Male population by age group in South Africa
South Africa: Male population by age group was 2.96 million people in 2023. ▲ Rising
Latest (2023)
2.96 million people
Change on year
up 1.3%
World rank
24th
of 236 countries
All-time high
2.96 million people
in 2023
All-time low
1.09 million people
in 1950
Years of data
74
1950–2023
Male population by age group 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 male population by age group in South Africa is 2.96 million people, measured in 2023. That is the highest value across all 74 years on record.
That represents a change of up 1.3% on the previous year and up 3.1% over ten years.
Over the whole period, male population by age group in South Africa peaked at 2.96 million people in 2023 and was at its lowest, 1.09 million people, in 1950.
That places South Africa 24th out of 236 countries with data for 2023, putting it in the top 10%.
The long-run direction has been consistently rising across the 74 years of available data.
Male population by age group in South Africa, year by year
| Year | people | Change |
|---|---|---|
| 1950 | 1.09 million people | — |
| 1951 | 1.11 million people | +1.8% |
| 1952 | 1.13 million people | +1.9% |
| 1953 | 1.15 million people | +1.8% |
| 1954 | 1.17 million people | +2.2% |
| 1955 | 1.21 million people | +2.8% |
| 1956 | 1.24 million people | +2.8% |
| 1957 | 1.27 million people | +2.8% |
| 1958 | 1.31 million people | +2.7% |
| 1959 | 1.34 million people | +2.7% |
| 1960 | 1.38 million people | +2.6% |
| 1961 | 1.42 million people | +2.7% |
| 1962 | 1.46 million people | +2.9% |
| 1963 | 1.50 million people | +2.9% |
| 1964 | 1.54 million people | +3.0% |
| 1965 | 1.59 million people | +3.1% |
| 1966 | 1.65 million people | +3.3% |
| 1967 | 1.70 million people | +3.4% |
| 1968 | 1.76 million people | +3.4% |
| 1969 | 1.82 million people | +3.3% |
| 1970 | 1.88 million people | +3.2% |
| 1971 | 1.93 million people | +2.9% |
| 1972 | 1.98 million people | +2.6% |
| 1973 | 2.03 million people | +2.4% |
| 1974 | 2.07 million people | +2.2% |
| 1975 | 2.11 million people | +1.9% |
| 1976 | 2.15 million people | +1.7% |
| 1977 | 2.18 million people | +1.4% |
| 1978 | 2.21 million people | +1.2% |
| 1979 | 2.24 million people | +1.4% |
| 1980 | 2.29 million people | +2.1% |
| 1981 | 2.36 million people | +3.1% |
| 1982 | 2.44 million people | +3.7% |
| 1983 | 2.54 million people | +3.9% |
| 1984 | 2.63 million people | +3.4% |
| 1985 | 2.71 million people | +3.0% |
| 1986 | 2.79 million people | +3.0% |
| 1987 | 2.86 million people | +2.7% |
| 1988 | 2.92 million people | +2.0% |
| 1989 | 2.95 million people | +1.0% |
| 1990 | 2.94 million people | -0.3% |
| 1991 | 2.90 million people | -1.2% |
| 1992 | 2.87 million people | -1.2% |
| 1993 | 2.82 million people | -1.8% |
| 1994 | 2.78 million people | -1.3% |
| 1995 | 2.78 million people | -0.0% |
| 1996 | 2.78 million people | +0.1% |
| 1997 | 2.76 million people | -0.8% |
| 1998 | 2.71 million people | -1.9% |
| 1999 | 2.66 million people | -1.7% |
| 2000 | 2.61 million people | -2.0% |
| 2001 | 2.54 million people | -2.6% |
| 2002 | 2.49 million people | -2.0% |
| 2003 | 2.46 million people | -1.2% |
| 2004 | 2.46 million people | -0.1% |
| 2005 | 2.49 million people | +1.3% |
| 2006 | 2.55 million people | +2.5% |
| 2007 | 2.63 million people | +3.0% |
| 2008 | 2.72 million people | +3.6% |
| 2009 | 2.80 million people | +2.9% |
| 2010 | 2.84 million people | +1.5% |
| 2011 | 2.87 million people | +0.9% |
| 2012 | 2.88 million people | +0.5% |
| 2013 | 2.87 million people | -0.5% |
| 2014 | 2.87 million people | -0.0% |
| 2015 | 2.90 million people | +1.2% |
| 2016 | 2.91 million people | +0.4% |
| 2017 | 2.88 million people | -1.2% |
| 2018 | 2.83 million people | -1.8% |
| 2019 | 2.80 million people | -1.0% |
| 2020 | 2.81 million people | +0.3% |
| 2021 | 2.86 million people | +1.9% |
| 2022 | 2.92 million people | +2.2% |
| 2023 | 2.96 million people | +1.3% |
South Africa compared with similar countries
- South Africa's 2.96 million people is above the median for upper middle income countries, which is 229,432 people, 12.9× the median. (58 countries reporting)
- South Africa's 2.96 million people is above the median for Sub-Saharan Africa, which is 1.11 million people, 2.7× the median. (48 countries reporting)
Averages by decade
| Decade | Average | Lowest | Highest | Years |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1950s | 1.20 million people | 1.09 million people | 1.34 million people | 10 |
| 1960s | 1.58 million people | 1.38 million people | 1.82 million people | 10 |
| 1970s | 2.08 million people | 1.88 million people | 2.24 million people | 10 |
| 1980s | 2.65 million people | 2.29 million people | 2.95 million people | 10 |
| 1990s | 2.80 million people | 2.66 million people | 2.94 million people | 10 |
| 2000s | 2.57 million people | 2.46 million people | 2.80 million people | 10 |
| 2010s | 2.87 million people | 2.80 million people | 2.91 million people | 10 |
| 2020s | 2.89 million people | 2.81 million people | 2.96 million people | 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)
- Population 51,011 (2030)
- Working-age population (UN estimates and projections) 51,011 (2030)
- Population (UN estimates and projections), annual growth rate 1.07 % 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)
Frequently asked questions
- What is male population by age group in South Africa?
- Male population by age group in South Africa was 2.96 million people in 2023, according to UN, World Population Prospects (2024) – processed by Our World in Data.
- What is the highest male population by age group recorded in South Africa?
- The highest recorded value was 2.96 million people in 2023.
- What is the lowest male population by age group recorded in South Africa?
- The lowest recorded value was 1.09 million people in 1950.
- How does South Africa rank for male population by age group?
- South Africa ranks 24th out of 236 countries with data for 2023.
- Is male population by age group rising or falling in South Africa?
- Over the last ten years it is up 3.1%. The long-run trend across the full record is rising.
- 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 Male population by age group. Statizoid updates them automatically from the source API.
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About this data
Total population, measured on 1 July of the year shown. This only includes men aged 0-4.