Share of the population that is female in South Africa
South Africa: Share of the population that is female was 51.3% in 2025. ▲ Rising
Latest (2025)
51.3%
Change on year
up 0.0%
World rank
46th
of 215 countries
All-time high
52.5%
in 2000
All-time low
48.7%
in 1960
Years of data
66
1960–2025
Share of the population that is female in South Africa, 1960–2025
Source: United Nations Population Division and World Bank (2026) – processed by Our World in Data. Measured in % of total.
Analysis
In 2025, share of the population that is female in South Africa stood at 51.3%.
The figure is down 0.2% over ten years.
Over the whole period, share of the population that is female in South Africa peaked at 52.5% in 2000 and was at its lowest, 48.7%, in 1960.
That places South Africa 46th out of 215 countries with data for 2025, putting it in the top quarter.
The long-run direction has been consistently rising across the 66 years of available data.
Share of the population that is female in South Africa, year by year
| Year | % of total | Change |
|---|---|---|
| 1960 | 48.7% | — |
| 1961 | 48.8% | +0.2% |
| 1962 | 48.9% | +0.2% |
| 1963 | 49.0% | +0.2% |
| 1964 | 49.1% | +0.2% |
| 1965 | 49.2% | +0.2% |
| 1966 | 49.3% | +0.2% |
| 1967 | 49.4% | +0.2% |
| 1968 | 49.5% | +0.2% |
| 1969 | 49.5% | +0.2% |
| 1970 | 49.6% | +0.1% |
| 1971 | 49.6% | +0.0% |
| 1972 | 49.6% | -0.1% |
| 1973 | 49.5% | -0.1% |
| 1974 | 49.5% | -0.1% |
| 1975 | 49.5% | -0.1% |
| 1976 | 49.4% | -0.1% |
| 1977 | 49.4% | -0.1% |
| 1978 | 49.3% | -0.1% |
| 1979 | 49.3% | -0.1% |
| 1980 | 49.3% | -0.0% |
| 1981 | 49.3% | +0.1% |
| 1982 | 49.3% | +0.1% |
| 1983 | 49.3% | +0.1% |
| 1984 | 49.4% | +0.1% |
| 1985 | 49.4% | -0.0% |
| 1986 | 49.3% | -0.1% |
| 1987 | 49.2% | -0.1% |
| 1988 | 49.2% | -0.1% |
| 1989 | 49.2% | -0.1% |
| 1990 | 49.1% | -0.1% |
| 1991 | 49.1% | +0.0% |
| 1992 | 49.5% | +0.7% |
| 1993 | 49.1% | -0.8% |
| 1994 | 49.4% | +0.7% |
| 1995 | 50.7% | +2.7% |
| 1996 | 51.8% | +2.0% |
| 1997 | 52.4% | +1.3% |
| 1998 | 52.4% | +0.0% |
| 1999 | 52.5% | +0.0% |
| 2000 | 52.5% | +0.0% |
| 2001 | 52.5% | -0.0% |
| 2002 | 52.4% | -0.1% |
| 2003 | 52.4% | -0.1% |
| 2004 | 52.3% | -0.1% |
| 2005 | 52.2% | -0.1% |
| 2006 | 52.1% | -0.1% |
| 2007 | 52.1% | -0.1% |
| 2008 | 52.0% | -0.1% |
| 2009 | 51.9% | -0.1% |
| 2010 | 51.9% | -0.1% |
| 2011 | 51.8% | -0.1% |
| 2012 | 51.8% | -0.1% |
| 2013 | 51.7% | -0.1% |
| 2014 | 51.6% | -0.2% |
| 2015 | 51.5% | -0.3% |
| 2016 | 51.5% | +0.0% |
| 2017 | 51.6% | +0.2% |
| 2018 | 51.5% | -0.1% |
| 2019 | 51.5% | -0.1% |
| 2020 | 51.5% | -0.1% |
| 2021 | 51.5% | -0.1% |
| 2022 | 51.4% | -0.1% |
| 2023 | 51.4% | -0.1% |
| 2024 | 51.3% | -0.0% |
| 2025 | 51.3% | +0.0% |
South Africa compared with similar countries
- South Africa's 51.3% is above the median for upper middle income countries, which is 50.3%, 1.0× the median. (58 countries reporting)
- South Africa's 51.3% is above the median for Sub-Saharan Africa, which is 50.2%, 1.0× the median. (48 countries reporting)
Averages by decade
| Decade | Average | Lowest | Highest | Years |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1960s | 49.1% | 48.7% | 49.5% | 10 |
| 1970s | 49.5% | 49.3% | 49.6% | 10 |
| 1980s | 49.3% | 49.2% | 49.4% | 10 |
| 1990s | 50.6% | 49.1% | 52.5% | 10 |
| 2000s | 52.2% | 51.9% | 52.5% | 10 |
| 2010s | 51.6% | 51.5% | 51.9% | 10 |
| 2020s | 51.4% | 51.3% | 51.5% | 6 |
Countries ranked near South Africa
- 43 Sint Maarten (Dutch part) 51.4% compare
- 44 Thailand 51.4% compare
- 45 Lebanon 51.3% compare
- 47 North Macedonia 51.3% compare
- 48 Guyana 51.3% compare
- 49 Kazakhstan 51.3% 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)
- 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 share of the population that is female in South Africa?
- Share of the population that is female in South Africa was 51.3% in 2025, according to United Nations Population Division and World Bank (2026) – processed by Our World in Data.
- What is the highest share of the population that is female recorded in South Africa?
- The highest recorded value was 52.5% in 2000.
- What is the lowest share of the population that is female recorded in South Africa?
- The lowest recorded value was 48.7% in 1960.
- How does South Africa rank for share of the population that is female?
- South Africa ranks 46th out of 215 countries with data for 2025.
- Is share of the population that is female rising or falling in South Africa?
- Over the last ten years it is down 0.2%. The long-run trend across the full record is rising.
- Where does this South Africa data come from?
- The figures come from United Nations Population Division and World Bank (2026) – processed by Our World in Data, published as part of Share of the population that is female. Statizoid updates them automatically from the source API.
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