Population, annual growth rate in South Africa
South Africa: Population, annual growth rate was 1.26 % change on previous year in 2024. ▼ Falling
Latest (2024)
1.26 % change on previous year
Change on year
down 6.0%
World rank
83rd
of 186 countries
All-time high
3.56 % change on previous year
in 1983
All-time low
0.656 % change on previous year
in 2017
Years of data
64
1961–2024
Population, annual growth rate in South Africa, 1961–2024
Source: Statizoid (derived). Measured in % change on previous year.
Analysis
The most recent figure for population, annual growth rate in South Africa is 1.26 % change on previous year, measured in 2024.
That represents a change of down 6.0% on the previous year and down 24.9% over ten years.
Over the whole period, population, annual growth rate in South Africa peaked at 3.56 % change on previous year in 1983 and was at its lowest, 0.656 % change on previous year, in 2017.
South Africa ranks 83rd of 186 countries on this measure, in the middle of the range.
The long-run direction has been consistently falling across the 64 years of available data.
Population, annual growth rate in South Africa, year by year
| Year | % change on previous year | Change |
|---|---|---|
| 1961 | 2.85 % change on previous year | — |
| 1962 | 3.02 % change on previous year | +6.1% |
| 1963 | 3.08 % change on previous year | +1.9% |
| 1964 | 3.1 % change on previous year | +0.8% |
| 1965 | 3.12 % change on previous year | +0.7% |
| 1966 | 3.15 % change on previous year | +0.8% |
| 1967 | 3.17 % change on previous year | +0.7% |
| 1968 | 3.17 % change on previous year | -0.1% |
| 1969 | 3.14 % change on previous year | -0.9% |
| 1970 | 3.08 % change on previous year | -1.9% |
| 1971 | 2.97 % change on previous year | -3.5% |
| 1972 | 2.91 % change on previous year | -2.1% |
| 1973 | 2.9 % change on previous year | -0.3% |
| 1974 | 2.86 % change on previous year | -1.4% |
| 1975 | 2.81 % change on previous year | -1.8% |
| 1976 | 2.74 % change on previous year | -2.4% |
| 1977 | 2.74 % change on previous year | -0.0% |
| 1978 | 2.77 % change on previous year | +0.9% |
| 1979 | 2.74 % change on previous year | -0.9% |
| 1980 | 3.09 % change on previous year | +12.6% |
| 1981 | 3.46 % change on previous year | +12.1% |
| 1982 | 3.52 % change on previous year | +1.6% |
| 1983 | 3.56 % change on previous year | +1.1% |
| 1984 | 3.52 % change on previous year | -0.9% |
| 1985 | 3.39 % change on previous year | -3.8% |
| 1986 | 3.25 % change on previous year | -4.2% |
| 1987 | 3.17 % change on previous year | -2.5% |
| 1988 | 3.09 % change on previous year | -2.3% |
| 1989 | 2.98 % change on previous year | -3.5% |
| 1990 | 2.82 % change on previous year | -5.5% |
| 1991 | 2.31 % change on previous year | -18.1% |
| 1992 | 1.81 % change on previous year | -21.6% |
| 1993 | 2.01 % change on previous year | +11.0% |
| 1994 | 1.63 % change on previous year | -18.8% |
| 1995 | 1.22 % change on previous year | -25.2% |
| 1996 | 1.31 % change on previous year | +6.9% |
| 1997 | 1.21 % change on previous year | -7.7% |
| 1998 | 1.22 % change on previous year | +1.2% |
| 1999 | 1.1 % change on previous year | -10.2% |
| 2000 | 0.9189 % change on previous year | -16.1% |
| 2001 | 0.8632 % change on previous year | -6.1% |
| 2002 | 0.9515 % change on previous year | +10.2% |
| 2003 | 1 % change on previous year | +5.3% |
| 2004 | 1.01 % change on previous year | +1.1% |
| 2005 | 1.02 % change on previous year | +0.5% |
| 2006 | 1.03 % change on previous year | +0.9% |
| 2007 | 1.06 % change on previous year | +3.3% |
| 2008 | 1.16 % change on previous year | +9.3% |
| 2009 | 1.2 % change on previous year | +3.6% |
| 2010 | 1.19 % change on previous year | -0.9% |
| 2011 | 1.24 % change on previous year | +4.5% |
| 2012 | 1.49 % change on previous year | +19.4% |
| 2013 | 1.67 % change on previous year | +12.2% |
| 2014 | 1.68 % change on previous year | +0.5% |
| 2015 | 2.03 % change on previous year | +21.2% |
| 2016 | 0.9451 % change on previous year | -53.4% |
| 2017 | 0.656 % change on previous year | -30.6% |
| 2018 | 1.7 % change on previous year | +158.6% |
| 2019 | 1.66 % change on previous year | -2.0% |
| 2020 | 1.64 % change on previous year | -1.7% |
| 2021 | 1.55 % change on previous year | -5.1% |
| 2022 | 1.42 % change on previous year | -8.3% |
| 2023 | 1.34 % change on previous year | -6.1% |
| 2024 | 1.26 % change on previous year | -6.0% |
Averages by decade
| Decade | Average | Lowest | Highest | Years |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1960s | 3.09 % change on previous year | 2.85 % change on previous year | 3.17 % change on previous year | 9 |
| 1970s | 2.85 % change on previous year | 2.74 % change on previous year | 3.08 % change on previous year | 10 |
| 1980s | 3.3 % change on previous year | 2.98 % change on previous year | 3.56 % change on previous year | 10 |
| 1990s | 1.66 % change on previous year | 1.1 % change on previous year | 2.82 % change on previous year | 10 |
| 2000s | 1.02 % change on previous year | 0.8632 % change on previous year | 1.2 % change on previous year | 10 |
| 2010s | 1.43 % change on previous year | 0.656 % change on previous year | 2.03 % change on previous year | 10 |
| 2020s | 1.44 % change on previous year | 1.26 % change on previous year | 1.64 % change on previous year | 5 |
Countries ranked near South Africa
- 80 Kazakhstan 1.29 % change on previous year compare
- 81 Panama 1.27 % change on previous year compare
- 82 Israel 1.27 % change on previous year compare
- 84 Mongolia 1.25 % change on previous year compare
- 85 Paraguay 1.24 % change on previous year compare
- 86 Cambodia 1.23 % change on previous year compare
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 population, annual growth rate in South Africa?
- Population, annual growth rate in South Africa was 1.26 % change on previous year in 2024, according to Statizoid (derived).
- What is the highest population, annual growth rate recorded in South Africa?
- The highest recorded value was 3.56 % change on previous year in 1983.
- What is the lowest population, annual growth rate recorded in South Africa?
- The lowest recorded value was 0.656 % change on previous year in 2017.
- How does South Africa rank for population, annual growth rate?
- South Africa ranks 83rd out of 186 countries with data for 2024.
- Is population, annual growth rate rising or falling in South Africa?
- Over the last ten years it is down 24.9%. The long-run trend across the full record is falling.
- Where does this South Africa data come from?
- The figures come from Statizoid (derived), published as part of Population, annual growth rate. Statizoid updates them automatically from the source API.
Download this data
CSV · JSON — 64 observations, free to reuse under Derived by Statizoid from the sources named on the page.
How this figure is calculated
The year-on-year percentage change in Population. Computed from consecutive annual observations; years either side of a gap are skipped rather than bridged.
Computed from
- Population International Monetary Fund
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
The year-on-year percentage change in Population. Computed from consecutive annual observations; years either side of a gap are skipped rather than bridged.