Female population by age group in South Africa
South Africa: Female population by age group was 2.93 million in 2023. ▲ Rising
Latest (2023)
2.93 million
Change on year
up 0.7%
World rank
24th
of 229 countries
All-time high
2.93 million
in 2023
All-time low
1.06 million
in 1950
Years of data
74
1950–2023
Female population by age group in South Africa, 1950–2023
Source: Our World in Data.
Analysis
South Africa recorded 2.93 million for female population by age group in 2023. That is the highest value across all 74 years on record.
The figure is up 0.7% on the previous year and up 5.5% over ten years.
Over the whole period, female population by age group in South Africa peaked at 2.93 million in 2023 and was at its lowest, 1.06 million, in 1950.
South Africa ranks 24th of 229 countries on this measure, in the top quarter.
The long-run direction has been consistently rising across the 74 years of available data.
Female population by age group in South Africa, year by year
| Year | Value | Change |
|---|---|---|
| 1950 | 1.06 million | — |
| 1951 | 1.08 million | +1.7% |
| 1952 | 1.10 million | +1.8% |
| 1953 | 1.12 million | +1.7% |
| 1954 | 1.14 million | +2.2% |
| 1955 | 1.18 million | +2.8% |
| 1956 | 1.21 million | +2.8% |
| 1957 | 1.24 million | +2.8% |
| 1958 | 1.28 million | +2.7% |
| 1959 | 1.31 million | +2.7% |
| 1960 | 1.34 million | +2.6% |
| 1961 | 1.38 million | +2.7% |
| 1962 | 1.42 million | +2.8% |
| 1963 | 1.46 million | +2.9% |
| 1964 | 1.51 million | +3.0% |
| 1965 | 1.55 million | +3.1% |
| 1966 | 1.60 million | +3.3% |
| 1967 | 1.66 million | +3.4% |
| 1968 | 1.71 million | +3.4% |
| 1969 | 1.77 million | +3.3% |
| 1970 | 1.83 million | +3.2% |
| 1971 | 1.88 million | +2.9% |
| 1972 | 1.93 million | +2.6% |
| 1973 | 1.98 million | +2.4% |
| 1974 | 2.02 million | +2.2% |
| 1975 | 2.06 million | +1.9% |
| 1976 | 2.09 million | +1.6% |
| 1977 | 2.12 million | +1.4% |
| 1978 | 2.15 million | +1.2% |
| 1979 | 2.18 million | +1.4% |
| 1980 | 2.22 million | +2.1% |
| 1981 | 2.29 million | +3.1% |
| 1982 | 2.37 million | +3.7% |
| 1983 | 2.47 million | +3.9% |
| 1984 | 2.55 million | +3.5% |
| 1985 | 2.63 million | +3.0% |
| 1986 | 2.71 million | +3.0% |
| 1987 | 2.78 million | +2.7% |
| 1988 | 2.84 million | +2.0% |
| 1989 | 2.87 million | +1.0% |
| 1990 | 2.86 million | -0.2% |
| 1991 | 2.82 million | -1.2% |
| 1992 | 2.79 million | -1.3% |
| 1993 | 2.74 million | -1.8% |
| 1994 | 2.70 million | -1.3% |
| 1995 | 2.70 million | -0.0% |
| 1996 | 2.70 million | +0.0% |
| 1997 | 2.68 million | -0.8% |
| 1998 | 2.63 million | -1.9% |
| 1999 | 2.58 million | -1.7% |
| 2000 | 2.53 million | -2.1% |
| 2001 | 2.46 million | -2.7% |
| 2002 | 2.41 million | -2.1% |
| 2003 | 2.38 million | -1.2% |
| 2004 | 2.37 million | -0.1% |
| 2005 | 2.40 million | +1.3% |
| 2006 | 2.46 million | +2.4% |
| 2007 | 2.54 million | +3.0% |
| 2008 | 2.63 million | +3.5% |
| 2009 | 2.70 million | +2.9% |
| 2010 | 2.74 million | +1.5% |
| 2011 | 2.77 million | +0.9% |
| 2012 | 2.78 million | +0.6% |
| 2013 | 2.78 million | -0.2% |
| 2014 | 2.78 million | +0.0% |
| 2015 | 2.81 million | +1.1% |
| 2016 | 2.82 million | +0.3% |
| 2017 | 2.79 million | -1.1% |
| 2018 | 2.75 million | -1.3% |
| 2019 | 2.74 million | -0.4% |
| 2020 | 2.77 million | +1.0% |
| 2021 | 2.84 million | +2.7% |
| 2022 | 2.91 million | +2.3% |
| 2023 | 2.93 million | +0.7% |
Averages by decade
| Decade | Average | Lowest | Highest | Years |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1950s | 1.17 million | 1.06 million | 1.31 million | 10 |
| 1960s | 1.54 million | 1.34 million | 1.77 million | 10 |
| 1970s | 2.02 million | 1.83 million | 2.18 million | 10 |
| 1980s | 2.57 million | 2.22 million | 2.87 million | 10 |
| 1990s | 2.72 million | 2.58 million | 2.86 million | 10 |
| 2000s | 2.49 million | 2.37 million | 2.70 million | 10 |
| 2010s | 2.77 million | 2.74 million | 2.82 million | 10 |
| 2020s | 2.86 million | 2.77 million | 2.93 million | 4 |
Countries ranked near South Africa
More gender data for South Africa
- Child population (UN estimates and projections) 17,151 (2030)
- Child population (UN estimates and projections) (0-14), annual growth 0.6591 % change on previous year (2030)
- Age population, age 00, female, interpolated 570,099 (2025)
- Age population, age 00, male, interpolated 589,533 (2025)
- Age population, age 01, female, interpolated 570,599 (2025)
- Age population, age 01, male, interpolated 589,626 (2025)
- Age population, age 02, female, interpolated 569,634 (2025)
- Age population, age 02, male, interpolated 588,323 (2025)
- Age population, age 03, female, interpolated 594,743 (2025)
- Age population, age 03, male, interpolated 603,304 (2025)
Frequently asked questions
- What is female population by age group in South Africa?
- Female population by age group in South Africa was 2.93 million in 2023, according to Our World in Data.
- What is the highest female population by age group recorded in South Africa?
- The highest recorded value was 2.93 million in 2023.
- What is the lowest female population by age group recorded in South Africa?
- The lowest recorded value was 1.06 million in 1950.
- How does South Africa rank for female population by age group?
- South Africa ranks 24th out of 229 countries with data for 2023.
- Is female population by age group rising or falling in South Africa?
- Over the last ten years it is up 5.5%. The long-run trend across the full record is rising.
- Where does this South Africa data come from?
- The figures come from Our World in Data, published as part of Female population by age group. Statizoid updates them automatically from the source API.
Download this data
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