What is population, per square kilometre in South Africa?

Population, per square kilometre in South Africa was 52.11 units per square kilometre in 2023, according to Statizoid (derived).

What is the highest population, per square kilometre recorded in South Africa?

The highest recorded value was 52.11 units per square kilometre in 2023.

What is the lowest population, per square kilometre recorded in South Africa?

The lowest recorded value was 13.94 units per square kilometre in 1961.

How does South Africa rank for population, per square kilometre?

South Africa ranks 125th out of 186 countries with data for 2023.

Is population, per square kilometre rising or falling in South Africa?

Over the last ten years it is up 15.6%. The long-run trend across the full record is rising.

Where does this South Africa data come from?

The figures come from Statizoid (derived), published as part of Population, per square kilometre. Statizoid updates them automatically from the source API.

Population, per square kilometre in South Africa

Name: Population, per square kilometre in South Africa
Creator: Statizoid (derived)
License: Derived by Statizoid from the sources named on the page

South Africa: Population, per square kilometre was 52.11 units per square kilometre in 2023. ▲ Rising

Latest (2023)

52.11 units per square kilometre

Change on year

up 1.3%

World rank

125th

of 186 countries

All-time high

52.11 units per square kilometre

in 2023

All-time low

13.94 units per square kilometre

in 1961

Years of data

1961–2023

Population, per square kilometre in South Africa, 1961–2023

Source: Statizoid (derived). Measured in units per square kilometre.

Analysis

In 2023, population, per square kilometre in South Africa stood at 52.11 units per square kilometre. That is the highest value across all 63 years on record.

Compared with earlier readings it is up 1.3% on the previous year and up 15.6% over ten years.

Over the whole period, population, per square kilometre in South Africa peaked at 52.11 units per square kilometre in 2023 and was at its lowest, 13.94 units per square kilometre, in 1961.

That places South Africa 125th out of 186 countries with data for 2023, putting it in the middle of the range.

The long-run direction has been consistently rising across the 63 years of available data.

Population, per square kilometre in South Africa, year by year

Annual values for Population, per square kilometre in South Africa, 1961 to 2023.
Year	units per square kilometre	Change
1961	13.94 units per square kilometre	—
1962	14.36 units per square kilometre	+3.0%
1963	14.8 units per square kilometre	+3.1%
1964	15.26 units per square kilometre	+3.1%
1965	15.74 units per square kilometre	+3.1%
1966	16.23 units per square kilometre	+3.1%
1967	16.75 units per square kilometre	+3.2%
1968	17.28 units per square kilometre	+3.2%
1969	17.82 units per square kilometre	+3.1%
1970	18.37 units per square kilometre	+3.1%
1971	18.91 units per square kilometre	+3.0%
1972	19.46 units per square kilometre	+2.9%
1973	20.03 units per square kilometre	+2.9%
1974	20.6 units per square kilometre	+2.9%
1975	21.18 units per square kilometre	+2.8%
1976	21.76 units per square kilometre	+2.7%
1977	22.36 units per square kilometre	+2.7%
1978	22.97 units per square kilometre	+2.8%
1979	23.6 units per square kilometre	+2.7%
1980	24.33 units per square kilometre	+3.1%
1981	25.18 units per square kilometre	+3.5%
1982	26.06 units per square kilometre	+3.5%
1983	26.99 units per square kilometre	+3.6%
1984	27.94 units per square kilometre	+3.5%
1985	28.89 units per square kilometre	+3.4%
1986	29.83 units per square kilometre	+3.2%
1987	30.77 units per square kilometre	+3.2%
1988	31.72 units per square kilometre	+3.1%
1989	32.67 units per square kilometre	+3.0%
1990	33.59 units per square kilometre	+2.8%
1991	34.37 units per square kilometre	+2.3%
1992	34.99 units per square kilometre	+1.8%
1993	35.69 units per square kilometre	+2.0%
1994	36.27 units per square kilometre	+1.6%
1995	36.72 units per square kilometre	+1.2%
1996	37.2 units per square kilometre	+1.3%
1997	37.65 units per square kilometre	+1.2%
1998	38.1 units per square kilometre	+1.2%
1999	38.52 units per square kilometre	+1.1%
2000	38.88 units per square kilometre	+0.9%
2001	39.21 units per square kilometre	+0.9%
2002	39.58 units per square kilometre	+1.0%
2003	39.98 units per square kilometre	+1.0%
2004	40.39 units per square kilometre	+1.0%
2005	40.8 units per square kilometre	+1.0%
2006	41.22 units per square kilometre	+1.0%
2007	41.65 units per square kilometre	+1.1%
2008	42.14 units per square kilometre	+1.2%
2009	42.64 units per square kilometre	+1.2%
2010	43.15 units per square kilometre	+1.2%
2011	43.69 units per square kilometre	+1.2%
2012	44.34 units per square kilometre	+1.5%
2013	45.07 units per square kilometre	+1.7%
2014	45.83 units per square kilometre	+1.7%
2015	46.76 units per square kilometre	+2.0%
2016	47.2 units per square kilometre	+0.9%
2017	47.51 units per square kilometre	+0.7%
2018	48.32 units per square kilometre	+1.7%
2019	49.12 units per square kilometre	+1.7%
2020	49.92 units per square kilometre	+1.6%
2021	50.7 units per square kilometre	+1.6%
2022	51.42 units per square kilometre	+1.4%
2023	52.11 units per square kilometre	+1.3%

Averages by decade

Decade	Average	Lowest	Highest	Years
1960s	15.8 units per square kilometre	13.94 units per square kilometre	17.82 units per square kilometre	9
1970s	20.92 units per square kilometre	18.37 units per square kilometre	23.6 units per square kilometre	10
1980s	28.44 units per square kilometre	24.33 units per square kilometre	32.67 units per square kilometre	10
1990s	36.31 units per square kilometre	33.59 units per square kilometre	38.52 units per square kilometre	10
2000s	40.65 units per square kilometre	38.88 units per square kilometre	42.64 units per square kilometre	10
2010s	46.1 units per square kilometre	43.15 units per square kilometre	49.12 units per square kilometre	10
2020s	51.04 units per square kilometre	49.92 units per square kilometre	52.11 units per square kilometre	4

Countries ranked near South Africa

122 Iran, Islamic Republic of 55.85 units per square kilometre compare
123 Madagascar 53.62 units per square kilometre compare
124 Georgia 53.47 units per square kilometre compare
126 Fiji 50.58 units per square kilometre compare
127 Djibouti 49.74 units per square kilometre compare
128 Colombia 47.16 units per square kilometre compare

See the full ranking of 186 places →

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)

All data for South Africa →

Frequently asked questions

What is population, per square kilometre in South Africa?: Population, per square kilometre in South Africa was 52.11 units per square kilometre in 2023, according to Statizoid (derived).
What is the highest population, per square kilometre recorded in South Africa?: The highest recorded value was 52.11 units per square kilometre in 2023.
What is the lowest population, per square kilometre recorded in South Africa?: The lowest recorded value was 13.94 units per square kilometre in 1961.
How does South Africa rank for population, per square kilometre?: South Africa ranks 125th out of 186 countries with data for 2023.
Is population, per square kilometre rising or falling in South Africa?: Over the last ten years it is up 15.6%. The long-run trend across the full record is rising.
Where does this South Africa data come from?: The figures come from Statizoid (derived), published as part of Population, per square kilometre. Statizoid updates them automatically from the source API.

Download this data

CSV · JSON — 63 observations, free to reuse under Derived by Statizoid from the sources named on the page.

Share, cite or embed this page

Cite this page

Population, per square kilometre in South Africa. Statizoid, drawing on Statizoid (derived). Retrieved 04 September 2026, from https://gender.statizoid.com/stat/population-per-square-kilometre/south-africa/

Embed or link this data

Paste this into a page to link back to these figures. The data itself is free to reuse under Derived by Statizoid from the sources named on the page; please keep the attribution.

<a href="https://gender.statizoid.com/stat/population-per-square-kilometre/south-africa/">Population, per square kilometre in South Africa</a> — Statizoid

How this figure is calculated

Population divided by Land area (sq. km), matched on country and year. Neither publisher issues this ratio as a series; it is computed here from both.

Population ÷ Land area (sq. km)

Computed from

Population International Monetary Fund
Land area FAOSTAT, Food and Agriculture Organization of the United Nations (FAO)

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

Indicator: Population, per square kilometre
Unit: units per square kilometre
Source: Statizoid (derived)
Licence: Derived by Statizoid from the sources named on the page
Coverage: 186 places, 10,641 data points, 1961–2023
Last refreshed: 27 August 2026

Population divided by Land area (sq. km), matched on country and year. Neither publisher issues this ratio as a series; it is computed here from both.