505 thousands per square kilometre compare
- 152 Djibouti 0.0494 thousands per square kilometre compare
- 153 Turks and Caicos Islands 0.0484 thousands per square kilometre compare
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)
Frequently asked questions
- What is total population (thousands), per square kilometre in South Africa?
- Total population (thousands), per square kilometre in South Africa was 0.0518 thousands per square kilometre in 2023, according to Statizoid (derived).
- What is the highest total population (thousands), per square kilometre recorded in South Africa?
- The highest recorded value was 0.0518 thousands per square kilometre in 2023.
- What is the lowest total population (thousands), per square kilometre recorded in South Africa?
- The lowest recorded value was 0.0181 thousands per square kilometre in 1970.
- How does South Africa rank for total population (thousands), per square kilometre?
- South Africa ranks 150th out of 215 countries with data for 2023.
- Is total population (thousands), per square kilometre rising or falling in South Africa?
- Over the last ten years it is up 15.8%. 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 Total population (thousands), per square kilometre. Statizoid updates them automatically from the source API.
Download this data
CSV · JSON — 54 observations, free to reuse under Derived by Statizoid from the sources named on the page.
How this figure is calculated
Total population (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.
Total population (thousands) ÷ Land area (sq. km)
Computed from
- Total population 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
Total population (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.