Population
64,747,319
South AfricaWorld Bank, 2025
From 56,723,537 in 2015 to 64,747,319 in 2025.
Everyone living in the country, estimated at mid-year.
South Africa by the numbers
Official figures for South Africa. Each one shows its date, its source and the area it covers. A figure for a larger area says so.
People
Change over 5 years
+6.9%
South AfricaWorld Bank, 2020 to 2025
Change in the World Bank population figure over the five years shown, both from the same release.
Living in urban areas
63.8%
South AfricaWorld Bank, 2025
From 63.2% in 2015 to 63.8% in 2025.
Share of people living in areas the country itself defines as urban.
Life expectancy at birth
66.3years
South AfricaWorld Bank, 2024
From 64.1 years in 2015 to 66.3 years in 2024.
How long a newborn would live on average if today's death rates stayed the same.
Work and income
GDP per person
$6,598
South AfricaWorld Bank, 2025
From $6,112 in 2015 to $6,598 in 2025.
The value of what the country produces in a year, divided by its population, in current US dollars.
Unemployment rate
32.4%
South AfricaWorld Bank, 2025
From 25.2% in 2015 to 32.4% in 2025.
Share of the labour force without work and looking for work, as modelled by the International Labour Organization.
Sources
- World Bank, World Development Indicators · CC BY 4.0
Figures are shown as each source publishes them. Survey figures carry a 90% margin of error. A figure for a larger area is labelled with that area.