South America Population (LIVE)

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South America Population (1950 - 2024)
Yearly Population Growth Rate (%)

Countries in South America

CountryPopulation (2024)
Brazil211,998,573
Colombia52,886,363
Argentina45,696,159
Peru34,217,848
Venezuela28,405,543
Chile19,764,771
Ecuador18,135,478
Bolivia12,413,315
Paraguay6,929,153
Uruguay3,386,588
Guyana831,087
Suriname634,431
French Guiana308,522
Falkland Islands3,470
  • The current population of South America is 436,790,062 as of Saturday, December 21, 2024, based on the latest United Nations estimates.
  • South America population is equivalent to 5.34% of the total world population.
  • South America ranks number 1 in Latin America and the Caribbean among subregions ranked by Population.
  • The population density in South America is 25 per Km2 (65 people per mi2).
  • The total land area is 17,461,112 Km2 (6,741,770 sq. miles)
  • 88.1 % of the population is urban (383,659,794 people in 2024).
  • The median age in South America is 32.7years.

Population of South America (2024 and historical)

YearPopulationYearly %
Change
Yearly
Change
Migrants (net)Median AgeFertility RateDensity (P/Km²)Urban
Pop %
Urban PopulationSouth America's
Share of
World Pop
World PopulationSouth America
Rank within
Latin America and the Caribbean
2024 435,611,302 0.60 % 2,587,127 -153,094.0 32.7 1.7 25 88.1 % 383,659,794 5.3 % 8,161,972,572 1
2020 426,213,516 0.63 % 2,665,273 -325,376 29.6 1.92 24 86.4 % 368,408,682 5.4 % 7,887,001,292 1
2015 409,619,910 0.95 % 3,783,770 -253,600 29.2 1.97 23 84.9 % 347,768,234 5.8 % 7,470,491,872 1
2010 390,701,059 1.06 % 4,000,951 -579,200 27.3 2.05 22 83.3 % 325,597,221 5.9 % 7,021,732,148 1
2005 370,696,304 1.27 % 4,535,527 -478,700 25.5 2.21 21 81.7 % 302,754,731 6.0 % 6,586,970,132 1
2000 348,018,671 1.55 % 5,155,793 -287,400 23.8 2.48 20 79.9 % 278,161,939 6.0 % 6,171,702,993 1
1995 322,239,706 1.74 % 5,320,034 -268,000 22.5 2.80 18 77.3 % 249,022,277 6.0 % 5,758,878,982 1
1990 295,639,534 1.97 % 5,502,455 -134,300 21.4 3.10 17 74.5 % 220,325,787 6.1 % 5,327,803,110 1
1985 268,127,258 2.19 % 5,505,535 -118,500 20.4 3.52 15 71.4 % 191,480,181 6.0 % 4,868,943,465 1
1980 240,599,581 2.27 % 5,105,356 -169,900 19.5 3.99 14 67.9 % 163,432,653 5.9 % 4,447,606,236 1
1975 215,072,802 2.31 % 4,643,548 -227,100 18.7 4.36 12 64.2 % 138,054,489 5.8 % 4,070,735,277 1
1970 191,855,063 2.47 % 4,413,555 -133,500 18.1 4.80 11 60.3 % 115,699,584 5.8 % 3,694,683,794 1
1965 169,787,288 2.72 % 4,269,250 -94,800 17.7 5.37 10 36.2 % 61,512,922 5.6 % 3,334,533,703 1
1960 148,441,038 2.79 % 3,817,949 -73,000 18.0 5.64 9 51.9 % 77,018,596 5.4 % 3,015,470,894 1
1955 129,351,295 2.74 % 3,275,635 -23,300 18.4 5.63 7 47.6 % 61,512,922 5.2 % 2,740,213,792 1

Source: Worldometer (www.Worldometers.info)

Elaboration of data by United Nations, Department of Economic and Social Affairs, Population Division. World Population Prospects: The 2024 Revision. (Medium-fertility variant).
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South America Population Forecast

YearPopulationYearly %
Change
Yearly
Change
Migrants (net)Median AgeFertility RateDensity (P/Km²)Urban
Pop %
Urban PopulationSouth America's
Share of
World Pop
World PopulationSouth America
Rank within
Latin America and the Caribbean
2025 438,105,374 0.55 % 2,378,372 -163,300 33.1 1.69 25 88.4 % 387,287,563 5.6 % 8,231,613,070 1
2030 449,102,411 0.5 % 2,199,407 -118,600 35.0 1.66 26 90 % 404,258,259 5.5 % 8,569,124,911 1
2035 457,885,011 0.39 % 1,756,520 -82,000 37.0 1.65 26 91.5 % 419,148,163 5.2 % 8,885,210,181 1
2040 464,245,166 0.28 % 1,272,031 -53,800 38.8 1.64 27 93 % 431,887,607 5.2 % 9,177,190,203 1
2045 467,844,218 0.15 % 719,810 -73,500 40.4 1.64 27 94.6 % 442,400,549 5.1 % 9,439,639,668 1
2050 468,674,488 0.04 % 166,054 -64,100 42.0 1.63 27 96.1 % 450,619,257 5.0 % 9,664,378,587 1
Source: Worldometer (www.Worldometers.info)
Elaboration of data by United Nations, Department of Economic and Social Affairs, Population Division. World Population Prospects: The 2024 Revision. (Medium-fertility variant).
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Notes

The South America Population (Live) counter shows a continuously updated estimate of the current population of South America delivered by Worldometer's RTS algorithm, which processes data collected from the United Nations Population Division.

The Population of South America (1950 - 2024) chart plots the total population count as of July 1 of each year, from 1950 to 2024.

The Yearly Population Growth Rate chart plots the annual percentage changes in population registered on July 1 of each year, from 1951 to 2024. This value can differ from the Yearly % Change shown in the historical table, which shows the last year equivalent percentage change assuming homogeneous change in the preceding five year period.

Definitions

Year: as of July 1 of the year indicated.

Population: Overall total population (both sexes and all ages) in the sub-region as of July 1 of the year indicated, as estimated by the United Nations, Department of Economic and Social Affairs, Population Division.World Population Prospects: The 2024 Revision. For forecasted years, the U.N. medium-fertility variant is used.

Yearly % Change: For 2024: percentage change in total population over the last year (from July 1, 2023 to June 30 2024). For all other years: latest year annual percentage change equivalent assuming homogeneous change in the preceding five year period, calculated through reverse compounding.

Yearly Change: For 2024: absolute change in total population (increase or decrease in number of people) over the last year (from July 1, 2023 to June 30 2024). For all other years: average annual numerical change over the preceding five year period.

Migrants (net): The average annual number of immigrants minus the number of emigrants over the preceding five year period (running from July 1 to June 30 of the initial and final years), or subsequent five year period. A negative number means that there are more emigrants than immigrants.

Median Age: age that divides the population into two numerically equal groups: half of the people are older than the median age indicated and half are younger. This parameter provides an indication of age distribution.

Fertility Rate: (Total Fertility Rate, or TFR), it is expressed as children per woman. It is calculated as the average number of children an average woman will have during her reproductive period (15 to 49 years old) based on the current fertility rates of every age group in the countries within South America, and assuming she is not subject to mortality.

Density (P/Km²): (Population Density) Population per square Kilometer (Km²).

Urban Pop % : Urban population as a percentage of total population.

Urban Population: Population living in areas classified as urban according to the criteria used by each country.

South America's Share of World Pop: Total population as a percentage of total World Population as of July 1 of the year indicated.

World Population: Total World Population as of July 1 of the year indicated.

Rank within Latin America and the Caribbean: Position held by South America in the list of all regions within Latin America and the Caribbean ranked by population (from the highest population to the lowest population) as of July 1 of the year indicated.

See also