Population and Demographics of South Africa
Population changed +1.26% in 2024 · median age 28 years
Older adults account for 6.69% of the population in South Africa, with the 2050 medium scenario above the 2024 total. The 19.19-point difference between the under-15 and 65-plus shares shows how strongly the age balance leans younger. Under the UN medium scenario, the 2050 total is 79.18 million, a 23.7% increase from 2024.
Population Over Time in South Africa
Between 2000 and 2024, South Africa's population increased by about 16.85 million, moving from 47.160M to 64.007M. For 2050, the medium projection is 79.177M. That is a difference of about 15.17 million people from the 2024 estimate. The chart connects dated reference points only and should not be read as an annual interpolated series.
Age Structure and Sex Balance
Broad age shares place South Africa in a mixed demographic position in 2024. Children under 15 make up 25.88% of the population, compared with 6.69% aged 65 or older, and 67.43% are 15 to 64. The age balance is weighted toward younger residents.
Population by broad age group
South Africa's 2024 population is 51.3% female and 48.7% male in the World Bank series. Females exceed males by 2.6 percentage points.
Female and male population share
Females made up 51.3% of the population in the World Bank's 2024 series, compared with 48.7% males.
What Is Shaping Population Change
Annual change of +1.26% is one part of South Africa's 2024 profile; fertility of 2.2 is another, with age composition adding a 19.19-point gap between children and older adults.
South Africa is 35.7% larger than its 2000 population in the 2024 reference year, and the medium outlook then points +23.7% from 2024 to 2050; explaining that movement requires component data beyond these headline indicators.
2024 estimate for South Africa. The world comparison value is 2.25 children per woman.
South Africa vs. World
Using one 2024 comparison table keeps the context consistent. South Africa's population change is higher than the global rate, fertility is close to the global level, and its population is younger than the world median-age profile.
| Indicator | South Africa | World | Year |
|---|---|---|---|
| Annual population change | +1.26% | +0.87% | 2024 |
| Total fertility rate | 2.2 | 2.25 | 2024 |
| Median age | 28 | 30.6 | 2024 |
The comparison is intentionally narrow: each row uses the 2024 country table and its matching world value rather than mixing sources or observation years.
Key Takeaways
The 2024 total is 64,007,187 people. Annual change in the same harmonized table is +1.26%.
Broad age shares show 6.69% aged 65+ compared with 25.88% under 15; the 15 to 64 group accounts for 67.43%.
The World Bank 2024 sex-share series is 51.3% female and 48.7% male.
On the medium path, 2050 reaches 79.177M, a +23.7% shift from the 2024 level.
Frequently Asked Questions
What is the population of South Africa?
The 2024 harmonized population estimate for South Africa is 64,007,187 people.
Is the population of South Africa growing or declining?
In the 2024 estimate, South Africa's population is growing, with annual change of +1.26%.
What percentage of the population of South Africa is aged 65 or older?
People aged 65 or older account for 6.69% of South Africa's 2024 population in the UN WPP-based broad age data.
What is the projected population of South Africa in 2050?
The UN World Population Prospects 2024 medium projection puts South Africa's 2050 population at 79,177,328.
What is the fertility rate in South Africa?
The 2024 harmonized fertility estimate for South Africa is 2.2 children per woman.
Sources & methodology
This profile uses United Nations World Population Prospects 2024 as the primary framework for globally comparable population, age, fertility and projection data. The World Bank is the primary source for the female population share. Some country values were accessed through secondary retrieval interfaces that republish or organize UN data; those interfaces are identified below as secondary and are not treated as the original statistical publishers.
View sources used for this page
Primary global framework for the population estimates and projections.
Harmonized 2024 country table based on UN World Population Prospects 2024.
Harmonized broad age shares based on UN World Population Prospects 2024.
Harmonized reference for the 2000 population point.
Harmonized 2050 country projection based on UN World Population Prospects 2024.
Used for the 2024 female share; the male share is calculated as the remainder to 100%.