| Country | Population (2025) |
|---|---|
| South Africa | 64,007,187 |
| Namibia | 3,030,131 |
| Botswana | 2,521,139 |
| Lesotho | 2,337,423 |
| Eswatini | 1,242,822 |
| Year | Population | Yearly % Change | Yearly Change | Migrants (net) | Median Age | Fertility Rate | Density (P/Km²) | Urban Pop % | Urban Population | Southern Africa's Share of World Pop | World Population | Southern Africa Rank |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2025 | 74,021,757 | 1.21% | 883,056 | 131,604 | 27.9 | 2.27 | 28 | 64.7% | 47,899,966 | 0.90% | 8,231,613,070 | 5 |
| 2024 | 73,138,701 | 1.3% | 941,000 | 153,543 | 27.7 | 2.29 | 28 | 64.4% | 47,072,642 | 0.90% | 8,161,972,572 | 5 |
| 2023 | 72,197,701 | 1.38% | 984,710 | 219,693 | 27.4 | 2.3 | 27 | 64% | 46,236,957 | 0.89% | 8,091,734,930 | 5 |
| 2022 | 71,212,991 | 1.53% | 1,063,750 | 233,619 | 27.1 | 2.31 | 27 | 63.7% | 45,393,639 | 0.89% | 8,021,407,192 | 5 |
| 2020 | 69,085,492 | 1.37% | 907,392 | 377,936 | 26.5 | 2.35 | 26 | 63.2% | 43,688,187 | 0.88% | 7,887,001,292 | 5 |
| 2015 | 64,548,533 | 1.61% | 990,732 | 624,638 | 24.8 | 2.46 | 24 | 61% | 39,358,000 | 0.86% | 7,470,491,872 | 5 |
| 2010 | 59,594,873 | 1.13% | 653,257 | 47,976 | 23.2 | 2.55 | 22 | 58.8% | 35,033,133 | 0.85% | 7,021,732,148 | 5 |
| 2005 | 56,328,588 | 0.96% | 525,503 | −18,635 | 21.7 | 2.62 | 21 | 56% | 31,525,848 | 0.86% | 6,586,970,132 | 5 |
| 2000 | 53,701,075 | 1.21% | 627,329 | −156,070 | 20.4 | 2.56 | 20 | 52.4% | 28,155,877 | 0.87% | 6,171,702,993 | 5 |
| 1995 | 50,564,431 | 1.86% | 892,208 | −100,838 | 20 | 3.28 | 19 | 48.9% | 24,706,851 | 0.88% | 5,758,878,982 | 5 |
| 1990 | 46,103,391 | 3.09% | 1,302,378 | 261,838 | 19.8 | 3.86 | 17 | 45.4% | 20,912,450 | 0.87% | 5,327,803,110 | 5 |
| 1985 | 39,591,503 | 3.43% | 1,230,112 | 252,727 | 19 | 4.62 | 15 | 44.4% | 17,575,710 | 0.81% | 4,868,943,465 | 5 |
| 1980 | 33,440,942 | 2.88% | 885,455 | 230,248 | 18.1 | 4.93 | 13 | 45.1% | 15,079,862 | 0.75% | 4,447,606,236 | 5 |
| 1975 | 29,013,667 | 2.95% | 784,999 | 55,271 | 17.7 | 5.32 | 11 | 45.2% | 13,119,613 | 0.71% | 4,070,735,277 | 5 |
| 1970 | 25,088,674 | 3.07% | 704,329 | 52,591 | 17.5 | 5.71 | 9 | 45% | 11,279,997 | 0.68% | 3,694,683,794 | 5 |
| 1965 | 21,567,028 | 2.97% | 587,478 | 67,095 | 17.6 | 5.94 | 8 | 44.8% | 9,666,858 | 0.65% | 3,334,533,703 | 5 |
| 1960 | 18,629,639 | 2.47% | 427,172 | 11,240 | 17.8 | 6.12 | 7 | 44.6% | 8,305,736 | 0.62% | 3,015,470,894 | 5 |
| 1955 | 16,493,778 | 2.17% | 335,158 | −13,589 | 18.4 | 6.13 | 6 | 42.1% | 6,950,244 | 0.60% | 2,740,213,792 | 5 |
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).| Year | Population | Yearly % Change | Yearly Change | Migrants (net) | Median Age | Fertility Rate | Density (P/Km²) | Urban Pop % | Urban Population | Southern Africa's Share of World Pop | World Population | Southern Africa Rank |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2030 | 78,131,971 | 1.09% | 822,043 | 129,521 | 28.8 | 2.17 | 29 | 66.4% | 51,909,443 | 0.91% | 8,569,124,911 | 5 |
| 2035 | 81,874,030 | 0.94% | 748,412 | 147,416 | 29.4 | 2.1 | 31 | 68.1% | 55,757,861 | 0.92% | 8,885,210,181 | 5 |
| 2040 | 85,312,325 | 0.83% | 687,659 | 142,109 | 30.3 | 2.04 | 32 | 69.7% | 59,431,696 | 0.93% | 9,177,190,203 | 5 |
| 2045 | 88,563,576 | 0.75% | 650,250 | 155,255 | 31.1 | 1.99 | 33 | 71.1% | 62,936,121 | 0.94% | 9,439,639,668 | 5 |
| 2050 | 91,625,466 | 0.68% | 612,378 | 167,784 | 31.8 | 1.94 | 35 | 72.3% | 66,231,499 | 0.95% | 9,664,378,587 | 5 |
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).The Southern Africa Population (Live) counter shows a continuously updated estimate of the current population of Southern Africa delivered by Worldometer’s RTS algorithm, which processes data collected from the United Nations Population Division.
The Population of Southern Africa (1950 - 2025) chart plots the total population count as of July 1 of each year, from 1950 to 2025.
The Yearly Population Growth Rate chart plots the annual percentage changes in population registered on July 1 of each year, from 1951 to 2025. 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.
Year: as of July 1 of the year indicated.
Population: Overall total population (both sexes and all ages) in the 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 2025: percentage change in total population over the last year (from July 1, 2024 to June 30, 2025). 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 2025: absolute change in total population (increase or decrease in number of people) over the last year (from July 1, 2024 to June 30, 2025). 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 (for 2016 data). 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 Southern Africa, 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.
Southern Africa’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.
Global Rank: Position held by Southern Africa in the list of all regions worldwide ranked by population (from the highest population to the lowest population) as of July 1 of the year indicated.