Understanding South Africa's Population

South Africa is the 24th most populous country in the world, with an estimated population of 60,400,000 people as of today. This figure is an estimate — it starts from the most recent official count and advances second by second using South Africa's annual growth rate of 0.87%.

The population is growing steadily. At the current rate, South Africa adds or loses roughly 1,440 people per day. With a land area of 1,000,000 km², it is moderately populated (60 people per km²).

The "Births Today" and "Deaths Today" figures are estimates based on annualized rates prorated to the time elapsed since midnight. The age and gender distribution reflects the most recent demographic profile available. For how these figures are computed, see our Methodology page.